Chapter 36 – Vale
Chapter 36
VALE
I waited outside Father’s bedchambers, my hands fisting and unfisting to let off nervous energy. As a youngling, I’d stood in this very place many times, waiting for punishment, though never for an act so serious.
Never for nearly killing my twin brother.
Rhistel had been rushed to the healers. Since then, I received only one update—that he lived, but had I gone on for even seconds longer, his fate might have been different.
I would have killed him.
His blood still caked beneath my fingernails, a memory of an act that felt like a blur. My twin had hurled insults at me, at Neve, but when he’d said he’d make me give her to him, I’d lost it.
I’d do no such thing, but if it came from my lips? If I said it in front of her ?
Would Neve believe me? Would she remember she was mine?
But then, she wasn’t, was she? As much as my body and heart yearned for her, she was her own fae, and so much distance separated us.
Footsteps fell down the corridors, fast and heavy. I twisted to find my father striding toward me, his face red and set in hard lines. Had he been the kind to beat his children, I would have expected that. As it was, Father either had others dole out physical punishments or he had disciplined us in other ways.
Was this the day he froze me in a room again and left me for hours?
Father reached me, stopped, and motioned for his Clawsguard to stand outside. “Vale, with me.”
We entered his bedchambers, and it was obvious he’d recently had someone, a female, inside. Lacy undergarments were strewn across the floor.
“How could you be so stupid?” my father growled the moment the door shut behind him and the silencing charm was in place.
“I-I don’t know,” I replied. It was common knowledge that I was, in fact, the stupidest Aaberg. Though my actions today had taken the cake. “He made me so mad that I lost it.”
Father’s ice-blue eyes were hard, unforgiving. “Is she your mate?”
Of all the things I’d expected him to say, that was not it.
“Do you have a marking? ”
“No,” I replied. “She’s not.”
It pained me to admit it, but aside from my territorial need to protect her, the usual signs of being a mate weren’t present. No markings. No sense of wholeness from the other. No mind link—though that one seemed rather rare, from what I’d read.
Neve and I had none of that.
“And you’d still beat your brother nearly to death for her? You are a fool.”
“I’ll take any punishment.”
“Of course you will.” Father sighed. “And not just from me. You realize Rhistel will never forget this. Never forgive you. I have half a mind to send you south to the Summer Court because when he becomes king, I don’t know that he’ll let you live.”
I said nothing, but the truth of his words resonated in my bones. And yet, leaving Winter’s Realm, leaving my home felt unbearable.
“But for now, I still have use for you,” Father said, and my head snapped up.
“What?”
“I would send you away, but I need you.” Father went to his drink cart and poured a glass of whiskey. “You will leave Avaldenn to hunt rebels. Find their hideouts. You will obliterate them. Only bring back their leadership or the Falk bastard among them.”
“Fine,” I said, somewhat relieved. “Neve and I will leave?—”
“You will not take your wife.”
I stiffened. “ Why?”
“She is too much of a distraction.”
“She is my wife . I won’t leave her.”
“You will. Now, get out before I change my mind and truly punish you. Be out of the city in two days’ time.”
I wanted to argue, wanted to deny him, but what was the use? He would insist, no matter what I said. But that did mean I would yield to his demands. Not this time.
I would go hunt rebels, as was my duty, but my wife would go with me. I’d do anything to get Neve out of the city—our ultimate goal, anyway.
But one thing gave me pause. I still had knowledge about the Ice Scepter, and my father was right in front of me. Yet, I hesitated to share that news.
The grounded part of me couldn’t help but think that there was something in Brogan's letter I wanted to review before I told Father. And, petty as it was, I also simply didn’t feel like helping him right now.
“Why are you still here?” My father pointed to the door. “You’re dismissed.”
I nodded and left his chambers, my findings still buried inside me.
Later that night, I sat at a corner table in the Warmsnap Tavern.
Duran and the Riis brothers had heard about what had happened. How, I wasn’t sure. I’d avoided the training facility, avoided my friends completely, and yet, Luccan and Thantrel had found me and pulled me from the castle.
I hadn’t even had a moment to see Neve before we left, but Luccan assured me that Sian, Filip, and my Clawsguard were still watching her. That she was safe.
Likely furious at me too, considering I’d done what she asked me not to do.
“Here, drink up.” Thantrel shoved a horn of ale into my face.
“I haven’t finished my first.” I pulled the horn from its stand and took a glug.
“This is an incentive for you to hurry. Drink and let those worries drift away.” Thantrel snapped his fingers and a nymph barmaid appeared with a second horn stand. She set it on our table, all the while looking longingly at Thantrel. Normally, I’d find the female’s black eyes disconcerting, but somehow nymphs were always beautiful.
Not as beautiful as Neve, though. I took another drink to dim the guilt I felt at not being with her, even if my friends assured me that she was fine.
