“Don’t, Vhalla. Don’t come near me, or I will curse you further.” Whatever madness grew in his heart that made him say those words had taken root there long ago. He believed it completely.
Vhalla moved with purpose, taking his face in both her hands and forcing him to look at her. “Aldrik, stop,” she demanded softly. “Don’t push me away, don’t even try. The opportunity for it came and went; I didn’t take it. You promised you wouldn’t.”
“And you promised not to let me,” he whispered in reply. His hands went up to hers, and Vhalla saw his eyes glisten once more. Tears spilled over his high cheeks and onto her fingers. “You don’t know.”
“I don’t know what?”
Aldrik swayed and took her hand. He led her purposefully into the other room, seating her between the hearth and the low table at their backs. Vhalla made it a point not to look at the papers scattered upon it.
Flames sparked to life in the fireplace, and Aldrik looked to them for answers. “Where do I start with this?”
“We don’t have to do this now.” Whatever it was, it seemed to be the source of great pain for him, which was the last thing he needed.
“We do,” he insisted. “Baldair, brother of my flesh, died and never knew the truth. I won’t let the same happen to you.”
“I’m not going to die, at least not for a long time.” She attempted a reassuring smile.
“I have seen it.”
“Seen what?”
“Your death.” Aldrik looked at her as though she was already swathed in burning cloth for the Rite of Sunset.
“What?” The word was little more than a breath.
“I have seen it, but I will do all I can to prevent it.” His hands were on her face, as if reminding himself that she was real. “I will fight the Mother herself to keep you safe.”
“You’re not making any sense . . .” That fact didn’t make her any less frightened.
“I saw it in a dream.”
“It’s small wonder your dreams are consumed with death, with Baldair as he was.” Vhalla had her fair share of nights consumed with death.
“They’re not just dreams.” The shadow of fear darkened his expression. “Vhalla, I can see your future.”
“What? That makes no sense.”
“Firebearers can see the future in flames.”
“I know, but you’re not looking in flames.” She shook her head, his hands falling onto her thighs. She didn’t want to think of future tellers. “You never told me you could see the future.”
“I couldn’t.” Aldrik emphasized the past tense. “I don’t look through the flames. I look through our Bond.”
“They’re just dreams,” she insisted weakly.
“Oh? Like your dreams are always ‘just’ dreams?” Aldrik’s voice found a touch of annoyance. “Do you have any idea how difficult this is for me to tell you? Why would I lie or paint a falsehood? I’m telling you because I’m scared. The crown prince of the realm is terrified. As much as it burns me to say it, I will because I need you to believe me. I’m not going to lose you.”
Vhalla opened and closed her mouth like a fish above water, fighting for words.
Aldrik turned back to the table, pushing together the papers. He spent a moment shuffling them in his hands before beginning to display them on the floor. He paired one piece of parchment with one another, and Vhalla instinctually began to skim their contents.
“I don’t know exactly when it started . . .” he sighed. Despite being stressful, the action seemed to help him continue to move in the wake of his brother’s death. “But logically, it would’ve been after the Joining, since that’s when your dreams began.”
“How are you not sure?” Vhalla whispered, giving him her attention rather than trying to read the papers.
“I’ve dreamt about you for so long.” His hands ran over her, memorizing her shape again and again. “It wasn’t easy for me to tell what were my own wants or paranoia, and what were premonitions.”
“If you dream so much, there would certainly be a chance for some of it to come true, right?” Vhalla thought aloud.
“For months, that’s what I thought. It wasn’t until our last meeting in the garden that I put together that they may be more. When you actually came without my explaining, when you looked as I dreamt, when you said verbatim what I had seen.”
“Are you real . . .” Vhalla repeated his former words, her eyes growing wide.