Fire Falling (Air Awakens Series Book 2)

  “I would like to see it,” he said casually. Vhalla couldn’t stop herself from laughing, and he frowned at her. “I would.”

  “The crown prince? In Leoul? In my home?” Vhalla’s laughter rang out again. “My father may disown me for letting someone like you inside.”

  The rest of the conversation was relaxed and easy between them. They spoke, lounged with food about them on the chaises and table, and talked well into the evening about everything and nothing. When it was clear they’d both had their fill, he got up to clean the plates and Vhalla helped. Old habits died hard; it felt strange to see the prince of the realm cleaning his own food when she was there. He insisted he could do it himself—she insisted she would help him.

  She hovered as Aldrik returned from placing the cart in the hall for the wait staff to take care of. The outside of the stained glass was dark and Vhalla knew it was late.

  “I should go,” she whispered.

  Aldrik stared at her silently for a long moment, taking both hands in his. “Stay.”

  “Aldrik?” Vhalla questioned.

  “Stay here,” he affirmed. Vhalla bit her lip, unsure of what he was really asking. “I have more than enough space. Elecia said the chaises are comfortable.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I want you near me. I don’t want you to leave.” His directness pierced her and she felt her heart begin to pick up the same speed as earlier.

  “I shouldn’t.” Her words were weak and faint. Was he asking what she thought he was?

  “You’re right.” He nodded, his voice was soft and deep. “Will you?”

  Vhalla tried to find grounds to object. Fritz and Larel surely wouldn’t care, and there were few other people who would notice her absence. He hadn’t explicitly spoken of her sharing his bed, but would it happen? Vhalla swallowed hard. If it did, was she ready for it? If she wasn’t, she knew Aldrik wouldn’t force it upon her. All of Vhalla’s reason objected that it was a poor decision.

  But she was too overwhelmed by his proximity.

  “I will. I’ll stay,” she whispered.

  He laughed softly with a shake of his head. “It’s the first time.”

  “What is?”

  “That I’ve asked a woman to stay with me while being completely uncertain about how she will respond.” Aldrik looked at her in relief. It was an odd thing to say, but Prince Baldair’s words came back to Vhalla. His stories of the hunt, of his brother knowing exactly what would happen, exactly what even she would do. Yet, it seemed like the infamous silver-tongued prince hadn’t calculated what was happening between them. Her own relief spread over her.

  “How many times have you asked a woman to stay with you?” she teased gently.

  “Well,” Aldrik seemed to be at a loss for words. “Before this? Not many who mattered even slightly.”

  Vhalla felt a flush rise across her whole body. She took a half step closer, closing the gap between them. Aldrik tilted his cheek into her bold fingertips as they made feather-light trails over his pronounced cheekbone. Vhalla outlined his brow, down over the bump in his nose, the edge of his jaw, she wanted to remember every detail exactly. Her thumb brushed the corner of his lips and she felt herself move without thinking.

  Aldrik tilted his head to meet her halfway, ensnaring her in a slow and purposeful kiss. Every shift, every brief opening of his mouth, made her ache for more. Aldrik’s fingers buried themselves in her hair. She was pulled against him, sighing in soft release as she felt his magic slip over her skin once more.

  The prince pulled away suddenly.

  Vhalla swallowed, blinking. “Aldrik ...” Her voice was strange even to her own ears, desire changing it.

  “I love you, Vhalla,” Aldrik forced himself to say.

  Vhalla pulled her head back in shock, her eyes wide. Her heart pounded and she repeated his words in her mind. “What?” Somehow she’d pushed from her consciousness the notion of him having the same feelings for her as she had for him.

  “I love you,” he repeated, a determined fire lighting his eyes. “It is one of the worst things I could ever do,” Aldrik confessed. “I swear to the Mother, I have tried not to damn you with it. But you’re a rather persistent, beautiful presence in my life. And, for once, the silver-tongued prince is tired of pretending.”

  VHALLA SHIFTED A pile of blankets about her. Her head was hazy with sleep as she rolled over. Long fingers ran through her hair, snagging lightly on tangles. She nestled into the pillow, not opening her eyes. Vhalla reached out for Aldrik under the covers, finding him but unable to touch. Her eyes cracked open.

