The Valkyrie's Bond (Halfblood Rising Book 1)

by Lucy Roy

  His eyes widened, then he blinked and a wide smile broke out on his face. “Ah, you do sound like a queen, don’t you? Allow me to take a step back. I only worded my statement as I did because Empress Lessia—and only Empress Lessia—arranges her family’s marriages, and she does so in a way that is only advantageous to her, no matter the cost. Power, wealth, and political affiliations always weigh more heavily in betrothals than compatibility of the individuals.” He sighed and looked out across the square, silent for a moment before continuing. “My parents were always in strong agreement with her on that, along with her husband, Crispin, before they all passed. Once they did, Lessia took over as a mother figure, or her version of one, at least, continuing to raise me and my sister at court.”

  “I’m sorry,” Freya said quietly. “That kind of loss… I know only a fraction of it, but my sympathies are with you, nonetheless.”

  The ghost of a smile flickered across his face. “I watched my own sister, who was in love with another male, get betrothed to someone she’d never met, a person who was neither handsome nor kind, and who lived far from her home. She’d grown up in the capital, so when she was forced to move from Madrya, she was quite heartbroken. She had no choice in the matter and has lived a life filled with unhappiness and, though she’ll never admit it, pain ever since.”

  Freya frowned in confusion. “The mating bond doesn’t help with that?”

  Jonas shook his head. “Most of my kind don’t want to be tied so… deeply. Many believe they’re a detriment, a falsehood disguised as love.”

  “But the gods will only grant bonds to those they believe are stronger for it, those who will become better people because of it,” Freya argued. “They make for stronger unions, not weaker.”

  “On that, my lady, we are in solid agreement,” he said. “That said, I’m sure you can imagine why it’s difficult, knowing what I know of other arrangements, to understand another female being happy with hers. Perhaps if the mating bond had been an option, she would be happier and he would be more kind, but that’s not for us to know.”

  Freya’s heart twisted a bit at the thought of his loss and another female finding herself under such unfortunate circumstances. “I’m sorry, Jonas,” she said quietly. “For your sister’s plight.”

  “I hope you can forgive me for projecting feelings of her experience onto yours.” Laughing, he shook his head. “Gods above, I think that might be the fifth apology I’ve handed you today, my lady. I’ll have to work on removing my foot from my mouth before our next visit.”

  “We all have slips of the tongue now and then, Jonas. I understand a little of how you feel, but just know that your sister’s circumstances are not my own.”

  “Here we are!” Lea sang as she emerged from the tea shop with three tall glasses of iced tea. She set them down on the table in front of Freya and Jonas, then sat down, taking a glass for her own.

  Relieved that Lea had interrupted what was becoming an increasingly uncomfortable conversation, Freya picked up her glass and took a long sip. The tea, cold and refreshing, tasted of mint and raspberry and helped quell the discomfort of the city heat. It had become stifling, so much so that Freya longed to open her wings and fly off, cooling herself in the mountain air overhead. Instead, she touched the glass to the pulse points at her wrists and neck, hoping to find some bit of relief.

  Jonas began to inquire about Lea’s home realm of Edhil and what it was like to be a governor’s daughter, so Freya leaned back, content to let them chat while she observed the comings and goings of Iladel’s busy square. She was eager to return on her own one day soon so she could wander about the city without the inquisitive eyes of a foreign emissary on her. It was exhausting, knowing Jonas would likely be retuning to his empress and reporting every detail of Freya’s actions, interpreting or misinterpreting them one way or another.

  She’d just finished her tea when Cecilia leaned over.

  “My lady? The commander instructed us to have you back to Aldridge by late-afternoon.” She gestured toward the sun, which was making its slow descent to the west. “We should leave soon.”

  “Ah, yes, the monarchs are expecting us for dinner!” Jonas said, breaking off from his conversation with Lea. “I should begin making my way back, as well. Will you be joining us this evening, Lea?”

  She flashed him a regretful smile. “No, I’ve promised Lazarus and Collin I’d catch up with them for dinner. Another time, though.”

