“Ididhave to make hard choices. Don’t pretend you know what I went through either.”
“I’ve been Asgard’s general for almost two centuries, Latham. I know what the title demands.”
“I wouldn’t have had to take your place if you had just let me come on that raid.”
Solveig shook her head. There was no point in arguing this over and over again. She started to leave but he caught her wrist. Surprised by the absence of a shock, she narrowed her eyes at the spot where their skin touched. It struck her as cold and unwelcome. She yanked her wrist from his grasp.
“We still have to talk about what happened today,” he said, voice back to normal, his new title in place.
“What’s there to talk about?”
“Why would you relinquish your position? You were supposed to fight for it.”
“Would it have made a difference?” His silence was confirmation. “So if it wouldn’t have changed the outcome, why does it matter?”
“It would have made a difference,” he said, almost to himself. Solveig understood then. He had wanted her to fight for it so he could beat her.
“Ah, I see. You needed the chance to publicly best me.”
“No, that’s not—”
“Don’t insult me with lies, Latham. You may be a leader in title now, but you didn’t earn it, did you? You needed to prove your worth to the people and yourself, and I took that chance from you.”
“All you had to do was put up a fight,” he said blankly.
“And all you had to do was have my back. Looks like we both let the other down.”
“So that’s it then?” he asked with a scowl.
“What do you mean?”
“We’re just ... over?” He actually sounded surprised.
“I no longer trust you, nor do I have the desire to. You failed me, breaking your oath and my confidence. We were over the moment you decided to go against my orders on that raid. We were hopeless when my own dagger was used to slash my face open.” Her hand came up, gesturing to her scar. “We were shattered beyond repair when you decided to abandon me in a cave with a sadistic monster.” Her voice was firm and steady now. Each sentence sliced through his composure.
“I thought you were dead,” he whispered.
“We promised to never stop looking until we found a body,” she said, resigned. “I guess now we know.”
“Know what?” Confusion was written plainly on his face.
“That I was right, we never should’ve been together that way. I told you my feelings for you would get in the way of making the right decision for our people. You thought it would be a strength to be together. But loving you is what broke me.” She gave Latham a small smile, watchingthe hurt and anger battle for control of his features. He stared at the ground, tears streaming down his face. Her heart softened the smallest amount.
“Latham,” she said. “Our people need a leader who is willing to fight for them. Don’t let them down.”
She didn’t look back as she walked away.
Westley,Conalle,andNorensat around their dining table long after most of the other patrons had left. They began reminiscing about the old days when they played pranks on each other in the immaturity of youth. He hadn’t laughed so hard in ages, especially when Noren brought up the time Westley had tried to prank his parents.
His parents, the king and queen of Idavoll, who’d been monarchs for almost six hundred years. He must’ve been about twenty-five, not yet having reached his maturation so his magic hadn’t manifested.
He’d been able to do what all faelings could before maturation—influence already existing elements by moving them around. Dignitaries from Helheim had come to speak to the king and queen about an alliance. Whenever the King of Hel was in attendance there was always tension. Even as a faeling, he detected it.
The royal family and their three guests were sitting in a large hall in the palace. Guards lined the perimeter of the room, both Fae and a selection of races from the other continents.
Westley had needed to go to the washroom for over an hour and couldn’t stop wiggling in his seat. His sisters kept giving him disapproving looks, his brother taunting him by making ocean sounds under his breath.
He remembered thinking it would be brilliant if a leak sprung from the ceiling. Then he could escape to use the bathroom between the changing of rooms. There were pipes above the table where he sat and came up with a plan.
