“Oh, um, I don’t know,” I reply, my eyes focusing on Odessa, who gives me an inquisitive stare.
Across the table, I note that Mathilda shares a look with Mina while Elowen frowns slightly, her eyes becoming hazy. Surely my disagreement or agreement wouldn’t negatively impact them? We have a training ground right here at the Great Hall. A few of the other councilors share a stunned expression, while Ashur and Marcus remain neutral. Cynane has an interesting reaction, though, and makes a fist with the hand she has resting on the table. However, no one speaks up about their disagreement or agreement vocally.
Odessa glares, her eyes wholly gray. “What do you mean?”
I want to sink into my chair. The expression on her face has me thinking I’ve made a grave mistake.
I force a small smile before forging on. “I mean, what would be the harm in opening up a few? It might help with the boredom and the teenagers sneaking out, right?” I gesture to Ashur and Boudicca, and they nod in agreement. “They’d be too tired from training to stay up late.” I attempt a jest, but it falls flat.
She looks away dismissively and addresses the rest of the council. “Before we adjourn, I would just like to add that I am so very glad, my niece,” she gestures towards me, but doesn’t meet my eyes, “has returned to us at last. I fully believe she was brought here, as fate intended, to bring power back to our realm. It is my hope that she will soon take her place on the throne, as Odin decreed. These issues that we have been facing will most likely dissipate with her being in her rightful place, and there will be no need to further discuss the training grounds.”
She nods sharply to the room before swiftly exiting, Julius on her heels. Abandoning me to face the council. No one was prepared for that statement and the plans she laid out for us.
Most of them are still staring at me when I bolt from my chair. “Um, excuse me,” I throw over my shoulder as I scurry after Odessa.
The hallway is full, with at least a dozen guards lining the walls. They lurch to attention when I briskly pass. The sound of their wings ruffling blends in with my echoing footsteps. Odessa is crossing the threshold to the throne room, and I jog to catch up to her.
“Odessa!” I call.
She keeps moving, her pace quick, and her wings hidden away. Julius hears my call and throws a smirk over his shoulder at me.
Finally, I catch up to her and throw my arm out to stop her. “What the hell was that about?”
Her pace halts at my obstructing arm, and she raises her brows at my tone. Julius passes us, thankfully, and marches through the passageway without her.
“What do you mean?” She feigns innocence but crosses her arms over her chest.
“I mean, that I’ve told you I need to get home to take care of Gran, that I planned to go home all along, but then you highly insinuated to the entire council that I would be taking over as queen and staying here to bring stability to the realm!” I shout, my panic rising with each word.
Odessa looks around the empty throne room before she drops the innocent act and gives me a reproachful look, disgust curling her lip.
“So you mean to tell me after all that you have seen here that you would still choose the life of an elderly, ailing woman over the life of your people?”
Her question brings me up short. I hadn’t compared the two quite like that before, and I don’t have an adequate response. I look down at my feet, the guilt pressing down on me again. The anger I felt raging through my veins has vanished, leaving a chill in its wake.
She takes a deep breath, squaring her shoulders before saying, “Look, I know this has all been a whirlwind for you and that you feel an obligation to Skadi, but now that you know everything, don’t you believe that this is your path? Skadi was once Queen. She understood her responsibilities and chose her own fate by living in the human realm. Now, I need you to choose yours here. At the very least, be a figurehead and don’t disrupt my plans. But this is your birthright. There are lives at stake here. Many, many more than the one you left in the human realm.” Her tone is still terse, but her countenance towards me has softened.
I’m left speechless, my plans crumbling around me.
Odessa throws me a pitying look over her shoulder as she leaves me standing alone. My necklace pulses slightly, the gold warming against my skin as if it agrees with her.
Her wish all along was to get me to stay, so I don’t know why I’m surprised, but still, it feels like she pulled the rug out from under me. The rest of the council members funnel out of the hallway.
Mathilda finds me right where Odessa left me, twirling my necklace between my fingers. “I take it her parting words weren’t planned?”
My body trembles slightly, with the pressure now dropped on my shoulders, and I shake my head.
“Hey, you ok?” She rubs a soothing hand down my arm. “It can’t be that bad, having to stay here, can it?” she asks, gesturing to the Great Hall.
“No, it’s just there was,” I sigh, Lachlan’s face flashes in my mind, “responsibilities to take care of back home.” I finish with a shrug.
“That sounds stressful. How about we blow off some steam? You fell from one responsibility to an entirely new realm with even bigger responsibilities. You need some fun!” she says enthusiastically, but her smile has turned mischievous, a glint of trouble sparkling in her eyes.
I frown at her enthusiasm. “What did you have in mind?” Wariness floods my veins.
“After training, I’ll meet you in your room. It’ll be fun, I promise!” she throws over her shoulder as she leaves.
12
