“I’ll be here, I promise.”
He pressed his lips to her forehead. “Take care, lest I have to burn the Crossroads to the ground in a rage.”
Vhalla laughed softly, very well realizing that it may not entirely be a jest. She grinned up at him playfully. “Take care yourself, lest I have to blow the Crossroads away in a rage.” She was rewarded for her cheekiness with his laugher and another firm kiss.
Aldrik placed his palm on the door and pushed. Vhalla realized the truth of what he said earlier as the metal where a lock or knob should be began to melt around his hand. The molten metal parted and the door swung open. Vhalla stepped into the light beyond. She said nothing and he gave her a nod, closing the door that looked like the stone of the outside wall.
Vhalla waited a moment, her head reeling from all that had happened. Taking a breath, she turned and started the walk through the alleyways around the building and back to the main square. Somewhere along the way she found herself unable to contain giddy laughter.
Her hotel’s lobby was quiet, and Vhalla was thankful she could sneak up the stairs and into her room. Vhalla turned around the door, leaning against it with a blissful sigh. If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake.
“Fritz, get up; she’s back.” Larel stirred.
“What are you two doing here?” Vhalla blinked at the two people occupying her bed.
“Fritz,up.” Larel shoved at the man sleeping next to her.
“Larel, nooo ...” Fritz pulled the covers over his head.
“She’s back,” Larel hissed.
Fritz was suddenly also sitting at attention.
“Good morning, Fritz, Larel,” Vhalla greeted them like a girl caught out late by her parents.
Fritz was across the room in a moment, his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t you ‘good morning’ me.” He peered at her. “You were out all night! We were worried!”
Well, that explained why they had decided to occupy her room. “I’m sorry,” she said honestly.
“We couldn’t even ask someone because, well, we didn’t know if ...” Fritz glanced back to Larel.
“If you stayed with him,” Larel finished.
Fritz gaped at the Western woman but then turned back to Vhalla with a nod. “So?” Fritz asked.
Even Larel examined her quizzically.
Vhalla sighed. It wasn’t that she had never planned on telling them, or that she hadn’t expected them to find out, but it felt like half the world had discovered her secret within the first few hours of it happening. “Yes, I did.”
Fritz squeaked. He seemed to vibrate with excitement. “Tell—us—everything.” He punctuated his words, making each a demand.
“She doesn’t have to tell usanything,” Larel scolded. He whimpered at the other woman.
“I’m sorry for making you worry, foremost,” Vhalla apologized. “It kind of just, happened ... obviously.” Fritz’s excitement put the giddy feeling back in her chest. “There’s not much to tell, though. We didn’t ...” Vhalla blushed, realizing what people would likely think. “We didn’t even share a bed.” It was a half-truth, they didn’t share a bed for the whole night but she had fallen asleep in his arms and woke up with him next to her.
“Elecia?” Fritz asked.
Vhalla shook her head. “EleciaCi’Danis his half-Northern, half-Western, cousin. AldrikCi’DanSolaris,” Vhalla explained. If her face had looked anything like theirs at the revelation of that fact then it was no wonder Aldrik had gained amusement from it.
“Of course,” Larel groaned and put her face into her hands. “We’re so dumb.”
“So then, if you didn’t share his bed ... what did you do?” Fritz seemed genuinely confused.
“He worked, some magic,” Vhalla outlined vaguely.
“You’re adorable,” Larel said knowingly, earning a look from her and Fritz. “You’re going back tonight, aren’t you?”
“How did you ...?” Vhalla wondered if the woman was psychic.
