My blood heated. I kissed her slowly. “I love you too, Wife.”
We would not be broken, not by games of the elven. Bonds fastened the day I vowed to this woman were too fierce, too rooted in something stronger than any alliance, to ever be torn free. I believed it to my soul.
Chapter 44
The Nightmare Prince
Mira betrayedthe king as we all knew she would. Even Daj knew it. The great hall was draped in black and red satin, and curious elixirs supplied by Elixists speckled the rafters and walls with glowing powders that left the hall looking like it had been painted in gold dust.
A crowd surrounded the feast on the table, even if most of the seats were empty. I didn’t know if it was living his early turns always on guard with the fear of being snatched for his mesmer, but Daj never did sit long. He perched on the edge of the table, a horn in his hand, laughing with Bard and Aleksi.
My mother stood in front of her place, back to the table, chatting with Lady Shelba about the approaching birth of hers and Ash’s little.
Frigg’s father tipped on the back two legs of his chair, ankles crossed on the table, an herb smoke between his teeth. Folk would feast by plucking food off platters and moving on to chatter with someone nearby.
It was unorganized in some ways, but wholly familiar. Our halls were packed with the vagabonds my mother and father had collected over the turns. Laughter, taunts, a few spinning couples dancing to the beat of drums, they all were the sounds and sights of my childhood.
One was new, but had become my favorite sight of all.
I leaned against the table, flicking a small knife back and forth in my hand and watched Skadi spin across the hall with little Kåre on her toes.
The boy was in love. It was written all over his face whenever Skadi held tightly under his shoulders and spun them around so her skirt billowed out and swallowed him up, then left him wobbling with a dizzy head.
Aleksi tipped a horn to his lips, mimicking my stance. “Never thought I’d see you this way.”
“I held that same belief more than anyone.”
“It looks good on you.” Alek hesitated. “Sander might’ve let some of your recent . . . confrontations slip.”
“And once again my brother proves he has the biggest mouth of us all.”
Aleksi chuckled. “Intimidating an elven guard right after the vows?”
“Meet that elven guard and you’ll understand. He’s an ass.”
“Torturing a tavern patron in front of everyone.”
“Who thought he had some sort of claim on my drunk wife.”
“You marked two elven kings with a threat, Jonas.”
I shook my head. “No, I didn’t, Alek. Honestly, do you know me at all? Retaliation for breaking Skadi’s heart was a promise.”
“You’re being watched.” Aleksi took another drink. “Be patient and calm, or they will use it against you.”
I knew this. The constant prickle of unseen eyes watching our every move had not left since we returned from Natthaven.
A wicked sort of darkness had burrowed into my blood, drawing out violent thoughts, a lust for pain and agony I only saw in nightmares. For Skadi, I would enter the terror I kept in my dreams, I’d become the creature lurking in the dark if they forced my hand. No remorse, no regrets.
“I’m being cautious.”
“Good.” He set his drinking horn on the table. Aleksi gripped my shoulder before he walked away to join the revelry. “But, of course, you know that if caution is forced to turn into something a bit bloodier, I will stand at your side.”
This was the reason I loved my folk so damn much.
Across the hall, I caught sight ofOldun.
The woman hugged her middle, a look of fright on her face. Since our confrontation, she’d been cold toward Skadi, and the fault rested on me. Too many turns had been spent taking lovers without much care for their hearts and jealousies.
