“But you didn’t give up on me.” Aldrik paused, giving her an opportunity to object.
Vhalla stayed quiet. “I never could, even when I was as angry as I was that day.” She gave him a small smile, which he returned in full. Vhalla resisted the urge to kiss him, then stepped away. Aldrik’s eyes followed her as she slipped back out into the night.
Vhalla created pockets of air beneath her feet and walked her hands up the wall to scale back up to the window she’d left cracked open. Vhalla waited, watching the prince leave a short time later through the iron gate that led into the Imperial quarters. No one noticed her on the way back, and Vhalla downed the clerical potion for the bruise on her shoulder before crawling into her bed alone just before dawn.
She didn’t bother with bathing or changing clothes. In her mind, she made the excuse she was too tired. But the truth was her heart wanted to have the scent of roses on her skin for just a little longer.
VHALLA’S EYES WERE fixated on the axe. She sat in her usual chair, and Victor was fixing his usual tea. But her attention remained solely on the weapon as he went about his business.
“Vhalla.”
Could she continue going on as she had been? Aldrik was in the forefront of her thoughts.
“Vhalla.”
The steam tickled her nose, rising from the mug that Victor held in front of her face. It brought Vhalla back to life.
“Oh, sorry, yes?” Vhalla took the mug carefully, her eyes returning to the axe at the earliest possible moment.
“What is it?” The minister sat slowly behind his desk. “You’re out of sorts.”
Vhalla’s nails scratched lightly against the mug. She couldn’t deny it, and she wanted to broach the subject that was burning brightly in her mind. But how could she without revealing what had transpired with the prince? Even if Victor was on her side, she didn’t want anyone to know of her meeting with Aldrik.
“Is there another way?” Vhalla finally asked.
“Another way to do what?” Victor leaned forward, his elbows on his desk.
“Destroy the axe, the caves. Is there another way to do it?” Vhalla whispered.
“There is no other way, Vhalla.” Victor frowned. “I have been researching this my whole life. I was the product of such research. Why the sudden hesitation?”
“I just want to be certain,” she mumbled, not wanting to explain herself further. “It is crystal magic, after all. I want to be careful before I get too far . . .”
“Too far into what?” Victor laughed lightly and sat back in his chair. “Vhalla, what is the real root of this? You don’t think I really believe that you’re suddenly hesitant about taint after you carried this halfway across the world, do you?”
Vhalla pressed her lips together. She couldn’t say and decided to busy her mouth with the tea to give her a chance to think of a different approach.
“Is it because of the crown prince?”
Vhalla nearly spit out her tea. She looked at Victor in shock.
“He came to me asking very pointed questions. I know you spoke to him.” The minister’s voice was low and slow, a frigid edge to it. “I need you to trust me, Vhalla. I’m trying to help us all.”
“I know, I do trust you, Victor.” Vhalla placed the cup on the desk, leaning back in her chair.
“Above all else, I need your unquestioning faith.”
“I do trust you.” She frowned, unappreciative of his tone.
“Which is why you felt the need to tell the prince about the axe.” Victor’s words were sharp and clipped.
“He asked!” Vhalla snapped back. “But even if he hadn’t, why can’t he know? He’s the prince and the ultimate head of the Tower.”
At her final statement, Victor’s brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth for some hasty retort—then paused. “He asked?” Victor mulled this over. “Aldrik doesn’t ask unless he’s fairly certain he knows the answer. How did he know?”
Vhalla looked away.
“Vhalla, please,” the minister sighed, pleading. “Tell me the truth. I can’t help anyone if you don’t grant me that.”
She sat at a crossroads—her personal vow to remove lying from her life, as much as possible, against the desire to keep one of the most personal aspects of her life private. Perhaps the minister was right, and she only needed to trust him. “We’re Bonded.”
There was a long stretch of silence where Vhalla wasn’t even sure if Victor had heard her. The man stared at her in shock. “Excuse me?”