Chapter 51 Solveig
Not bothering to smother her smile as Latham automatically placed himself where he usually did—close and a pace behind her—Solveig prepared herself for the inevitable.
When he realized his place, he took a long stride to pull himself half a step in front of her.
She couldn’t be bothered to point out that no matter where he walked, he couldn’t replace her.
For the second time that day, she walked through the crowded camp with her head held high.
It was suppertime and most sat around campfires cooking, no doubt gossiping about the day’s events.
All went quiet at the sight of her and Latham walking the streets together. Latham strode with an air of importance, strutting like one of the Fae peacocks. Not wanting others to think he was dragging her by her hair, she walked with purpose, attempting to keep the distaste off her face.
They strode past the dining hall where the prince and his companions sat around an outdoor table. He stared at her with something resembling concern in his features before he was blocked from her view by Conalle approaching. Before he could speak, Latham raised his hand.
“Forgive me, Lord Conalle. I have private matters to discuss with Solveig. We cannot be delayed with inconsequential chit-chat.” Derision dripped from his tone. Now that he’d gotten what he wanted from the Fae, he was back to his usual disdain for the race.
Conalle pulled up short at Latham’s censure. “Yes, General Arlanson, it’s just that—”
Latham interrupted him. “You are here as a guest, Lord. Do not make me regret my hospitality in allowing you to stay.”
Shock crossed Conalle’s features before he fixed them into an apologetic frown.
“Yes, General. Forgive the intrusion.” But Latham had already resumed walking. Conalle caught Solveig’s arm, stopping her from following Latham. “Are you okay?” he whispered. Solveig nodded and gently pulled free of his grasp.
“Come, Solveig,” he ordered.
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not a fucking dog, Latham,” she snapped. He took four long strides back to her.
He tried to look down on her, but it was difficult considering they were essentially the same height. “You will address me in a manner befitting of my post.”
“Oh, sorry. I thought I did,” she said casually. His blood was clearly boiling, and she took no small amount of pleasure from it. She saw the prince’s smirk from the corner of her eye.
“We do not have time to play these games. The matter I must discuss with you is urgent,” he insisted.
“Oh yes, so urgent that instead of taking me straight to a secluded place for privacy, it was imperative we take a route that drags us all over camp, ensuring all those present see us together. That makes so much sense, General.”
The prince hid his chuckle with a cough behind his hand.
Latham had nothing to say to that, so he turned on his heel and walked away, the expectation for her to follow clear.
Laeknir was right—better to get this done and over with.
She followed him through the gates, giving a small wave to the Fae who still stood guard, and paid no mind to the other whose eyes never left her.
They walked for some time in silence, but as soon as they were out of earshot of the guards at the gate, Latham rounded on her.
“What the fuck?!” he yelled.
“What do you have to be angry about, Latham? You got what you wanted,” Solveig said, voice level.
“That’s not how I wanted it to happen!”
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience, General.”
“Drop the act, Solveig. I know you must be furious.”
“You don’t know anything,” she said quietly.
“Then tell me!”
“Why would I tell you anything? You’ll just turn around and use it against me.”
“I would never do that,” he scolded. Solveig couldn’t believe her ears. Did he think he could get away with this? Did he not remember that he outed her identity? Once the council put the pieces together, her anonymity would be ruined.
“You’re joking, right? That’s all you’ve been doing since I got back, Latham,” she said, all pretence dropped now. She was pissed, and if he wanted to have it out, she would let him.
“Listen, I know it’s hard for you to see me with someone else, but that doesn’t mean I’ve been using information against you.
” His tone was so condescending, it took everything in Solveig to not punch him in the face .
. . again. She should probably stop doing that—it was starting to become a habit.
“If you think I would hold that against you, or that I wouldn’t be happy for you, then you don’t know me at all. Trella has nothing to do with this, and you know it. This has everything to do with the promises we made to each other and the shady dealings you’ve had.”
“Excuse me? Shady dealings? How dare you accuse me of such a thing!”
“You’re going to sit here and tell me that removing all the females from their posts was your idea? Gerrie! You demoted Gerrie, Latham!”
