I turned to walk away, and I hadn’t made it very far when I heard Loki calling after me.
“Wendy!” Loki leaned out into the hall, so far it made him grimace with pain. “If you’re right, and the next time we see each other is when our kingdoms are at war, you and I never will be. I’ll never fight you. That I can promise you.”
The meetings continued on, each one with the same grueling pace. The participants kept repeating the same information. What to do if the Vittra reneged on the deal. What to do if the Vittra attacked. What to do if the Vittra tried to kidnap me.
And it all boiled down to one answer—fight back. Tove and I would use our abilities, the trackers would use their strength and skill, and the Chancellor would cower in the corner.
Our last step before the Vittra Queen officially arrived was to sign the treaty. It’d already been sent over to the Vittra first, so Oren’s name was scribbled across the bottom in blood red. Garrett had to take it up to Elora in her room, and she added her own signature. Once he came back down with it, all we had to do was wait in the War Room for Sara to arrive.
At two-thirty, Elora released Loki, and he promised to be on his best behavior. Just the same, Thomas and Finn treated him like they thought he was a bomb about to explode.
Since we were meeting the dignitary of an enemy nation, I thought I’d better look the part of the Princess, especially since Elora was unable to join us. I dressed in a dark violet gown, and I’d enlisted Willa to help me with my hair.
“If I’d known you’d look so beautiful, I would’ve gotten dressed up,” Loki teased when Finn and Thomas brought him into the War Room. Finn shoved him into a seat unnecessarily hard, but Loki didn’t protest.
“Don’t get familiar with the Princess,” Duncan told him, giving him a stony look.
“My apologies,” Loki said. “I wouldn’t want to get familiar with anyone.”
Loki looked about the room. Duncan, Finn, Thomas, Tove, the Chancellor, and I were the ones set to meet Sara. The rest of the house was on standby, should we need them, but we didn’t want to look like we were ambushing Sara when she arrived.
“Did you change your mind and decide to execute me?” Loki asked, looking us over. “Because you all look like you’re going to a funeral.”
“Not now,” I said, fidgeting with my bracelet and watching the clock.
“Then when, Princess?” Loki asked. “Because we only have about fifteen minutes until I leave.”
I rolled my eyes and ignored him.
By the time the doorbell chimed, I’d taken to pacing the room. I nearly jumped when I heard it. The exchange was supposed to be clean and simple, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. My father had lied and betrayed the Trylle before.
“Here we go,” I said and took a deep breath.
I carried the treaty in my hands, a tube of paper rolled up and tied with a red ribbon, and I led the way down the corridor to the front hall. Duncan followed directly behind me on my left side, and Tove was at my right. Finn and Thomas each took one of Loki’s arms, in case he decided to struggle or fight, and the Chancellor brought up the rear.
Two other guards had let the Queen in, and they waited with her. She stood in the center of the rotunda, flakes of snow sticking to her crimson cloak. She’d pushed the hood down, and her cheeks were rosy from the cold. She’d arrived alone, except for Ludlow, the small hobgoblin I’d seen in the Vittra palace.
“Princess.” Sara smiled warmly when she saw me. She did a small curtsy, and I returned it, making sure to keep it equally small.
“Queen. I trust you traveled well,” I said.
“Yes, though the roads were a bit icy.” She gestured to the doors behind her with velvet-gloved hands. “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting.”
“No, you arrived on time,” I assured her.
“She’s here now,” Loki said, but I didn’t look back to see if he was pulling at Finn and Thomas. “Can you let me go?”
“Not until the agreement is finalized,” Finn said through gritted teeth.
“My Queen, can we settle this, please?” Loki called to her, sounding irritated. “This tracker is getting handsy.”
“The Markis hasn’t been too much trouble?” Sara asked, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment.
“Not too much,” I replied with a thin smile. “When we return him to you, you agree to peace until my coronation. Is that correct?”
“Yes.” Sara nodded. “The Vittra will not attack you as long as Elora is Queen. But as soon as you become Queen, the cease-fire is over.”
I handed the treaty over to her. I’d expected her to unroll it and double-check it for accuracy, but she simply nodded again, apparently deciding to trust us.
“Now they can let me go?” Loki asked.
“Yes,” I said.
I heard a skirmish behind me, and then Loki walked past me, smoothing out his shirt. Sara gave him a disapproving look, and he took his place at her side.
“It’s all settled, then?” Loki asked.