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.”