Latham swallowed hard but did not answer.
“So either you’re working with someone who has control over your decisions, or you have crawled so far up your own ass that you can’t tell which way is down.
However, since I know the males who took over are in Maddock’s pocket, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say that it wasn’t entirely your fault. ”
“MY FAULT?!” Latham bellowed. “You think this is all MY fault?! I was backed into a corner because YOU were gone, Solveig. I had no other choice! We were bleeding and it was chaos. I had to make hard choices because you weren’t here!”
“I was captured, not on vacation, Latham!”
“I know you weren’t on vacation, Sol. Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Don’t you dare. You may have been backed into a corner, but yes, this is your fault,” Solveig said quietly, voice shaking with rage.
“How the fuck was you letting yourself get captured my fault? I didn’t ask you to save me!”
“We have had this conversation already. You shouldn’t have been there in the first place, and you know it. You can sling accusations all you want, Latham, but the truth of the matter is that you broke our deal, left your post, interrupted a raid, and almost got yourself captured. And I saved you.”
“I didn’t ask you to save me.”
“You never had to ask.”
“You should’ve let them take me,” Latham whispered. That pulled Solveig up short. “I know it was supposed to be me. If it had been me, none of this would be happening.” He rubbed a hand down his face.
“I could never have let that happen. I loved you.” Pain flickered through his eyes.
“We made a blood oath, and magic or not, it was just as binding to me. You let me go. And when I came back broken, I thought I would at least have you. Instead, you took everything from me.” Her voice cracked and tears shone in Latham’s eyes.
“I didn’t know what to do.”
“You mean you didn’t want to make the hard choices.”
“I did have to make hard choices. Don’t pretend you know what I went through either.”
“I’ve been Asgard’s general for almost two centuries, Latham. I know what the title demands.”
“I wouldn’t have had to take your place if you had just let me come on that raid.”
Solveig shook her head. There was no point in arguing this over and over again. She started to leave but he caught her wrist. Surprised by the absence of a shock, she narrowed her eyes at the spot where their skin touched. It struck her as cold and unwelcome. She yanked her wrist from his grasp.
“We still have to talk about what happened today,” he said, voice back to normal, his new title in place.
“What’s there to talk about?”
“Why would you relinquish your position? You were supposed to fight for it.”
“Would it have made a difference?” His silence was confirmation. “So if it wouldn’t have changed the outcome, why does it matter?”
“It would have made a difference,” he said, almost to himself. Solveig understood then. He had wanted her to fight for it so he could beat her.
“Ah, I see. You needed the chance to publicly best me.”
“No, that’s not—”
“Don’t insult me with lies, Latham. You may be a leader in title now, but you didn’t earn it, did you? You needed to prove your worth to the people and yourself, and I took that chance from you.”
“All you had to do was put up a fight,” he said blankly.
“And all you had to do was have my back. Looks like we both let the other down.”
“So that’s it then?” he asked with a scowl.
“What do you mean?”
“We’re just . . . over?” He actually sounded surprised.
“I no longer trust you, nor do I have the desire to. You failed me, breaking your oath and my confidence. We were over the moment you decided to go against my orders on that raid. We were hopeless when my own dagger was used to slash my face open.” Her hand came up, gesturing to her scar.
“We were shattered beyond repair when you decided to abandon me in a cave with a sadistic monster.” Her voice was firm and steady now.
Each sentence sliced through his composure.
“I thought you were dead,” he whispered.
“We promised to never stop looking until we found a body,” she said, resigned. “I guess now we know.”
“Know what?” Confusion was written plainly on his face.
“That I was right, we never should’ve been together that way.
I told you my feelings for you would get in the way of making the right decision for our people.
You thought it would be a strength to be together.
But loving you is what broke me.” She gave Latham a small smile, watching the hurt and anger battle for control of his features.
He stared at the ground, tears streaming down his face. Her heart softened the smallest amount.
“Latham,” she said. “Our people need a leader who is willing to fight for them. Don’t let them down.”
She didn’t look back as she walked away.