“Consider it done.”
Sayyida nodded her thanks. “Alright then. Vidar?”
Their hearts thumping wildly, the Virtoris siblings stepped through the gateway to find their friends.
Chapter 21
ISOLDE
Luncheon was fast becoming my favorite time of day. In those short, midday hours, I got to see my love and my friends as we collectively broke from researching, training, or other tasks. To top it all off, the Baliks had a habit of ending lunch with a delicious, gold-dusted chocolate.
Thyra and I had spent the morning first practicing with our shadow powers, then taking turns with the Frør Crown. Even with Saga’s information, we had made no headway with the Hallow, which frustrated us to no end.
The shadows, though? Things were moving along there. Before lunch, Thyra had shifted my bed across the room with her shadow tendrils, and I’d gotten my tendrils to serve me a cup of tea without spilling a drop. These menial tasks we’d accomplished were likely nothing compared to what King Érebo could do, but progress was progress.
“Whatever we’re having, it smells amazing,” Thyra said as we entered the dining room.
“The kitchens prepared pork.” Filip waved us over. Already sitting with him were Vale, Bac, Sian, Saga, and Aleksander.The spots near the head of the table, closest to Filip, remained perpetually reserved for Thyra and me.
“Wonderful.” I smiled at the next Lord of Myrr. “Where’s everyone else?”
“Thantrel, Caelo, and Prince Thordur are still in the training room, taking on your Valkyrja,” Vale said, amusement plain in his tone. “Others wanted to watch.”
Of course they did. Considering Halladora and Sigri had escorted Thyra and me to lunch, I assumed that Tonna, Astril, and Freyia were the ones sparring.
“Is Livia in on the action too?” I asked.
Livia had sworn her blade to Thyra and me until we took our thrones, but had chosen not to be a Valkyrja. After the war ended, she hoped to open a shop and live in peace, rather than wield a sword.
Filip smirked. “Four on three, against those ladies? They’d never stand a chance. They asked Livia to moderate.”
“Best of luck to the males.” Thyra took her seat. “They’ll need it.”
Vale kissed my cheek as I settled in and, one by one, we caught each other up on small matters of our day. I was discouraged to learn that there had been another tussle between the rebels and the fae of Myrr. We’d known that housing the rebels would be difficult for the Myrranese to accept, but I hadn’t expected violence. How foolishly optimistic of me.
I’d devoured all my pork and most of the vegetables and was considering requesting another full plate—practicing magic of any sort gave me a hearty appetite—when sharp and heavy footsteps sounded from somewhere down the hall. The others caught the noise too because we all turned to the door.
“Sigri?” I asked the dwarf standing guard outside.
She stared down the hall, at the person coming our way. “It’s Luccan, Princess Isolde. He appears to be in some state of stress.”
Chairs pushed back as we rose. Vale and Aleksander were already at the doorway when Luccan rushed through, chest heaving. No one spoke as he caught his breath, but when he did, his words made my heart sink.
“Someone has passed through one of my gateways.”
“From where?” Vale asked. “Can you tell?”
“If I’m paying attention. But in those occurrences, I’m waiting for someone to arrive. This time, I just felt an opening, but I believe they’re here now. Proximity helps me sense sometimes.”
“What if someone got through without Riis blood?” Aleksander asked. “What if they’re from Avaldenn?”
“The one in my home in the capital is gone,” Luccan reminded me. “I’m fairly certain the one in the Warmsnap still exists, but that would mean a gatemaker with greater power than me forced someone through. It didn’t feel like that.”
“Should we go find out who it is?” Thyra asked. “The brothel isn’t that far, right? And if your father is there, he’ll apprehend them.”
Of late, Lord Riis had been scarce. I suspected his distance was due to my anger towards him.
“Down the street,” Filip confirmed, and then, realizing how he’d sounded, his cheeks flamed red. “Not that I’ve been there. I’ve only heard from visiting lords and ladies.”
