“He isn’t.”
Koa nodded. “I don’t think he is either.”
“I sense a ‘but’ coming.”
“But, I also think there’s a fine line between what a person believes and what they’re willing to do because of it.”
“You don’t think he’ll turn his back on Idavoll.”
“If it was the other way around, would you turn your back on me?”
“I’m not foolish enough to answer that, Koa. Of course I don’t know what I’d do in that situation. I hope it never befalls me.” Solveig was under no illusion that her mothers had no secrets. She only hoped thatwhenever they revealed what they kept from her, it wouldn’t shake her foundation.
Koa reached over to grab her hand. “I’m glad to have you back, even if it is just for a short while.”
Her sister left with no further explanation. Solveig never bothered to ask what she meant by statements like that. Koa never explained anyway. Such was the way of Seers, even without their magic.
Alone in her rooms with no distraction, the nerves she’d kept at bay all morning returned. Her heart rate sped up as she stared at the ceiling, a low buzz humming through her body. She had too much pent-up energy and no outlet.
The party would begin in a few hours, and as the seconds ticked by, Solveig’s nerves intensified.
Though her dancing lessons would forever be burned into her brain, it had been a while since she’d been to a ball. She’d rather charge into battle with a blade in her hands than engage in political warfare on a dance floor.
Especially since a few days ago, when Sten found her. She’d been meeting with him frequently, hoping to encourage his power. She’d tried to loosen it, as she had Conalle’s, but it wasn’t fully formed yet and she couldn’t grasp it.
He finally had another premonition.
His warning kept crossing her mind. His abilities were growing, which meant his words were becoming more difficult to decipher. Typical Seer nonsense.
But one phrase in particular stood out in its frankness.
Silver halls will be bathed in blood, signalling the end of a time not yet lived.
When he had uttered these words, his face went nearly as white as his eyes. Chills had pebbled her skin as he’d come back to himself.
He’d spoken again, but not as a Seer. “I see only darkness.”
She had no idea what that meant, for her or for the world. But she damned well wouldn’t sit back and let Yggdrasil fall.
Resolve settled, she made her way out of the palace towards the barracks, where an Asgardian battalion was training. Swords clanging and the thumping of knuckles on flesh comforted her. Soldiers bowed their heads as she sauntered through, coming to a halt outside the commander’s house.
She knocked on the thick wooden door and a voice told her to enter.
“Commander Hagan, I have need—” Solveig pulled up short, seeing Latham sitting in the chair before the commander.
Both males got to their feet but only Hagan bowed his head, his fist coming across his chest. She returned the gesture and he nodded, directing her to take the seat beside Latham, who hadn’t met her eye.
“If it’s not a good time, I can come back,” she said stiffly.
“Not at all. Captain Arlanson and I were just speaking about his new appointment.”
“Oh? And what is that?”
“I’m being promoted to commander, heading out with the legion you’ve ordered to Midgard,” Latham said bitterly.
Solveig nodded, thinking over the plan.
“I was going to consult you before it became official, General,” Hagan said quickly.
