“What if we joined our kingdoms?”
North barely dared to breathe. She didn’t want to assume his meaning, but the nervous fidget of his hands told her she should prepare herself for the inevitable.
“We’re already allied. How else could we be joined?”
“The same way we pretended Solveig was going to join us to Asgard.” He looked at her as if imploring her to understand his meaning. The knowing pit grew in her stomach.
“What exactly do you mean, Vali?”
“I think we should get married,” he said bluntly.
North stared at him. Every line of his posture told her he was deadly serious, so she felt no urge to laugh. But her heart lurched as she thought of Munin. She thought of how she had loved him and how that love had somehow been a lie. If Munin was not her true mate, thenhewas out there somewhere.
If she married Vali, that future would cease to be. As queen, she wouldn’t be able to end her own marriage in favour of a mate. Given how disastrous a pretend mate had been, she wasn’t sure she wanted to go through it all again. What’s to say it wouldn’t happen a second time?
Plus, she would be married to the King of Alfheim, and that was something. Not for herself, but for her people. Their heirs would be strong and would serve Idavoll. However, it was unheard of for the first heir to marry outside his race. Her eyes narrowed.
Given the state of Yggdrasil, rigid traditions seemed trivial.
But would her people benefit from such drastic changes? Would it be better to maintain some semblance of familiarity?
North’s mind raced away from her.
“If we were to marry, any offspring would be Fae and therefore, could not rule over Alfheim.”
Vali’s face changed, and he looked older than he ever had, his years showing in the heaviness of his expression.
“The world is going to change after this war. The division of races will not be as concrete—I can feel it in my bones. A new age is about to begin, and I don’t bloody care what race our younglings would be. I only want to give my people their best chance at survival.”
An arranged marriage.
North’s parents had tried this before she’d found Munin, or rather, before Munin had found her. He’d appeared in her life just as her parents had begun making arrangements with one of their advisors—an elderly Fae known for his cruelty.
It was one of the reasons she loved him. He’d come along and made her parents call off the future that left her suffering under the thumb of a horrid husband.
They’d been thrilled that Munin was highborn and fully supported the match. In hindsight, her parents had been suspiciously quick to call off the engagement, accepting Munin with open arms. North had been so relieved she hadn’t noticed how odd it had been.
She studied Vali, as if she might see directly into his soul.
He was a good male and would make a good king. The problem would be convincing her realm to accept a king who wasn’t Fae. But North had to admit that Vali was right. Times were changing, and she would rather bring her people into this new age as strong as possible.
“So, what do you think?” he asked, jarring her out of her thoughts. “Will you marry me?”
She paused for only a second longer.
“Yes.”
Solveigwasgettingrestless.
She paced the length of Hoenir’s house, following the path she’d made over the past few days.
It had been a week since she and Westley managed to escape the palace. They hadn’t managed to get very far. If it hadn’t been for Hoenir, they would’ve been caught, and who knows where they’d be now.
The Idavoll forest continued to prove impenetrable, flooded day and night with Jotunheim and Fae soldiers.
If Solveig was restless, Westley was downright unsettled. He jumped every time Hoenir entered the room or came too close for comfort. It had been mildly funny when they’d first arrived, but it was vexing Solveig’s nerves.
“Would you stop that?” she snapped after he flinched when Hoenir went to reach for the salt.