  “Good morning.” Aldrik sat next to her on top of the blankets. He leaned against pillows and the headboard. His far knee was bent, a board with papers on top of it. Vhalla noted the fingers of his right hand were already stained with ink; he must have been at it for a while.

  “Good morning, my prince.” She smiled up at him. Vhalla remembered curling up with him on the chaises for a thousand kisses the night before, but she couldn’t seem to recall how they’d made it to the bed. However, it was a mountain of fluff that she could sink into; her clothes were still in place; and she didn’t recall taking anything that would have made her lose her head, so she wasn’t particularly worried about anything untoward.

  Vhalla propped herself up on her elbows, rubbing her eyes. The curtains in the side room had been pulled back a tad and the beam of sunlight cutting through the air told her that it was sometime past dawn. “What time is it?”

  Aldrik shifted. He only wore a cotton shirt—black this time—and black pants. Vhalla mused over how she had never seen him in anything less than long sleeves and long pants, save for the night with Elecia. He pulled a familiar silver watch from his pocket.

  “Just after eight-thirty.” He clicked the watch closed and stashed it away.

  “Just after eight-thirty and you’re up and working. And you’ve bathed.” She noted his hair was fixed. “Do you sleep?” The pillow muffled the end of her words as she fell back into it.

  “Normally, not very much.” His quill scratched against the parchment.

  “Normally?” she repeated, twisting her face to look at him from under the blankets.

  “I slept well last night.”

  “How did we make it to the bed?” she couldn’t help but ask.

  “I brought you in when I noticed you’d passed out. I suppose my story on the Kingdom of Mhashan was that boring.” Aldrik glanced at her from the corners of his eyes.

  Vhalla laughed guiltily.

  “Elecia was right though,” he continued. “I couldn’t find one complaint with the chaises.”

  Vhalla chewed that over for a second. “Wait,” she paused, “you slept on the couches?” Vhalla rolled onto her side to look up at him.

  “Of course.” His brow furrowed slightly. “Did you think I would creep into your bed as you slept and spend the night lying with you without your permission?”

  Vhalla stared at him. She had assumed falling asleep in his arms after kissing half the night away to be permission enough, but the chivalry in the statement was noted. However, any tenderness over the sentiment was quickly lost to laughter.

  “What?” he asked, staring at her queerly.

  “I kicked the crown prince out of his bed.” She rolled onto her back with laughter. “Oh, that is a story I wish I could share with someone.”

  Aldrik grabbed the blankets and threw them over her face. “You’re annoying in the morning,” he said with a hint of amusement.

  It sent Vhalla into a fit of giggles. “Oh I am sorry, mighty Aldrik.” She sat up, throwing the covers off her. “Am I a disturbance to your routine?” Vhalla put her hands on the bed between them and leaned over.

  “Very much so,” he smirked.

  “Fine, then I shall leave promptly.” Vhalla swung her feet off the bed.

  She heard the rustle of his papers as he reached and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her onto his lap. He leaned over, and his lips w
ere on hers. Vhalla sighed softly, she could get used to waking in this manner.

  “I haven’t cleaned my mouth yet.” She quickly covered it with her hand as he pulled away.

  “I know. It’s foul too. Washroom is there.” He grinned and pointed at an adjacent door.

  Vhalla glared at him as she stood. She never knew a man who could be such an ass while still being so handsome. The moment the bathroom door closed, Vhalla suppressed another fit of giggles.

  It was absolutely insane what was happening. It was absolutely insane how happy she was. Vhalla hummed as she ran her hand across the counter. It was a dark black marble, and the spigot was cast in gold. The tub was large enough for four people to sit comfortably, like a small pool carved from stone. There was an adjacent closet filled with more clothing than she knew he carried with him on the journey. The whole room was as opulent as the building itself, and Vhalla couldn’t believe that she had a place here.