The youngest Riis brother grinned. “Thank you, Tricieal. You’re always around when I need you.”
“Always,” she replied, batting her eyelashes. “Anything else, my lords?”
At my right, Duran rolled his eyes and shook his head. Thantrel’s flirtations with both males and females often irritated him.
“No.” Luccan arrived behind his brother and the barmaid. “We’re fine. Thank you, Tricieal. ”
The nymph sauntered off, tossing Thantrel no less than three flirtatious glances over her shoulder before disappearing into the kitchen.
“How many whores are in love with you here?” Duran grumbled.
“Tricieal isn’t a whore. She’s a barmaid. But can you blame them?” Thantrel gave a devilish smile.
“Your father is the proprietor of the establishment where they work,” Duran shot back. “Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”
“I never force a lady,” Thantrel replied with a smirk. “Or anyone, for that matter. If they want to share a night with me, and I with them, who am I to deny them the pleasure?”
“You’re so full of yourself.” Luccan eased into the seat on my left. “Sit, Than.”
His brother obliged, and as Luccan was as broad across the chest as me, the circular table felt much smaller. That would make it harder to escape the interrogation I felt coming.
“So, you kicked the shit out of Rhistel, huh?” Thantrel asked. “Stars, I wish I’d been there.”
“I regret it,” I said. “He’ll never forgive me.”
“You’re brothers. Of course he will.”
At nineteen turns, Thantrel was younger and knew Rhistel and I had a strained relationship, but nothing more. To most, we could pretend to be cordial—sometimes even felt it. Luccan and Duran, however, knew me better.
“But Father doesn’t think so. Hence why he’s sending me away.”
“What did you fight about, anyway?” Thantrel asked.
“Rhistel is displeased that he’ll have to marry a Balik. Apparently, I was supposed to.”
“Your brother would marry no one if he could help it. He’d continue to put coin into our father’s pockets and frequent upstairs.” Thantrel gestured to the staircase in the tavern that led up to the high-end pleasure house owned by Lord Riis.
“He comes here that often?”
“At least three times a week.” Luccan raised an eyebrow.
Was Rhistel in love with a whore? I doubted I’d ever know. My brother would never speak to me again.
“Who does he visit?” I asked.
“Mistress Rambi is a favorite,” Luccan said. “But there are others. I can look at the ledger, if you wish?”
“Do.”
Luccan took a drink of ale. “Your wife did well today, Vale. After you left, it was like she could concentrate again.”
“Would you like to tell us what’s happening on that score?” Thantrel leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table.
“Not particularly.”
“Maybe we can help,” Luccan pressed. “You shouldn’t be having marital issues this soon.”
Duran watched me closely. Of all those at the table, he knew Neve was hiding something and that she needed to lie for some reason. I trusted him not to say anything, though, especially seeing as Thantrel was present. Thantrel was a turn too young to be a member of the cabal.
“We’re adjusting,” I said because if that wasn’t the truth, I didn’t know what was. “Did she learn anything new today?”
“She threw axes well enough. And Sian showed her a few tricks,” Luccan replied. “Told her not to show them to you, though.” He winked, and I rolled my eyes. “And I have to say that her flying is getting better and better.”
“We were thinking she should switch to magic soon.” Thantrel paused. “Actually, what is her magic? I’ve never seen her use her powers.”
To buy time, I drank a few more slugs of ale, finishing the first horn. The ale warmed my belly.
“I don’t know,” I said. “Neither does she.”
Thantrel gaped. “But she’s . . . What? Twenty-two turns? That’s old enough to have had her power—even for late bloomers.”
“Twenty-three,” I corrected him. “And she has never trained with her magic, but we’ve seen it a few times. It’s something we’re planning on working on trying to tease out.”
Tomorrow, her powers would be freed. I didn’t know how they’d materialize. As an explosion? Or would the grip of the Liar’s Salvation potion over her magic loosen gently?
“I’ve read that those from small villages put less of an emphasis on training their magic than those at court,” Duran said. “And Neve is from a small village in the west, so that makes sense.”
I wondered what Duran believed a commonfae from the west would need to lie about?
“Perhaps we start small then,” Thantrel mused. “This will be fascinating to watch someone learn magic as an adult.”
“How about we focus on weapons for a while longer?” I said. “When she’s ready to use her magic, she’ll bring it up.”
Thantrel leaned back in his chair and swung his leg up to cross at his knee. “So protective.”
“What?”
“You growled at me.”
No, I hadn’t.
Had I?
Stars, why had I agreed to come out with these jesters?
“Give me that ale.” I reached for the second horn Thantrel had brought and took three more long swigs.
“You should slow down, Vale,” Duran whispered.
“Not everyone is as small as you, Duran.” Thantrel shook his head. “Vale can hold his ale.”
I didn’t argue as I took another swig, knowing the ale would be the best way to drown the worries swimming in my heart.