When the konge announced that Midsummer’s Eve would be celebrated on Friday, two days thence, Hermódr, Bragi, and Aleksei became more cheerful and boisterous than ever. We passed two more perfect days together, tromping through the woods and the barley fields, riding and practicing swordplay and archery until my arms ached. The afternoon of the bonfire we sailed across the fjord just to play in a waterfall. Torden never let go of me as we shouted and splashed beneath the rainbows that rose through the mist, Fredrik and Anya and Skop the only missing pieces to our happiness.

We finally rode back to the fortress when the sun got low, the wind so strong at our backs that it whipped my hair out of its pins. I was next to last to return, faster only than Aleksei, who wasn’t trying, but my legs didn’t wobble when I jumped off Skeithbrimir’s back to let Hermódr and Bragi and Aleksei lead our mounts into the stables.

Torden sidled near, eyes narrowed in the fading daylight. “Are you excited for tonight?”

“Mm-hmm.” I nodded, pinching my lips around my hairpins while I looped my hair into a tidy knot.

He wound his arms around my waist, grinning mischievously. “You open yourself to attack when you raise both arms at once.” His voice was low, his nose and lips nuzzling my ear. “Your sides are defenseless.”

Euphoria clouded my brain. I tripped over my own feet, incoherent, and gave a shivering laugh. All of me is defenseless.

“You aren’t a threat to me,” I murmured. I let my hair fall, resting my hands on his chest.

“No. Never to you.” When he pulled me onto my tiptoes, my hairpins fell from my lips, lost forever as he lowered his mouth to mine and I melted like snow in the late-afternoon sun.

A wolf whistle startled us apart. “We were gone for less than a minute!” Hermódr protested, tumbling out of the stables ahead of an elated Bragi and a gaping Aleksei.

“What was your hurry?” Torden called back, grinning. My cheeks grew hot; I couldn’t quite meet anyone’s eyes but his.

I adore you, I wanted to tell him. I’d kiss you in front of them or anyone else and not care at all.

I’d told Torden all about my godmother. Suddenly, more than anything, I wished I could tell Godmother Althea all about him.

I cleared my throat. “I should go check on Anya.” I gave him a featherweight kiss and backed away, resuming my efforts with my hair. “See you tonight.”

Torden scrubbed at his beard and shook his head, casting about for words, as hazy from our proximity as I was. “See you tonight!” he finally yelled back.