  There were a few bottles on the counter. She noticed one or two mostly empty clerical elixirs among them. Vhalla mused over which one he used for his hair, smelling a few that had the fresh scent of eucalyptus, as she located the one to cleanse her mouth with. Vhalla washed her face and ran her wet hands through her hair. It stayed back slightly from the dampness and she laughed.

  “Look, I’m you.” Vhalla opened the door.

  He glanced at her and then returned to his papers. “It looks awful,” he murmured.

  “Now, now, don’t be mean to yourself,” she laughed lightly, sitting across from him on the end of the bed. “I think it’s striking on you.” Vhalla ran her fingers through her hair, teasing it back into its normal mess. Aldrik looked over his papers at her and said nothing, though she could have sworn there were the makings of a smile on his face.

  “So what will you be doing today?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure. I suppose I’ll go back and ... see what everyone else is up to.” Vhalla shrugged.

  “Will you return tonight?” Aldrik paused, searching for her reaction.

  “Tonight?” She hadn’t thought of it.

  “Yes, my parrot.” He grinned at her scowl. “Tonight, will you come back?” Aldrik placed his papers carefully on the pillows she previously occupied. He returned his quill to the inkpot on the bedside table.

  “Do you wish it?” Vhalla wanted to hear him say it directly.

  “I do.” Aldrik nodded.

  “Then I will.”

  “Do you wish it?” he returned the question.

  “Of course I do.” Aldrik seemed relieved by her response. “Being near you is—”

  There was a pounding on the door; they both looked out to the other room. Vhalla turned back to him, a deep scowl written across Aldrik’s features.

  “Brother?” a voice boomed from the hallway. “Are you awake?”

  “Stay here,” he said softly to her.

  Vhalla nodded silently.

  Aldrik swung his feet off the bed and stood. He started for the door and paused briefly. Wrapping his hand around the back of her head, Aldrik leaned down and kissed her forehead lightly. She beamed up at him and he gave her a tired smile.

  He closed the sliding paper-screen doors behind him as he left the room. Vhalla fell back on the bed with a contented sigh. She would be happy to never leave the Crossroads. The war could just go on as it was, and the Emperor could return back to the South to rule. She would be happy if she and Aldrik could hide away here forever.

  Vhalla held her breath as she heard the door open.

  “Good morning, brother.” She could hear Prince Baldair entering the room as he spoke, even though Vhalla was fairly certain that he hadn’t been given permission to by his older brother.

  “Baldair,” Aldrik said curtly. Even she had a hard time imagining that voice belonging to the man who laid kisses upon her moments before. “To what do I owe this ... pleasure?”

  “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” the younger brother inquired.

  “Clearly not,” Aldrik sighed. “Is that all you came for?”

  “Ah no, scouts have arrived. The Western forces will be joining us within an hour, two at most.” Vhalla heard Prince Baldair’s voice drawing closer.

  “Oh? Excellent, I shall need to prepare for their arrival then.” Aldrik’s voice was also louder.

  Vhalla sat. Should she hide?

  Aldrik’s shadow appeared on the other side of the carved doors, blocking his brother’s path. “If you’ll excuse me.”

  “Good morning, Vhalla,” Prince Baldair called.

  Her stomach turned to stone. One night, she had indulged herself for one night and the world couldn’t even give her that.

  “You look rather foolish shouting at empty rooms,” Aldrik drawled.

  She wondered how he kept his composure so well.

  “You look rather foolish, brother, for being caught with something so simple,” Prince Baldair retorted. “You picked this place for their security, for their record keeping.” His laughter rang out and Vhalla winced, wondering how she ever thought it to be a charming sound. “It’s amazing for you to make a mistake so simple.”

  “And what, pray tell, is that mistake?” Aldrik growled.

  Vhalla’s heart raced. She didn’t have to see him to know his jaw was clenched tight; he might even have a hand in a fist, he was telling his brother exactly what he wanted to hear without using a single word.

  “A one Miss Vhalla Yarl was recorded in last night, but was never recorded out,” Prince Baldair proclaimed, almost victoriously. Vhalla wanted to panic, but the first emotion was a strange curiosity—Prince Baldair was checking on his brother. That wasn’t information he could have accidently happened across. “Really, brother, it isn’t like you; it’s sloppy.”

