“Why are you on the side of the road?” Duncan asked.

“I needed fresh air,” I said. “Everything’s fine. I got the Vittra to back off until I’m Queen. They won’t attack any of us, no matter where we are.”

“What the hel did you agree to?” Finn asked, breaking his icy stare with Loki to look at me.

“It doesn’t matter.” I shook my head. “We’l stop them before it comes to that.”

“Wendy,” Finn sighed and shook his head, then turned back to Loki. “And you, Markis, I lost any respect I had for you.”

“She was going to go whether I went with her or not,” Loki said. “I thought it would be better if she didn’t go alone.”

“She shouldn’t have gone at al!” Finn yeled.

“Yes, I should have!” I shouted at him. “If I hadn’t, the Vittra would stil be kiling our people. I bought us more time, and I saved lives. That is my job, Finn! I did what I had to do, and I would do it again!”

“You didn’t have to do it like this,” Finn said.

“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “It’s done. Now I’ve had a very long morning, and I would just like to go home.”

“Come on, Wendy.” Wila put her arm around me.

“Duncan, would you mind riding with Loki?” Tove asked. “I’d like to talk to my wife.”

“Yeah, sure,” Duncan nodded.

Wila led me around the SUV, and I glanced back once over my shoulder at Loki. He was stil standing in the road, and he was watching me walk away. Something in his eyes broke my heart, and I looked away from him.

I climbed into the SUV, and Wila got in the seat behind me.

Finn stayed outside, and it looked like he wanted to say something to Loki, but Tove sent him to the car. When he climbed in back next to Wila, Finn was stil seething and glared out the window.

Tove stayed outside a bit longer, talking to Loki, and I wished I could read lips.

“What were you thinking, Wendy?” Finn asked, barely restraining the anger in his voice.

“I did what was best for the kingdom,” I said simply. “Isn’t that what you always told me to do?”

“Not at your own peril,” Finn said. I looked in the rear view mirror so I could meet his eyes.

“You’ve told me over and over again that I shouldn’t make decisions because of you,” I said. “That I should think of the greater good of the kingdom. You were right, but this isn’t about me either.”

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Wila said, breaking the tension. “And I know that you’re badass and al that, but you don’t have to do this alone. You could’ve asked for help.”

“Everything turned out fine,” I said.