“I’m not sure about that,” Vhalla denied with a glance at the Emperor, trying to gauge his reaction.
“Too humble!” Jax laughed. “You’ve surprised me these past weeks. Where did all those brains come from? Did the Tower change that much while I was gone?”
“I haven’t spent that much time in the Tower yet.” Vhalla allowed others to serve themselves first, following their motions on what was the proper approach.
“Oh?” Jax raised an eyebrow.
“I was only Awoken this past year,” she explained, wondering how much of her story had traveled to the North; it seemed to vary. “Before that, I was a library apprentice.”
“A library apprentice?” One of the Western noblewoman squinted her eyes, as if trying to imagine it.
“You can’t tell from the woman she is now,” Craig interjected. “Trust me, I was there during the trial from the Night of Fire and Wind.”
“As was I,” Daniel mumbled, earning a confused look from Craig at his tone.
“Is Mohned still haunting those shelves?” Major Zerian asked from his seat to the right of the Emperor. Somehow, Vhalla and Aldrik had ended up on the opposing end.
“As of when I left.” She nodded, nostalgia sweetening her smile.
“Ha! Old bastard won’t die!” the man chuckled.
“Vhalla’s well-read also.” Daniel’s voice was thoughtful. His tongue formed her name delicately, stilling her. “On the march, she’d tell me of her readings. Everything from war tactics to fiction.”
Vhalla engaged in a staring contest with her food. It was very uncomfortable suddenly to be in the same room as Daniel. The bold looks he kept giving Aldrik weren’t helping.
“What’s your favorite book?” Erion asked.
Vhalla opened her mouth to speak, only to have Daniel steal the answer. “The Epic of Bemalg.” His hazel eyes met hers thoughtfully. “Unless things have changed?”
“No,” Vhalla confirmed with a shake of her head.
“The Epic?” Raylynn raised her eyebrows. “You actually read through it?”
“Of course.” Vhalla couldn’t fathom who wouldn’t finish a book once they’d started.
“Not everyone is as illiterate as you,” Craig teased the other member of the Golden Guard, earning a glare from the blonde woman.
“Quite a few talents you have. What others are there, I wonder?” Jax waggled his eyebrows lecherously at Vhalla. “Mother, Jax,” Elecia groaned. “Can you grow up just a little?” “You wouldn’t love me if I did.” Jax made a kissing face toward Elecia, who scrunched her nose in disgust.
“I find it beautifully tragic,” Vhalla confessed, shifting the conversation back to books.
“I remember when I was forced to read that for ‘culture building’.” Baldair laughed and shook his head. “If I recall, you enjoy the story, too,” he said to his brother.
“I do,” Aldrik affirmed.
Vhalla gazed at her prince in honest surprise. She realized that she had never asked about his taste in literature. It made her want to laugh that the most obvious thing they had in common had never been discussed.
“I think ‘beautifully tragic’ is a perfect way to describe it, also.” Aldrik’s lips curled into a smile at her, and Vhalla fought to hide her blush when she caught the looks of the table.
“How quickly can we expect the attack to launch?” One of the other majors turned the conversation away from personal matters.
“Given my previous indisposition, we have yet to explore the palace. Vhalla will need to learn it confidently enough to lead us through as needed,” Aldrik responded.
“Is that days? Weeks? Months?” Major Zerian asked.
Vhalla was startled to find he addressed her directly over the crown prince. “I should hope it would not be months,” she answered. She didn’t have time for it to take months. “I will not be so bold as to promise days, however.”
“So then we should plan for about a month until the attack.” Zerian nodded as he mentally began to plan.
“For that reason,” Aldrik pulled himself to his feet, “I think our time will be better spent elsewhere.”
“Elsewhere?” the Emperor questioned.
“I have all the faith in the world that the majors can adjust the rations appropriately and plan for the proper distribution of new blades,” Aldrik flattered the group. “However, we do have a castle to take, and there is only one among us who can offer it neatly.” His eyes fell back on her.
“Of course, my prince.” She gave him the smallest of smiles as she stood as well. Vhalla savored the fact that she had changed a term of formality to a form of endearment. He was, indeed, her prince.
“We will report our findings at the next meeting,” Aldrik announced in a tone that suggested it was not up for discussion. He did not even glance back at the Emperor before turning, placing his palm at the small of her back—for everyone to see—and leading Vhalla away.