How in the world was Thyra so bullheaded to do the same to herself? When I looked at Vale, our bond set me ablaze. Who wouldn’t want that?
And why does she think Thantrel is so bad?
He was a handful, but Thantrel possessed a good heart, and no one could deny that he was gorgeous. I sighed, knowing I would not be able to help. At least not unless Thyra and I grew closer and even then maybe not. She seemed very much the kind to keep her private life extremely private.
I can only do so much.I allowed my mind to drift to other matters until a knock came at the door. I looked at Vale, who’d been stretching on the other side of the room.
“It’s not late enough for dinner,” he remarked.
“Rynni is back?” Clem quipped. The healer worked with injured rebels all day. Apparently, they had attacked a lord’s army moving north at the request of King Magnus a day before we arrived, and many paid the price.
“Why would she knock?” The closest, Arie, opened the door. “Hello?”
“Good afternoon. Is Princess Neve available?”
I recognized that voice from last night. I rose and found Brynhild standing before the soldiers who guarded our annex.
“Hi,” I said, uncertain why she’d be present.
“Might we speak in private? Down the hall?”
“Sure.” I cast Vale a glance that clearly said I’d be fine. So far, there’d been no physical threats from the rebels—just verbal ones largely directed towards Vale, not me. I didn’t expect any sort of threat to come from Brynhild.
He nodded, and I slipped out the door and trailed behind the faerie with the wooden leg. She paused when she was out of earshot of the guards.
“Apologies if I was interrupting a pleasant afternoon.”
“We weren’t doing anything,” I assured her. “What do you wish to speak about?”
“Two reasons. The first being the most important.” She drew a breath. “Thyra has set your challenge. You will be sent to Avaldenn to access the Falk vault there and see if the Frør Crown is inside.”
My jaw dropped. “Won’t that alert King Magnus?”
Our visit to a coinary in the south had given away our location, and that had been risky, but to do so in Avaldenn? A stone’s throw away from Frostveil?
Utter madness.
“You will have to do so in secret.”
“A heist then.”
I’d often heard that no one could break intothe coinaries of the leprechauns and here my sister set me that very task. Maybe she really did want me dead!
“Correct.” Brynhild gave me an understanding smile. “Only you and Thyra can access the vault, and she is desperate to possess and master a Hallow. Their powers increase one’s own. Or so they say. And of course, you already have one.”
“Do I now? My sword is but a memory since coming here.”
“It’s being kept safe. I give you my word on that.”
“And what if the Frør Crown is in the Skau vault?” I asked.
A long shot as that crown had belonged to the royal house and the now extinct Skau family had only been a member of the Sacred Nobles, but it was not out of the question. Maybe my father had transferred items to my mother’s family vault to keep things extra safe?
“Thyra will be breaking into that vault while you work in Avaldenn. A coordinated effort.”
I laughed. She had such audacity!
“That wasn’t my reaction,” Brynhild shook her head. “You two are more alike than you seem.”