  “Another time, then?”

  Lea exchanged a quick look with Freya, then smiled at Jonas. “Another time.”

  Chapter 28

  Freya wasted no time loading herself into the carriage Byrric had called for her, unsurprised when she found him already aboard, waiting for her.

  Once settled in and on their way to the palace, she gave him her report.

  “He seems to be looking for a reason to question my desire to be queen,” she began. “He found half a dozen ways to inquire about my happiness, my level of contentment, whether or not I felt like a piece of chattel who’d been traded at market.”

  Byrric arched a brow at that. “Do you?”

  She gave him a withering look. “It seemed he was projecting his feelings toward his sister’s unfortunate circumstances onto me. It took a bit of convincing, but I think he sees that I’m happy.”

  Byrric nodded, a look of consideration furrowing his forehead. “Yes, Lessia’s methods of choosing betrothals are advantageous to her and her alone. I can see why he might question your happiness when his own family has had such a dissimilar experience.”

  “He also has quite an interest in acquiring Lindorothian metals and stones for import into Jotunheim. He claims their mines are no longer as fruitful as they once were.”

  “We’ve gotten reports to that effect,” Byrric replied, nodding. “Importing would make sense, although we’re not fond of the idea of them having increased access to our raw materials. Anything else?”

  Freya frowned. “Yes, there was one thing, although it might’ve been nothing at all. He mentioned in passing the beauty of Dystone, but when he discussed meeting their monarchs, he claimed they wouldn’t allow him further inland than Caldel. I thought perhaps I’d misunderstood, but when I mentioned how fortunate he was to have seen the land, to see if I’d misheard, he didn’t dispute it.”

  “Hmm. What are your thoughts on that discrepancy?”

  She tapped her foot on the floor of the carriage as she thought. “I think it’s possible he exaggerated a bit about his visit to Dystone when it was first mentioned. That, or he was lying, either about seeing the country at large or only being allowed to see a small sliver. I’m not entirely certain what the purpose of that would be, though.”

  “Your overall assessment, then?”

  “He’s a bit odd, perhaps warranting some suspicion. At the very least, I’m wary of him.”

  “Good,” Byrric said brusquely. “It’s smart to be wary. Now, Salazar wants me at the northern border of Caelora for a bit, so next week I’ll be leaving to head north. I’ll trust you to keep an eye out for anything else worth mentioning.”

  Freya frowned. “What for? I thought border security was more than adequate.”

  “It is, but after I told him about the draug attack in Watoria, he’s become hell-bent of finding out how to prevent them from getting in.”

  “They come in through the bay,” she told him, shaking her head. “He doesn’t need more security at the border; he needs it on the western shores.”

  “I’ll be looking into that as well. I’m of the opinion that both need to be shored up a bit, so we’ll see.”

  Freya nodded. “Alright. Now, aside from his inquisitive nature, is there a reason you’re so suspicious of Jonas? He seemed genuinely interested in bettering relations between the humans and Jotnar.”

  “His intentions may be perfectly valid, but I struggle to trust anyone with an aunt like his,” he replied. “She was brutal in the last war, but she was also incredi
bly effective.”

  “Is there a difference?”

  “Brutality breeds little more than fear,” he told her. “Effectiveness in battle and government tends to breed respect and admiration alongside that fear.”

  Freya leaned back in her seat and stared out the window, turning his words over in her mind. She supposed it wasn’t all that different than what she hoped to achieve as queen—respect based on her actions and achievements, as opposed to just her title. The war stories she’d heard of Lessia, however, were nearly always violent in nature. The empress had been uncannily skilled at ousting her enemies, and when she found them, their executions often lasted days, during which time she’d extract information regarding others who opposed her desire to enslave the humans of Lindoroth.

  Violent tendencies aside, Freya had to admit that when it came to torture, Lessia seemed more adept at gaining knowledge from her prisoners than many others. In a way, Freya respected that, a thought which horrified her more than a little.

