“Well ...” Vhalla sighed and recounted the events leading up to Baldair’s tent.

“You bested him in the end, though?” he asked after she had finished her story.

“I did.” Vhalla nodded.

“How?”

“I just moved ...” She wasn’t sure what answer he was looking for with such a question.

“Like with Elecia?” Aldrik glanced up from his work on the plate. His thumbs ran over the red hot metal.

“Yes ...” Vhalla trailed off, waiting for him to fill in the blanks. He didn’t, and frustration snuck up on her. “You can’t keep doing this.”

“Keep doing what?” He seemed startled by her tone.

“You can’t keep asking cryptic questions and storming off to sulk without giving me answers that I know you have.” Vhalla was no one, and yet she fearlessly made demands of the crown prince.

Aldrik just sighed and let her. “Fine, stubborn woman.” He placed her repaired armor off to the side. “Do you not think it strange that you are suddenly capable of besting soldiers with years of practice?”

“We’ve been training.” It was a cringe-worthy excuse when Vhalla actually thought about it.

“You were sloppy, at best.” When Aldrik was honest, he held back nothing. “I was beginning to fear for what we would need to do to keep you alive when we reached the North.”

“So, what happened?” Vhalla pressed.

“You fight as I do.” Aldrik met her eyes.

“Of course I do.”

“No, Vhalla.” He shook his head. “You fight exactly as I do.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“I can only assume it to be the Joining,” Aldrik mused.

“But, we’re not Joined anymore.” They had not attempted it either since that first night weeks ago.

“No, but the Bond was widened, our minds were—” Aldrik paused, closing his eyes with a soft sigh. “Our minds were linked. It was a reckless thing to do on my part given how little is known about its effects.”

“So, then,” she fumbled, her words struggling to find the source of his discomfort. “Why don’t we close it?”

“Even if we could, I would not.”

“But ...” It seemed to be causing him so much distress, why not end it?

“Because now I can have some measure of security that you will make it through this war alive.”

Vhalla was stunned into silence. She couldn’t take the weight of his gaze and engaged in a quick staring contest with his table. “I know,” she began her confession. “Larel told me about Bonds. That, if I die, you’ll die.”

“That’s just a theory.” Aldrik brushed away the thought easily. “And not by any reputable scholars.”

“But—”

“I want you to worry about yourself.” He sensed the remaining fight in her. “Vhalla, please, promise me that.”