Elora wasn’t mad at me, but I hadn’t expected her to be. She’d already begun the process of entrusting me with the kingdom, which was overwhelming, but I’d never let that on. I asked for advice as infrequently as possible. I had to know how to do things on my own, and she accepted my decisions most of the time.
The news of the attack had upset her, and that’s what I had been afraid of. She wanted to get out of bed and go after Oren herself, but simply getting angry tired her out too much to sit up. She’d become so fragile, and it scared me to see her that way.
I left her in the care of Garrett, and I went to find Finn before he left. I wasn’t even sure how I felt about him leading the team. I had no right to stop him, and I knew that. I wouldn’t even ask it of him if I could.
But this might be dangerous. I didn’t know what the Vittra’s plans might be. I hadn’t expected them to start attacking us, so I’d clearly underestimated Oren’s determination to destroy us. Or, more specifically, me.
Even though Finn hadn’t been home for the better part of a month, his residence was still technically the palace. What few earthly possession he had were here in his room in the servants’ quarters. As I went to his room, I passed Loki’s, and I was pleased to see that the door was shut. He’d taken my advice to lay low.
Finn’s bedroom door was open, and he was packing a few clothes to take with him. I wasn’t sure how long he’d be gone, but it had to be at least a few days. It depended on how badly damaged Oslinna had been.
“Are you about packed?” I asked. I stood in the hall just outside his door, too afraid to go in further.
“Yeah.” Finn glanced back at me. He shoved a pair of boxers in the duffle bag and zipped it up. “I think so.”
“Good.” I twisted the wedding band around my finger. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I don’t have much of a choice.” Finn picked up his bag and turned to face me. He kept his expression blank, and I hated that he did that so well. I hated that I never knew what he was really thinking or feeling.
“Of course you have a choice,” I said. “I’m not forcing you to go.”
“I know that. But they need somebody experienced, someone who isn’t an idiot to go along. My father has to stay here, and I’m the next logical choice.”
“I could go,” I offered. “I should. I can be of more help.”
“No. What I said at the meeting is still true,” Finn said. “You’re needed here.”
“I’m not doing anything here except waiting until you get back.” I didn’t like the way that sounded, so I lowered my eyes.
“We won’t be gone that long,” Finn said. “We’ll probably bring the survivors back to F?rening. They can have shelter here.”
“I should ready the palace for extra guests then,” I said, and I hated that. He would be out at battle, and I would be at home, making sure the beds were made. “I should be going with you. This is ridiculous.”
“Princess, this is the right place for you,” he said, almost tiredly. “But it’s time for me to go. I don’t want to make them wait for me.”
“Yes, sorry.” I stepped aside so he could walk past me. His arm brushed against me, but he didn’t even notice. As he walked by, I said, “Be careful.”
“You say that as if you care,” he muttered.
“I do care,” I said defensively. “I never said that I didn’t. That isn’t fair.” He stopped with his back to me.
“The other night, you made your intentions perfectly clear.”
“So did you,” I said, and he pivoted to face me. “And you made your choice.” He’d chosen duty time and time again, and if he had to sacrifice something, it had been me.
“I never had a choice, Wendy,” Finn said, sounding exasperated.
“You always did. Everybody does. And you chose.”
“Well, so did you,” he said finally.
“That I did,” I agreed.
He stared at me for a moment longer before turning and walking away. I hadn’t wanted that to be my last conversation with him before he left. Part of me still feared that something might happen, but Finn could handle himself.
There were going to be survivors coming, and I needed to get the palace ready. I had never considered myself domestic, but Willa and Matt would be good at that sort of thing.
I found them together in Matt’s room, and Willa was trying to explain to him what happened in Oslinna without freaking him out too much. That was our general approach with telling Matt stuff. We didn’t want to keep him completely out of the loop, but he would have had an aneurysm if he understood exactly what we were up against.
“The Vittra killed people?” Matt asked. He sat on his bed watching Willa straighten her hair. We may be in crisis mode, but that didn’t mean her hair had to look like it. “They actually killed people like you?”
“Yes, Matt.” Willa stood in front of the full-length mirror across from him, running the straightener through her long hair. “They’re the bad guys.”
“And they’re doing this because they’re after you?” Matt asked, turning to me.
“They’re doing it because they’re bad people,” Willa answered for me.