“Good. Go now, and do what you must to ready yourselves. I only want the best at my side!”
It was like she’d kicked an ants’ nest. The soldiers began running, quickly organizing themselves under their own ranks. Majors stepped forward to bark quick orders.
Vhalla turned. Aldrik stood at her side, his mouth made a firm line.
“Let us get into more fitting clothes for war,” he suggested.
Their momentary escape from the growing madness was unquestioned, and they quickly ascended away from the chaos to what was now their chambers. The morning of preparations and nerves was gone. In its wake came renewed purpose.
“Aldrik,” she started as soon as the door closed. “I know you likely do not approve.”
“Vhalla—”
“But we have lingered long enough.” She held out her hands. Vhalla wanted him to understand. “We are ready for this. Sehra is ready. Every moment we wait is another death.”
“Vhalla—”
“I know you can’t speak against me publically, but give me counsel here. I will not back down on this, but I want to know how you think we should go about it.”
“Vhalla.” He took both her hands firmly and silenced her. “I support you.”
She blinked. “You do?”
“I wouldn’t have proclaimed it in the street. I may have pushed in private.” Aldrik shook his head. “But we have done things as I wanted. You are Empress now, and your word holds just as much weight as mine, publically. I will let you lead this war.”
“We will,” Vhalla amended. “It is not I or you, it is now we. And even more than that, it is us, for our people.”
“Don your armor,” he suggested as they broke apart to dress. “At least the chainmail. It will set the right mindset.”
“Help me from this?” Vhalla asked as she was half sewn into her dress.
Aldrik obliged, chuckling softly. “This was not why I imagined I’d get you out of your dress on our wedding day.”
“My Emperor, there will be ample time for such things at a later date.” Vhalla rolled her eyes, hunting down clothes substantial enough to go under her chainmail. Vhalla paused, staring at the bangle Tim had given her.
Take it. From him. Listen.
Vhalla stilled, trying to logic through what Tim’s presence had really meant. Her emotions cooled, and her mind spun. She had clearly been trying to deliver the bracelet to Vhalla. Listen; that could mean that Tim wanted Vhalla to pay attention to her. Unless, it didn’t.
She was a blur from the room, not even bothering to put on her shoes.
“Vhalla!” Aldrik called after her, confused.
Fritz had been at the wedding with Elecia, but the castle was now in utter chaos. Still, she had to start somewhere, and it seemed just as likely if she could find one of them she’d find the other.
“Where’s Elecia Ci’Dan?” Vhalla demanded of a guard between panting breaths. “Have you seen her?”
“My lady?”
“Elecia Ci’Dan?” she repeated.
“I’ve not seen her . . .”
Vhalla muttered a curse under her breath and started for the Westerner’s room. They weren’t there, and they weren’t in Fritz’s either. Vhalla finally found them on the training grounds helping organize and prepare.
“Fritz!” Vhalla practically tackled the man as she tried to pluck him out of a stream of people walking in the opposite direction.
“Vhal? Vhal, what?” Fritz teetered and regained his feet. “Are you all right? I heard what happened and—”
“We need to listen to it.” Vhalla held up the bracelet.
“Is that?” Fritz recognized it instantly, but he didn’t believe it.
“It is,” she insisted.
“How can you be sure?” He looked skeptical still.
“I know one way we can find out.” Vhalla pressed the bracelet into Fritz’s hands. “We need to listen to it again.”
“Nothing will have changed.”
“Fritz, please,” Vhalla pleaded.
He finally obliged, and they went to the nearest vacant guest room, stealing the washbasin from within. Aldrik caught up with them along the way, and Vhalla offered a short explanation as to the importance of the token.
“This may not be the best of ideas.” The Emperor was suddenly uneasy as Fritz placed the bangle into the water. “It may be from Victor. There could be magic within it that will activate when it is tampered with.”
“No,” Vhalla insisted. “If Victor was going to attack me with it, he would have done so when my hand first came into contact with it. I know what crystals feel like, and that does not feel like crystal magic.”
Though, if one of Vhalla’s two theories were correct, they might hear Victor’s voice.
“It will be fine.” Fritz’s words were braver and more certain than he sounded. “Larel would never hurt me.”