Chapter 84
Vali padded through the halls of the palace, his heart full and his cock hardening again as he thought of his wife, his queen, asleep in his bed.
She was insatiable—dying of thirst—and he was more than willing to quench it for her. How many days had they stayed in bed after the ceremony? They’d lost count. If she was insatiable, then he was ravenous.
His steps quickened as he made his way to the kitchens in search of food for his queen, desperate to serve her every need.
He opened the door and crept inside, pulling up short when he caught sight of Henny and Bo picking apart the leftover food from the dinner North and Vali had decided to skip. Again. His brothers’ smiles turned wicked as they took in his dishevelled appearance.
“You owe me fifty gold marks,” Henny said to Bo, who just rolled his eyes and smacked his brother’s hand away.
Vali raised a brow and Henny’s smile deepened.
“I knew she’d be a wild one. All the prim ones are.”
“Not like this,” Vali responded instinctively. But the animal part inside him growled. Maybe that growl didn’t quite stay inside. He wouldn’t share even a moment of his time with his queen.
“Now we’re even,” Bo said with a smile, turning to Vali to answer his question before he could ask. “I bet that you’d become an unbearable feral asshole until you had your fill. You certainly haven’t yet, have you?”
Vali didn’t know if he ever would.
He hadn’t allowed himself to think about what their intimate life would be like after they married. He’d been prepared to respect her wishes if she never wanted to be together in that way, save for procreating.
Goddess, he was glad that wasn’t the case.
What he hadn’t expected was how well they’d come together. No awkwardness had passed between them—no hesitation, just an urgent need. His body compelled him to get back to her, wake her up with his tongue between her thighs. To taste her.
Though his stomach growled, he didn’t want food—he only wanted her. The plate he piled high with meats and cheeses, breads and pastries would have to do. He loaded it with as much as it could carry and then grabbed a bottle of wine.
“Smart,” Bo said around a mouthful of food.
“And why aren’t you two snuggled in beds with the poor unsuspecting Elven you seduced?”
Henny sighed. “Who said I didn’t have the same idea as you?”
“Then you’re a selfish lover, because you’re eating all the food and not saving him any,” Vali reprimanded his brother.
“I’ll bring him some,” Henny mumbled, the tips of his ears flushing red.
Bo laughed. “The two females in my bed are currently keeping each other company, but don’t worry, brother, I promised to bring them up sustenance as well,” he said before Vali could scold him too.
“Look at us, all getting laid thanks to Vali’s speedy nuptials.” Henny raised two hands towards his brothers, his palms open. Vali rolled his eyes at the ridiculous mortal gesture but smacked his brother’s hand anyway—as did Bo, but with much more force. Henny smiled.
“Now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll be getting back to my queen,” Vali said, turning on his heel.
“Tell her I say hello!” Bo yelled.
“No,” Vali called back without looking.
“Tell her I’m glad she’s good in bed!” Henny said, his voice carrying down the hall.
Vali let his growl reverberate back to his brothers but smiled as their laughter followed him. He hurried back up to his rooms and found North, still soft with sleep. The sheets snaked around her, covering all the best parts of her deliciously naked body.
He placed the plate of food down quietly, took off his robe, and slipped into bed. All he could think of was his earlier idea to work his way up the insides of her legs. She stirred but didn’t wake until the first stroke of his tongue up her centre.
She tasted like spring.
Her awakening gasp turned to a moan as she threaded her fingers through his hair and held him to her, like he might leave. He’d never leave if he could help it. And if he did, it would only be to replace his tongue with his cock.
He fucked her with his mouth, and when he wanted to get deeper, he flipped them over so she was straddling his face, riding him as he gripped her ass, letting her take what she wanted from him. She rode him hard, and he gratefully soaked up every bit of her as she came on his tongue.
North made to switch their position, but he held her to him, even as she squirmed, her flesh sensitive. He drove his tongue into her, tasting her over and over again until she was writhing with her orgasm.
She slumped over and he turned them, laying her gently on her back. His cock yearned to be inside her pretty pussy, but he could tell she was raw and tired and needed a break. Instead of fucking her until morning like he wanted to, he held her to his chest until her breathing slowed.
Instinct drove him to curl around her, holding her until his breathing calmed, matching hers.
His last thought before sleep was the letter he’d written that morning, his heart skipping a beat as he tugged his queen close.
Again, Vali woke before she did, rays of sun slipping through the cracks in their drawn curtains. He checked the timepiece by his bed and silently swore—he’d overslept and would likely be late. Shit.
He was still curled around North and didn’t want to disturb her. As slowly as possible, he slipped out of bed so his sudden disappearance wouldn’t wake her. Images of feeding his queen flashed through his mind as he picked a few pieces of fruit off the plate and silently got dressed.
