“She’s good. Quest has assured me that the babe has survived and is in good health.”
Sylvie lifts her hand to her chest, letting out a breath. “I’m glad, I thought for sure…” Her words trail off.
“What about you? How are you?”
Sylvi sinks her teeth into the corner of her lips, looking down at her lap, then lifts her gaze to meet mine. “It’s the fate of the gods, Aaric. I can do nothing but follow the path that they have laid out for me.”
“Even if that path means it does not include Gunnar?”
I expect her to cry, but she doesn’t. She lifts her chin, looking down her nose at me. This moment, I can see exactly what Liv meant when she said that Sylvi was ready to take my place in my absence. She is very much royalty.
“That path does not include Gunnar, the gods have made it clear, Aaric.”
“They have,” I say with a nod.
She clears her throat, then lets out a sigh. “What happens now?”
I grunt, leaning back in my wooden chair as I look at her. “I must travel to Bunafi with Liv. I need someone to be in charge of the kingdom in my absence,” I begin. Sylvi nods her head once. “It will be you, Sylvi.”
Her breath comes out in a gasp, she lifts her head and her eyes widen as she watches me. “Aaric?” she rasps.
“Liv has assured me that you are very capable. Kjeld and Sten will stay behind as your personal guards.”
There is a moment of silence, then Sylvi shakes her head. “I cannot,” she exhales. “I cannot.”
“Perhaps, but you have no choice. Tait does not know the day-to-day operations of Attleview, or any other holdings, nor does he care. Oili is too young, and well, Fiske is no longer with us. You are the next in line, Liv must go with me to seek out her sister.”
Sylvi inhales a deep breath. I can see the war waging inside of her. She has something she wishes to speak with me about, but she will not say it and I will not force her to. When she is ready, she will let me know in her own way.
“When do you depart?” she asks.
My lips twitch into a small smile. “On the morrow. It will just be the two of us and a small crew. We’ll take Strïth and hopefully return before the arrival of the child.”
“Aaric, is it safe to travel for so long?”
Clearing my throat, I shake my head once, but do not answer her one way or the other. “Quest is on alert if we should need him.”
Neither one of us speaks for a long moment. Then Sylvi stands to her feet. She looks down at me, and I watch, waiting to see what she will say. She clears her throat, wringing her fingers together in front of her.
“I just want to say, thank you, Aaric.”
“For?”
I expect her to thank me for giving her this opportunity to show her capabilities. Instead, she surprises me completely.
“Thank you for allowing me to choose my husband. Even if the fates did not align, I know that it is not done and you allowed it because you love me, so thank you.”
She turns from me and rushes out of the room. I don’t chase after her, I’m not sure what I could say as it is. Instead, I stay seated, staring at my scarred desk, wondering how my sister is as strong as she is.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
LIV
I hold my breath as I look at myself in the really, really funky mirror. I’m not sure how people live without a clear mirror. This one is more like metal and less like glass. I miss my skinny mirror at home. It was the freaking best. If I ever go back to New York, I’m grabbing that mirror before I come home again.
“Liv?” Sylvi’s voice calls out.
Turning to the door, I look over at my sister-in-law. It’s only my third time attempting to speak their language, and I’m so glad that Runa gave me the spell to be able to. Sylvi is smart, she’s sweet, and she’s strong. I would miss not being able to converse with her.
“Yes?”
She frowns, slipping the rest of the way into the room and closing the door behind her. Clearing her throat, she looks up at me, wringing her hands together in front of her. “Thank you,” she whispers.
“For?”
Slowly, she lifts her head and her eyes quickly find my own. “Aaric would have never allowed me to take over in his stead months ago. You have somehow convinced him that I am capable of doing this. I don’t know how, but I thank you.”
My lips twitch into a small smile. “I didn’t have to try hard to convince him. He knew you were able to take his place, I just had to give him a little nudge,” I admit with a smile.
She dips her chin, then lifts her head to look into my eyes. “I just, thank you, Liv. Women here, we aren’t given chances like this often and it means so much to me.”
Closing the distance between us, I reach for her fidgeting hands and take them in my own. Her blue eyes widen at my move. Holding her hands in mine, I continue to focus my gaze on her. She smiles softly, but neither of us speaks right away.
Squeezing her hands, I inhale a deep breath before I clear my throat and begin to speak. “You don’t need to thank me, Sylvi. This is all you, babe.” My lips twitch up into a grin.
Aaric doesn’t knock, he pushes the door open, his eyes finding mine immediately. He grins at the sight of Sylvi and I holding hands, then shakes his head once. “Let us matask?” he asks, speaking of eating.
“Yes, bródir, let us matask,” Sylvie says softly.
There is a moment of silence, we don’t move immediately. Instead, Aaric snorts, shaking his head. He turns around and walks away from us, leaving us alone in the room again. Sylvi and I both shift our gazes back to meet one another’s. We wrinkle our noses, then giggle.
I want to ask her if she’s okay since Gunnar’s death, especially since I’ve been out of it and not able to keep a pulse on her, but I decide that this isn’t the right time. Maybe later, maybe tomorrow, maybe even never.
Together, arm in arm, we silently walk from the bedroom and make our way into the main hall. I am dressed in all my queenly finery, my hair is on point, my jewelry too. My dress is divine and I don’t even pause when the entire room goes quiet and everyone watches me.
Aaric is standing at the head of the table, his eyes focused on me and only me as we approach. Sylvi releases my arm when she arrives to her seat. My feet carry me toward him, toward Aaric, his gaze heated, his lids lowered, his jaw clenched with each step that I take.
Without a word, he reaches forward once I’m within arm’s length. My body flies forward, lifting my hands, I break my fall with my hands on his chest. “Aaric,” I breathe, my cheeks heating knowing that people are watching me, silently watching us.
“Sit, víf,” he rasps.
Smiling up at him, his lips twitch, but they don’t turn up into a smile. Instead, he shakes his head once and guides me over to my seat, which is right next to him. Sinking down in my chair, I notice that he doesn’t sit right away.
Turning my head to the side, I tilt it back and look up at his profile. He’s so strong, his jaw so chiseled like the rest of his body. He commands the entire room, the entire table watches him, waiting to see what this brilliant leader will say next.