  She’d never given much thought to how she would handle criminals or those who opposed her. She knew her father had probably had a hand in many interrogations over the years, something she tried not to think too heavily on, but any consideration of how she might be involved in those kind of things had never been at the forefront of her mind. Governing, civics, politics, and history had always been the subjects drilled hardest into her during her schooling, all necessary things, to be sure; but while facts and figures could help increase her ability to make informed decisions and think critically about issues, they were lacking greatly when it came to the nuances of governing a country.

  “Freya?”

  She dragged herself away from her own thoughts and looked at her father. “Hmm?”

  “I asked if you enjoyed getting out into the city today.”

  “Oh.” She forced a quick smile. “Yes, it was lovely. I bought more jewelry,” she added with a grin.

  “Gods, help me,” he muttered. “Well, I suppose supporting local merchants isn’t such a bad thing.”

  “She tried to give them to me,” Freya told him. “The earrings, anyway. I insisted she sell me the matching necklace, as well.”

  Byrric gave her a curious look. “May I see?”

  Opening her satchel, Freya pulled the small velvet pouches out of her bag and handed them to him. “She noticed me admiring the earrings and recognized me,” she explained as he emptied the gems into his palm.

  Nodding absently, Byrric turned the earrings over in his hands. “Who sold these to you?”

  “A woman named Rosina.”

  “Ah,” he said knowingly. “Yes, Rosina is lovely, if not a bit of a pistol.”

  Freya smiled. “I’m assuming part of the reason she gave them to me was to likely ensure my repeated business?”

  “And that you’ll tell everyone you know about the generous, reverent shopkeeper with the beautiful jewels,” he added, grinning as he handed them back to her.

  “Well, her work speaks for itself, so I can’t take too much offense.” She gave him a silencing look when he opened his mouth to speak. “And before you say it, no, I won’t be putting those things anywhere on my person until I confirm they aren’t laced with poison. There’s no magic on them that I can feel, but I’ll do a few more tests in order to confirm.”

  Byrric laughed. “Suspicion is in your blood, isn’t it?”

  She smirked. “One of the better qualities I inherited from you, I’d say.”

  As the night was unseasonably warm, Salazar had the kitchen serve dinner on the veranda off the dining room. Jonas joined them, eager to talk about his day in the city. He spent a good deal of time discussing his many finds with the king and queen, falling into a deep discussion with Salazar and Aer regarding a potential partnership between Jotnar leatherworkers and Caelorian steel mines.

  After a meal of roast lamb, sugared carrots, and crisp potatoes, the conversation shifted toward Freya and Aerelius’ upcoming wedding.

  Jonas was equally as inquisitive at dinner as he’d been in the city, his questions now focusing a good deal on the prince and Freya’s marriage—who would be attending; what details had been planned; and so forth.

  “Has the guest list been finalized yet?” Jonas asked the king and queen.

  “Not yet,” Salazar replied, taking a puff of his cigar and shooting a look of annoyance at the queen and Freya. “The females seem to be taking their time on that front.”

  “Ah, yes. My younger sister’s wedding took quite some time to plan and involved a good deal of arguments and tears. Although I can’t say I see your Freya as the type to break down over a floral arrangement.” Jonas winked at her.

  She felt Aer stiffen beside her.

  Smiling, she inclined her head in acknowledgement. “You are quite perceptive, Lord Edrin.”

  “Indeed,” Salazar murmured. “We do hope your empress will be able to attend, of course. It’s been some time since her last visit.”

  “I’m certain Lessia will be quite eager to come,” Jonas replied. “Our past is mottled, certainly, but times have changed, and she acknowledges the benefit of moving forward as friends. There’s no reason we can’t all join together in such a happy time.”

  Ordona’s face broke into a smile that seemed to Freya a bit forced. “I couldn’t agree more, Lord Edrin. We plan to invite the human monarchs, as well. Perhaps we can consider this a new beginning of sorts.”

  Freya and Aerelius exchanged a look, but both remained silent.

