Vhalla mustered the last of her courage to look at him unfaltering. She succeeded well enough—the prince was the first to look away with a shake of his head. He walked heavily over to a chair and slumped into it. The prince rested his temple on his fingertips, staring in disbelief at Aldrik.

“I’d only meant to help her. I thought you were—Aldrik, you’re too smart for this.”

“I know,” Aldrik replied quietly, the tension seemed to have vanished, and sorrow filled his eyes in its place.

“And here I thought, thought you ...” Prince Baldair chuckled and shook his head again. “Ah, never mind.”

“Prince Baldair.” Vhalla took a step forward, and Aldrik’s hand fell from her person. “I’m sorry for my actions today. More importantly, I am sorry for striking you.” She took a breath. “I would appreciate it if-if it isn’t used as a reason to end my life.”

The prince began to laugh; he placed a palm on his stomach and let the melodic sound break the tension in the air.

“No, I rather deserved it, didn’t I?” Vhalla stared at him, stunned. The prince turned to his brother. “It wasn’t her fault today, Aldrik. I think some of what she said actually may have gotten through to the men. You would’ve been proud if you’d seen it, I think.” Prince Baldair shifted to rest his cheek in his hand. “And Vhalla, I’m sorry. That was not a princely way to act.”

Vhalla studied him carefully. On the whole, this man had done more good by her than ill, and he had earned credit while she was on trial that he was spending now. He may be an emotional fool, but Vhalla wasn’t certain he was malicious.

“I forgive you, my prince,” she said. His words still stung but Vhalla put it out of her mind, at least for now.

Vhalla turned back to Aldrik—her tall, wonderful, dark prince—and gave him a relieved smile. His eyes fell softly on her, and it felt as though the tension that had been building between them was close to breaking. It was not an unwelcome feeling.

“Let’s go?” she asked.

He nodded, shooting a final glare at his brother before stalking out.

Vhalla paused briefly, turning. She assessed the fair-haired prince who stared curiously back. “What you wanted from me, I’m afraid I cannot give it.” Vhalla had come to accept that whatever happened, whatever they were, she would not be the one to end it between her and Aldrik.

“Tread carefully, Vhalla,” Prince Baldair cautioned. “I know a lot more about my brother than you. I may seem like an ass.”

She raised her eyebrows.

“I am an ass at times,” he corrected with a chuckle. “But I am exactly what you see. He’s not. There are things about him you still don’t know.”