  “It sounds like all that is sloppy is their record keeping,” Aldrik attempted.

  She wondered if it sounded more convincing to a person who wasn’t her.

  “What do you both think you’re doing?” Prince Baldair retorted. He was clearly not buying what Aldrik was selling.

  “Nothing that you need to concern yourself with,” Aldrik snarled.

  Vhalla cringed, realizing what was coming.

  “Oh? No more denials?” Aldrik’s brother had caught him in his own words. “Do not let yourself be played by him, Vhalla.”

  She bit her lip to keep from calling out and putting the younger prince in his place.

  “Enough of this. Out, Baldair.” Aldrik’s patience was almost gone.

  “Fine, Aldrik, if you wish to be that way.” She heard the click of Prince Baldair’s boots fading away. “But you should doctor the book before Father has a chance to see.”

  “Thank you,” Aldrik said begrudgingly.

  Vhalla blinked. He was thanking his brother, after all that? She couldn’t fathom a reason.

  “I’ll see you within an hour.” The door closing signaled the younger prince’s departure.

  Aldrik pulled back the sliding doors, and Vhalla stared at him hopelessly. He picked up on her emotion and crossed quickly to sit next to her, taking her hands in his.

  “It’s okay.” He raised her knuckles to his lips. “It’s all right.”

  “But ...” she protested weakly.

  “I’ll change the book. It will be no trouble.” Aldrik cupped her cheek.

  “Your brother?” she asked.

  “Ignore him,” Aldrik sighed.

  “Why is he like this?” Vhalla asked, allowing her prince’s touch to calm her.

  “It’s a long story between us. But for now, I must go change that book before it has a chance to be brought to my father’s attention.”

  Judging from the way Aldrik spoke, it was a long story she would not be hearing. “What would happen if your father saw it?” Vhalla knew Prince Baldair entertained women all the time. While she hardly wanted to be thought as that type of woman, especially to Aldrik, it seemed rather unfair one brother could get away with having women in his room and the other co
uld not.

  “Don’t worry yourself with it,” he sighed.

  “What would happen?” she pressed. “Aldrik, stop shutting me out. Even if you think it’s for my own good.”

  He averted his eyes. “I need to prepare for the troop arrival.”

  “What would happen?” she snapped. He looked back at her, startled. Vhalla took a deep breath, calming herself. “Just tell me.”

  “After I gave my testimony at your trial, my father spoke with me.” The prince’s voice was faint and his eyes never found hers. “He asked if you were going to be a problem.”

  “A problem?” she whispered. Something about his tone unnerved her more than the entire exchange with Prince Baldair.

  “A ... distraction from my obligations.” He finally turned back to her. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?” Vhalla was confused.

  The prince just sighed and rested his forehead in his palm. “I told my father that I saw you for what you were. A tool that we needed and nothing more. That I had you in my palms, and you would do as I told you. That it—we—were nothing more than a means to that end.” Her chest tightened at the weakness in his voice. “Vhalla, I don’t—”

  “I know.” She cut him off. It hurt to hear he said it, but she knew he only did what he felt was best. Or at least, she hoped. He looked at her skeptically and she squeezed his hand lightly.

  “My father told me that he hoped I was correct because too much rested on my shoulders for the Empire to exhaust or invest much on a common girl, no matter how magically special.” Aldrik rolled his eyes at the paraphrased statements.

  “Your brother was there, wasn’t he?” Vhalla realized.

  Aldrik gave her a small nod.

  If not for your sake, then his, Prince Baldair’s words repeated in her mind. He’s using you, Vhalla. It made her pause. Baldair would’ve seen all of Aldrik’s interactions with her in a very different light than she did—as the object of the crown prince’s affections.

  “What will your father do? If he ...”

  “If he found out you stayed the night with me?” Aldrik asked. “Or that I’ve fallen in love with that special common girl?” He smiled sadly at her.

  “Both?” Vhalla reminded her insides that now was not the time to be fluttering.