With one last look at North asleep in their bed, he left the room with a soft click. He paused outside the door to make sure she hadn’t woken, flooded with relief and guilt when she didn’t stir. He set his crown atop his head.
It was much later than he had expected, having slept better than he had in years.
The sun was already high in the sky, warming his face through the tall windows as he made his way out of the palace.
His face must not have been one of invitation because no one stopped to speak to him. For that, he was grateful.
He stopped when he got to the grove, hoping he wasn’t too late.
Or maybe some piece of him wished he was late as he saw the figure waiting for him. This had to be done, even though he knew North would never forgive him.
“Ragnvald,” Vali said by way of greeting. The King of Hel’s name tasted like ash on his tongue.
“Prince Vali.” Ragnvald regarded him.
“King.”
“Pardon?”
“I am now King of Alfheim,” he corrected Ragnvald.
“Did I miss the coronation?”
“You did, and my wedding to your granddaughter.”
Ragnvald appeared amused but not surprised. “Is that so?”
“We wanted to keep the ceremony and coronation quiet, as you can imagine.” The horrors of the throne room haunted his dreams. His brother’s and mother’s last breaths looped in his ears. He shoved the memories from his mind so he could concentrate.
“And yet here I stand, at your invitation.”
Vali hated hearing the truth from his lips.
What he’d told North before their wedding was true—the world was changing, a new age was coming, and he wanted what was best for his people. With the tides turning, the power that Ragnvald was acquiring was currently unmatched. Vali knew that even with Asgard, Alfheim would not stand a chance.
Something had to be done.
“Yes, I invited you in good faith,” Vali said hesitantly.
“Am I not here alone and unarmed?” Ragnvald said, holding his hands out like Vali’s request was ridiculous.
“It would be foolish of me to trust you.”
“And you are not a foolish king.” Vali didn’t like Ragnvald’s tone—it was too placating, like he was an elfling playing dress up.
“That remains to be seen.” The knowledge of North upstairs in their bed made his stomach clench.
He was foolish, but he was also king. Nerves lit up his body and it took all his restraint not to show it.
“What is it you wish to discuss, King Vali?” Ragnvald asked, his tone still mocking.
Vali stood tall, stepping towards the King of Hel without fear. “Alfheim has largely stayed to itself these past centuries, and I wish to bargain to keep my realm out of your war.”
“You do not even offer an alliance?”
“You killed our former queen. My people will not align with you.”
Ragnvald closed the distance between them, raising the hairs on the back of Vali’s neck.
“Very well. I reject your offer of neutrality.”
“What is it you would have me do?” He hung his head as if in defeat, hoping to hide the hammering of his heart.
“I will take your crown, if you’re offering.” Ragnvald reached out and slid a finger along the edge of the crown, as if it was his lover. The glint in his eyes confirmed Vali’s suspicions—Ragnvald’s desire for power was more than just a craving. He needed it.
It was Vali’s turn to laugh. “It’s not that simple. You would have to kill me, but then Alfheim would never bow to you.”
“I am not concerned—” Ragnvald was cut off by the surge of magic Vali sent into his unsuspecting mind.
The King of Hel stumbled, his eyes widening. If Vali didn’t know any better, he’d have thought there was a flash of fear. But he was in Ragnvald’s mind and there was no such emotion there, only shadows and bloodlust.
Vali grit his teeth as he sent as much power as possible into the pretender king, hoping he could do what Solveig had and banish the shadows.
They fought against him, and though the battle was in the mind, Vali felt the pain of it as if the shadows were slicing into his skin.
Pulses of compulsion shot from his hands into Ragnvald, but the shadows remained impervious to his magic.
He dropped to his knees with the exertion, sweat dripping down his back. Ragnvald loomed over him, the darkness of his mind working tirelessly to shove Vali out.
“Another king on his knees before me,” Ragnvald managed to speak. Little did he know, this was exactly where Vali wanted to be. Hiding the motion of his head, he reached into his boot for the Dwarven dagger.
This dagger had been in his family for centuries, passed from ruler to ruler. The blade was imbued with a dark magic, one only to be used in dire circumstances.
Like the King of Hel trying to take over the fucking world.
He gripped the hilt and sucked in a deep breath. He would end this now.
A twig snapped and Vali’s concentration faltered at the sound.
It was a deadly mistake.
Ragnvald was released from the force of his magic and it slammed back into him, knocking Vali back.
North stood there, watching the interaction. How much had she heard? Enough to put that pained look in her eye, there only for a moment before she once again became the cold and calculating queen.
“What have you done?” she demanded.