“The day I miss you is the day the gods come to claim me as their mistress.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Frigg.” Sander shoved past us, his own shoulders lined in satchels, and tapped the brim of the woman’s hat. “It could happen.”
Frigg shot a glare at the other prince and tore off her hat to readjust it. She was bony in her features, sharp cheeks, and a narrow nose. But there was a rugged loveliness about the woman. Long corn silk hair braided over her shoulders, pink lips, and sharp blue eyes.
She seemed familiar—comfortable—with the prince. I hated how some part of me cared to know if she was a lover.
What would it matter if she was? Heartache would followif I fell into those verdant eyes, the sly jests off his tongue, if I started to believe Jonas Eriksson had any plans to cherish me.
“What brings you down to the shore?” Jonas asked Frigg. “Thought you’d be helping your maj with her orders.”
A bit of pride brightened Frigg’s eyes. “I was until I saw the ship. So, you going to introduce me or what?”
The woman returned her scrutiny to me.
“Not sure I should subject her to the likes of you,” said Jonas.
“You’re an ass.”
I looked away. “Folk keep calling you that.”
Jonas merely laughed. “Frigg Hob, meet Princess Skadinia of Natthaven. My wife.”
“Skadi.” I swallowed and held out a hand. Frigg glanced at it, pausing long enough, I wondered if I’d caused offense. In the next breath, she clasped my forearm, like we were warrior maidens together.
“Can’t believe you’re vowed.” She shook her head. “Best of luck, Princess. He’s a ridiculous amount of work.”
“Jakoby, look, they’re back.” A woman with satin black hair stepped onto the stoop of a stone shop with a roof that tilted one way while the walls leaned another.
Frigg snorted a laugh. “Ah, you’ve been spotted. Hold tight, Princess. My mother hasn’t stopped talking about this since the announcement was made. She won’t admit it, but she wanted to be the one to make your dress. Been studying elven fashions as best she can.”
A woman here wanted to make a gown for me? She knew nothing about me save for the truth that I was positioned on the opposing side of a battle.
“Inge, my love.” Jonas opened his arms.
With her skirt gathered in her hands, Frigg’s mother laughed, then wrapped the prince in her arms that barely reached around his broad body. “A vowed man? Can’t believe it.”
“Maj.” Frigg plucked the sliver of wood from her teeth. “Meet Jonas’s wife—Skadi.”
“All gods. An elven princess.” Inge waved her hand stiffly by her side. “Jakoby. Jak. Come here.”
“My sweet, I’m clearly coming.” A lanky man sauntered toward the docks, a paper smoke between his teeth, and dark hair tucked behind his ears beneath a napless cap. The man had a devious sort of glint to his dark eyes, but it softened when he pressed a kiss to Frigg’s brow.
“Well, well.” He spoke around the paper smoke. “Wasn’t a big jest, and the boy brought home a wife.”
“Princess, these are my parents, Inge and Jakoby Hob.” Frigg gestured at them, as though putting her mother and father on display. “Like I said, Maj would fall into the Otherworld if you’d let her make you a dress.”
“I’d be bleeding honored. The way the elven use real gold in their threads.” Inge practically hummed. “Stunning.”
I returned a cautious smile, uncertain what to say or what to approve here. Jakoby clasped Jonas’s arm in a greeting.
“Hob.” Jonas grinned. “Before we left, I heard you and old Hervor had a falling out.”
The man frowned. “Is that what he’s saying? I ought to rob him blind. Gods, it’s been so long since I’ve been on a good heist.”
“Herv would take to knives if you try it.”
Frigg’s father scoffed. “What sort of cutthroat do you take me for, boy? A slob?”
