63. Wish for More
Chapter sixty-three
Wish for More
“ W hat?” Solveig groaned in response to the knock at the door, from beneath the pile of feather pillows she was using to block the light.
The door to her room flew open. Adira strode in, a myriad of servants in tow carrying trays of food, drink, and pails of steaming hot water for the bath.
“Well, that’s not a regal sight,” Adira muttered as they leaned against a bedpost. Solveig pushed the pillows away from her face, clutching the blankets to her as she stared through the mess of dark hair tangled over her face.
“Is there a reason you’ve come barging into my chambers, or am I to guess until nightfall?”
“Don’t mouth off at me. I brought you food and coffee. A bath is being readied for you. Now get out of that festering pit. My afternoon has cleared, so we’re going to the library.”
Solveig released a second dramatic groan as she rose from beneath her fort of pillows as if rising from the dead. “You couldn’t have picked another day?” she griped, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
“The Harvest Festival starts tomorrow. I’ll be far too busy. Besides, it’s not my fault you stayed up with the gods, doing who only knows what.” They chuckled with a knowing glance.
“I’m not even going to ask who told you,” Solveig muttered as she pulled on a robe, heading for the bathing chamber.
“Well, it certainly wasn’t you, though you had every opportunity to this morning!” Adira called.
“The more you needle me, the less I’m likely to tell you.”
“I’m not sure I need you too,” Adira smirked, and Solveig’s head popped back around the door frame to the bathing chamber.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I had not one, but two unannounced visits after you left.” Adira shrugged. “The first from the prince’s commander demanding I keep the two of you apart.” They paused. “You wouldn’t know why they’re concerned, would you?”
“Wrenn Bleeker has never been a fan of mine. I can only imagine the stories she’s heard since arriving here.”
“She hasn’t left the palace since she arrived as per my orders.”
“Who was the second? A gossiping servant?”
“Of course not. You’d have to give them a reason to do so, like say.” They pursed their lips, an amused gleam in their eyes. “Giving the prince cause to ask me to stop you from running.”
“I’m not sure that was a question, and if it was, I’m not answering.” Solveig slammed the door to the bathing chamber shut.
“The more you protest Solveig, the more fantastical and scandalous my imagination is going to get,” they called after her.
The door swung open with a billow of steam as Solveig strode out, freshly washed, and dressed. Dark hair hanging wet down her back, pausing when she spotted Adira sat at the table by the balcony snacking on chunks of melon and sipping on coffee.
“You’re still here?” she muttered, walking over to take a seat.
“Had to make sure you didn’t crawl back into that bed.”
“I’m dressed, aren’t I?” She poured herself a cup of coffee mixed with lavender and honey milk. Her favourite Farrenhold delicacy.
“Still.” Adira shrugged.
Solveig sipped her coffee, sighing as she settled in her chair, allowing the sweet honey and calming lavender to wash over her. “You wouldn’t happen to have an Aire Wender or Pyromancer in your employ, would you?” she asked, signalling to her wet hair dripping orange blossom scented water all over the marbled floor.
“Why don’t I send for the prince?” Adira smirked, “I hear he’s quite the adept Aire Wender, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind assisting.”
Solveig glowered at them, a faint growl rumbling in her throat that caused Adira to laugh.
“Oh, calm down would you, I already sent for one. They’ll be up after we’ve eaten.” Adira’s eyes never left her as they took bites of fresh fruit, followed by one last sip of their coffee, dabbing at their lips with a napkin.
“So,” Adira stated.
“For Oracle’s sake,” Solveig muttered, her head falling back, “we kissed, okay?”
It was fortunate that Adira had already swallowed their coffee, or it would have sprayed across the food that still sat before them. Instead, they blinked a few times in shocked silence, before regaining their thoughts and smiling.
“How was it?”
Solveig rolled her eyes, setting her coffee down. “Does it matter? It was a moment of weakness in the stark loneliness of nighttime. It meant nothing.”
“Spare me the false innocence,” Adira smirked. “As long as I’ve known you, the dark has been your friend. You’ve never been alone in its embrace.”
Solveig had to bite back a retort, “regardless, he’s the future ruler of an enemy kingdom. We both know we can’t go there.”
“Not forever, no,” Adira agreed, “but you can still have fun whilst he’s here. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”
“Adira…” Solveig warned.
“You like him, don’t you,” they whispered, “as more than a friend.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, I hardly know him.”
“Who says you must know him? How does he make you feel?”
“Free.” Her mouth slammed shut, eyes growing wide.
“Free, huh?” Adira murmured, sitting back in their chair.
“No,” Solveig insisted, “I didn’t mean it that way.”
“How did you mean it?”
She thought for a moment, all the while Adira studied her, watching for a lie. “He makes me believe I can be someone other than who I am,” she whispered, “as though I can lead a life where I’m not this, one where I’m not a killer, one where I’m more.”
Adira’s eyes softened. “Solveig, that’s a good thing.” They reached across the table to take her hand.
“No.” she snapped, pulling away. “It isn’t, because it makes me dream and wish for something that isn’t possible. I need to keep my distance from now on.”
“That’s one of the worst ideas you’ve ever had, and you’ve had plenty of them lately.”
“Why?”
“There’s life in you again, Solveig. Life that I did not see a month ago in North Watch, and I see it most when he’s around.”
“That’s not possible,” Solveig shook her head.
Adira sighed, “keep telling yourself that, but I know what I’ve seen. He merely enters a room and your entire demeanour changes. You light up brighter than the sun even when you’re arguing. That man has lit a fire under you again, and I’d hate to see it go out.”
“He asked me to go sailing with him,” Solveig muttered, staring into her cooling coffee.
“Maybe you should.”
“And then what?”
“Baby steps Solveig, get on the ship first. Figure out the rest later. Come back here, go back to Torrelin or…”
“Or?”
“Go to Elithiend with him, if he asks.”
“If I go there, there’s no way back.”
“There’s always a way, Solveig, and you’ll always be welcome here.”
“And the matter of my engagement?”
“A deal made on paper when you were still in such grief you weren’t thinking straight,” they said as though it were simple.
“Whatever you decide, Solveig, there will always be a place for you in my court. We can survive just fine without the alliance with Torrelin.”
“Mere days ago, you were reluctant to even consider it.”
“Things change.”
“Would your father agree?”
“My father has been itching for an excuse to sever ties with your shithole kingdom for years. Whatever dirt you’ve got on them, he would be more than happy to hear it.”