  “That’s wonderful to hear!” Jonas exclaimed, his smile brilliant. “As I was telling Lady Balthana and Lady Calliwell on our stroll today, Jotunheim is eager to attempt a solid reconciliation with Dystone. We would welcome the opportunity to join together to see that happen.”

  “Interesting you say that, Lord Edrin, as Freya and Aerelius have chosen a theme of unity for the event,” Ordona replied. She smiled at Freya. “I thought it was a lovely idea.”

  “A true partnership is important to us,” Freya said, taking Aer’s hand and smiling at him, glad when he returned it with a warm smile of his own.

  “Something we fortunately already have,” he replied, brushing a thumb across her knuckles.

  “We’d like that to carry over into our relationships with the other realms and lands,” Freya finished.

  “A sign of a good reign, that,” Jonas said with a nod toward Freya and the prince. “I’m sure the Dystonians will feel the same. In the brief time I spent with King Willem and Queen Isadora, they seemed quite open to cleaning the slate, at least somewhat.”

  “Well, I suppose we’ll find out soon, won’t we?” Salazar said, stabbing his cigar out in an ashtray, his dark eyes focused on Jonas. “The guests will be arriving in eight weeks.”

  Freya watched carefully to see Jonas’ reaction, but all she noticed was a slight tightening around his eyes. It seemed he and Salazar were having some kind of stare-down.

  “Will they be staying through until the wedding, then?” Jonas asked, his tone easy.

  Salazar nodded. “They will. We’ll be inundated with guests for the entire week leading up to the wedding.”

  Jonas flashed a smile at Freya. “I’m sure they’re just as eager to meet you as I was. Isadora is a lovely woman, quite openminded, as I was telling Freya earlier. The king seems to be a tougher nut to crack, though, so hopefully your Freya will be able to soften him up a bit. ”

  Freya smiled. “Well, I look forward to meeting them both.” Angling her head, she gave him a curious look. “Are you planning on staying until the wedding, Jonas?”

  He gave her a somewhat bashful smile. “The king and queen have offered their hospitality, I’ve chosen to accept.”

  “That’s lovely to hear,” she replied. “I look forward to learning more about your lands while you’re here.”

  “Perhaps another trip into the city will be in order, then,” Jonas said. “Lady Calliwell indicated there was far more to see than we saw today.”

&nbs
p; “Oh, it would take days to see all the city has to offer,” Ordona said with a smile. “Any time you need a guide, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

  “Lea and I would be happy to plan another trip if you’d like,” Freya offered.

  “And I would be happy to accept,” he told her with a grin.

  “Well, on that note,” Aerelius said, his voice carrying a hard edge as he stood. “I think it’s time we retire for the evening. Freya?”

  Freya looked up at him, surprised at the commanding tone he used, but stood to follow his lead, taking the hand he offered. When he brushed his thumb over her fingers, she relaxed a bit.

  “Jonas, I had a lovely time today,” she said as he stood to bid them farewell. “Lea as well. I hope you enjoyed seeing all Iladel has to offer.”

  “Indeed, my lady.” He gave a short bow, and she didn’t miss the way his eyes flicked toward their joined hands. “Thank you kindly for taking the time to familiarize me with your city.”

  “It was my pleasure,” she replied.

  After saying their goodnights to the king and queen, Aerelius touched a hand to Freya’s back and led her from the room.

  He’d hardly shut the door behind them when she whirled to face him, annoyance vivid on her face.

  “Wait.” He held up a hand. “Hear me out.”

  “You all but ordered me to follow you, Aerelius. You know I won’t—”

  “Tolerate that, I know.” He ran a hand through his hair and scowled in the direction of the dining room. “He’s been staring at you all night.”

  “So? I have no interest in him.” Smirking, she cocked a brow and folded her arms. “Are you jealous?”

  “No, but I also don’t care for some entitled royal thinking he can ogle—”

  “So help me, if you say ‘what’s mine’ I will throttle you.”

  Aerelius paused, clearly taken aback. “I was going to say ‘my fiancee,’ but point taken.”

  “Aer!” Freya groaned as she realized how harsh her words had sounded. “You know that’s not what I meant.”