Chapter 91: Unruly Rival
For a moment, when Torsten demanded that Ashlynn reveal her mark, no one moved or spoke.
A layer of frost formed over Hauke’s fur as he trembled in a mixture of humiliation and rage. By standing between him and the witch, Torsten had all but shouted that Hauke was too weak to defend himself from Ashlynn while at the same time declaring that he was strong enough to face her in Hauke’s place.
Then, he’d gone even further, insinuating that Ashlynn was a fraud, perhaps one of the human ’miracle workers’ who had come with some kind of nefarious purpose. The notion should have been ludicrous yet when Torsten said ’Show us your mark’, several of the other Frost Walkers nearby began to echo him!
"She should prove that she’s really a child of the earth."
"There is no vampire to vouch for her, we need to see the mark!"
"This mountain is sacred, no human should defile it."
A faint whirlwind of icy crystals began to swirl around Hauke’s feet and pale iridescent light flickered in his horn as he clenched his fists, a sharp rebuke forming on his lips. It was impossible for the Seneschal of a True Vampire to accept the insult Torsten had just made and it was doubly so for a Child of the Earth and Hauke intended to make it clear just how far out of line Torsten and his lackeys had stepped.
Before he could make a move or say a word, however, the human witch held up a hand and turned back to the glowering soldiers and servants from the Vale of Mists.
"Heila," Ashlynn said in the common human tongue, seemingly unperturbed by Torsten’s icy spear floating menacingly in the air. "Please come translate for me. I do not wish there to be any misunderstandings."