“She does.” I paused but figured now was as good a time as any. “However, there is something else I want to talk about.”
“Yes?”
“Is there someone that House Balik can hire to help my mother flee Avaldenn?”
Filip’s spine straightened. “Why would she want to do that? Isn’t she safe there?”
“She is, but . . .” I trailed off.
“Does she still love Lord Riis?”
“She does, and she’d rather be with him than the king.” A straightforward answer. And not a lie.
“I’ll ask my father.”
“Please.”
“And you’ll put some real consideration into how to deal with your brother.”
It wasn’t a question. I sought out Filip, and found not my impressionable squire, but the next head of House Balik, staring back at me.
I clapped the lordling on the shoulder, proud of the fae he was becoming. “I will. Now, let’s turn around and collect Brynhild and Sian so we can get back to Ramshold. My mate is waiting.”
Chapter 16
ISOLDE
Icast a sidelong glance at my sister, savoring the moment before we walked into the grand hall, and Lord Tadgh Balik swore his allegiance to us.
To witness the event were the wealthiest merchants in Myrr and their families, the High Staretess of the city, and three lesser lords of the south, all of them banner houses to House Balik. Each pivotal voices in their community, and powerful in their own ways.
“Do you feel guilty?” I whispered to my sister, though there was no one else around to hear. Everyone, including our friends, family, and mates, were inside, waiting. “Keeping our secret?”
“Yes, and I don’t even care about this family like you do.”
I chuckled at the remark because it was just so Thyra. “Hopefully soon we’ll make headway. Then we can tell him.”
Practicing today had been mixed. After hours of work, we’d both been able to call forth shadowy tendrils, but we had little control over what they did. One of Thyra’s tendrils had floated out the window, threatening to expose us. The shadow only dissipated when my sister locked down her power.
“I hope so,” Thyra agreed with a small smile. “You look nice, by the way.”
“You too.”
The Balik sisters had lent us dresses. Mine was an amethyst gown with a plunging neckline. I wore a sword belt with Sassa’s Blade hanging off it.
Thyra’s dress was black with two slits creeping up her thighs. Thyra had left the Frør Crown under Astril’s watch, while Livia and Freyia attended the ceremony.
I was about to peek into the chamber again when Aleksander poked his head out the door. His gaze scanned over us both, and a proud smile graced his lips. “We’re ready for you, my princesses.”
“Sisters to you,” I corrected him, and he beamed.
“Sisters.”
Aleksander slipped back into the room. We gave him a moment to find his spot before entering, side by side.
A crowd of fifty parted down the middle, displaying Lord Balik in his high seat at the end of the aisle. His wife stood at his side, and his children watched from behind. The three banner lords waited at the foot of the dais, ready to witness their lord’s oath.
Thyra and I strode together in lockstep, and I could not help but marvel at how in sync we had been lately. We still had issues to overcome, but each day, my twin and I grew closer. More like how we might have been if the White Bear’s Rebellion had never happened.
