She wondered if it sounded more convincing to a person who wasn’t her.
“What do you both think you’re doing?” Prince Baldair retorted. He was clearly not buying what Aldrik was selling.
“Nothing that you need to concern yourself with,” Aldrik snarled.
Vhalla cringed, realizing what was coming.
“Oh? No more denials?” Aldrik’s brother had caught him in his own words. “Do not let yourself be played by him, Vhalla.”
She bit her lip to keep from calling out and putting the younger prince in his place.
“Enough of this.Out, Baldair.” Aldrik’s patience was almost gone.
“Fine, Aldrik, if you wish to be that way.” She heard the click of Prince Baldair’s boots fading away. “But you should doctor the book before Father has a chance to see.”
“Thank you,” Aldrik said begrudgingly.
Vhalla blinked. He was thanking his brother, after all that? She couldn’t fathom a reason.
“I’ll see you within an hour.” The door closing signaled the younger prince’s departure.
Aldrik pulled back the sliding doors, and Vhalla stared at him hopelessly. He picked up on her emotion and crossed quickly to sit next to her, taking her hands in his.
“It’s okay.” He raised her knuckles to his lips. “It’s all right.”
“But ...” she protested weakly.
“I’ll change the book. It will be no trouble.” Aldrik cupped her cheek.
“Your brother?” she asked.
“Ignore him,” Aldrik sighed.
“Why is he like this?” Vhalla asked, allowing her prince’s touch to calm her.
“It’s a long story between us. But for now, I must go change that book before it has a chance to be brought to my father’s attention.”
Judging from the way Aldrik spoke, it was a long story she would not be hearing. “What would happen if your father saw it?” Vhalla knew Prince Baldair entertained women all the time. While she hardly wanted to be thought as that type of woman, especially to Aldrik, it seemed rather unfair one brother could get away with having women in his room and the other could not.
“Don’t worry yourself with it,” he sighed.
“What would happen?” she pressed. “Aldrik, stop shutting me out. Even if you think it’s for my own good.”
He averted his eyes. “I need to prepare for the troop arrival.”
“What would happen?” she snapped. He looked back at her, startled. Vhalla took a deep breath, calming herself. “Just tell me.”
“After I gave my testimony at your trial, my father spoke with me.” The prince’s voice was faint and his eyes never found hers. “He asked if you were going to be a problem.”
“A problem?” she whispered. Something about his tone unnerved her more than the entire exchange with Prince Baldair.
“A ...distractionfrom my obligations.” He finally turned back to her. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Vhalla was confused.
The prince just sighed and rested his forehead in his palm. “I told my father that I saw you for what you were. A tool that we needed and nothing more. That I had you in my palms, and you would do as I told you. That it—we—were nothing more than a means to that end.” Her chest tightened at the weakness in his voice. “Vhalla, I don’t—”
“I know.” She cut him off. It hurt to hear he said it, but she knew he only did what he felt was best. Or at least, she hoped. He looked at her skeptically and she squeezed his hand lightly.
