“Princess, it was utterly terrifying. Terrifying.” One of the guards frowned. “I have never been more impressed by a magic. Yes, even more than the damn king.” He shot his annoyance back at Kase.
Impressed? I looked around the treasury. Folk were arguing and laughing, but no one was backing away from me in fear. No one was horrified that I could devour them whole if I wanted. It was as though it was merely . . . part of the plan.
“Daj!” Jonas’s voice echoed through the room, stopping everyone’s chatter. The prince strode inside, beelining it to me. “What is this I’m hearing of you forcing Skadi on a heist?”
“Sounds like you know exactly what happened, boy.”
Jonas took hold of my hand, urging me back to my feet. “All right?”
Was he disappointed? “I-I didn’t really know what it was at first, but your father said he needed my affinity, and I shouldn’t hide it, so I thought if the king is at the lead, maybe folk won’t fear me and?—”
He silenced me with a quick kiss. “I’m wholly jealous.” He shot a glare at his father. “You haven’t let me in on the birth heist for the last three turns.”
“You give in to your mother too easily. You’re a liability.”
Jonas blustered a bit. “Well, maybe because she includes me.”
Malin pressed a hand to her heart, like he’d given her the sweetest praise.
“I’m away for a few clock tolls and my wife turns into a Kryv.” Jonas muttered as he brushed dust from my shoulders. “Did you enjoy yourself at least?”
I blinked, still in a bit of a stun, then, unbidden, a laugh broke out. “I stole the guards from their post. That was my duty. I stole them and . . . it wasn’t kind, it was a little devious, and . . . I didn’t go into the dark. Pain, greed, cruelty, when I use my affinity in such a way, I fade. I felt the pull, but . . . I’m still here.”
Gods, I was rambling.
“I imagine you’ve been told your whole damn life the power in your blood is wicked.” The king had his arm around his wife, stern expression in place. “You’ve been told to be ashamed of it. I’d wager you even believe you should be.”
How can we build a life when there is such evil in you? You know what your curse has done before. If you want it gone, prove it.
I closed my eyes against the memory of a knife, of blood, of tears, and twisted praise.
“It is dangerous and evil,” I said, voice soft. “My affinity has hurt people.”
“All magic has harmed, girl. It is the intention behind it that creates the monster. If you think Malin has not slaughtered folk with her mesmer?—”
“Me?” The queen’s lips parted. “You’re one to talk.”
“Fear feeds my magic.” He looked back at me. “I’m literally called a Malevolent alver. What is lovely about that? Nightmares feed my sons’. Do you think us dangerous and evil?”
If he knew who had been harmed by my hand, the king might think differently about the woman vowed to his son.
Still, I shook my head. “Dangerous, likely.”
“I’ll accept that.” Jonas nodded as though considering the word.
“Evil? No.” I stepped closer to the prince, but spoke to the king. “I don’t know how else to see my affinity.”
“Useful,” the king suggested.
“Impressive,” added Raum.
The queen grinned. “Powerful.”
“Beautiful,” Jonas whispered for me alone.
“Use your affinity without fear here.” Kase laced his fingers with his wife’s.
There wasn’t a sliver of jest in the room. The Norns had never been kind to me with the twists of my fate, but in this—a vow I believed was wretched—I managed to slip into a realm where the darkest edges of folk were accepted, where fear was a constant, where folk loved fiercely through every shadow of their own villainous power.
