The peanut gallery burst into laughter.

“Is that how you treat a lady, Jax? There’s more to it than just saying hello and putting a sword through her eye!” Daniel jested back.

“Mate, if you’re going for the eye, your sword is in the wrong place!” A roar of laughter threatened to deafen them.

Daniel rolled his eyes and Vhalla found herself joining in laughter with the rest of them. It was all lighthearted jesting. He eased himself into a fighting stance and held his sword as gently as she would a quill.

“You have your deal!” The words rang out. What could it hurt?

“Enough stalling. Fight!” Jax cried.

Daniel waited for her to charge. Vhalla pressed the wind against her heels and targeted his face with an apparent attack. He swung his sword upward, and Vhalla nimbly stepped out of its arc, dropping and sweeping her foot. The soldier did a half jump-step to avoid being tripped.

His sword cut through the air, whistling slightly as he wove it like an orchestra conductor’s baton, keeping her at length with a series of slashes. Vhalla realized he was cutting closer than he had before. He had more faith in her magic.

Daniel’s eyes caught hers, and Vhalla grinned. He grinned in return, and Vhalla rewarded him with a gust straight to his chest. The soldier tumbled, head over heels, regaining his feet with a lunge off the ground.

Vhalla was too fast for the blade and nimbly side-stepped. It was a good fight, but he was outclassed against her magic. With a flick of her wrist, the wind ripped his blade from his fingers, leaving Daniel prone and shocked, his blade hanging over him in the air.

“I yield!” He raised his hands, and the soldiers cheered at their display.

Vhalla helped him up from the ground, easing the rapier back into his palm. “You said you would do anything I wanted.”

“I’m a man of my word.” Daniel sheathed his sword.

“Well, I want to see your home.” There was still some air that she wanted to make sure was cleared and settled between them. It seemed as good an opportunity as any.

His face lit up. “I must run some more drills, but I’ll be available soon. Can you wait?”

Vhalla smiled and nodded.

She passed the time alternating with Jax in the training ring. The other sorcerer began to feed her advice between rounds, and Vhalla heeded it with a keen ear. However, he did the same with her opponents, and their skill showed marked improvement. Jax was experienced in combat, and he’d worked with her enough to tell people exactly where the Windwalker’s skill was lacking.

Vhalla was on her fifth consecutive opponent when there was a commotion from the spectators’ walk around the ring. She glanced up, unable to make out the source of the fuss with a blade swinging by her face. Vhalla dodged backwards, turning her attention to her attacker.

And then she stopped. It all stopped.

She felt his eyes on her, cutting into her soul. Everything slowed, and her gaze rose. Aldrik stood atop the spectators’ wall. His hands were folded behind his back. He looked down at her with guarded eyes, his expression betraying nothing.

Her vision shifted. His betrothed stood two steps away. Her emerald eyes fixed on Vhalla as though Sehra was once more looking at the crystal magic that she claimed lingered on Vhalla.

Her opponent was smart enough to capitalize on her complete distraction. The dull training blade came down on her shoulder, and she called out in surprise as it dug into her joint. Vhalla bent her knee and tilted to the side trying to absorb the shock of the impact.

“Vhalla, you should know better. Don’t take your eyes off your opponent in a fight!” Jax shook his head, strolling away from the wall he’d been resting against. He glanced behind and gave a small nod to the prince before quietly adding, “Not for anything.”

“Of course.” Vhalla glanced away. She felt the weight of Aldrik’s stare remain on her.

“Why don’t you take a breather?” Jax patted her shoulder, and she winced. “Are you all right?”

“Fine, fine.” Vhalla brushed by him, barely remembering to thank her opponent before she walked out of the ring. She didn’t know where she was heading, but she knew staying anywhere close to Aldrik was not a sound idea. There were too many things unsaid right now, and this was not the forum to say them.

Familiar footsteps crunched the ground behind her, and Vhalla didn’t even have to turn to know the prince was there. Aldrik strolled by, his future wife in silent company. He didn’t look back at her once.

Vhalla retreated to the tall table underneath the sunshade. Erion no longer occupied the space behind it. Now Baldair was managing the guard and working on schedules.

“I heard you were here.” Baldair assessed her thoughtfully.

“With how often people speak of me, I sometimes think I can exist in multiple places at once.” Vhalla massaged her shoulder.

“My brother heard as well.”

That explained it.

“What’s going on with you and him?” Baldair’s voice was thoughtful, but it carried an unusual weight.

“Nothing is going on.” Vhalla frowned. “Everything is over between us.”

“Really? And, does he know that?” Vhalla narrowed her eyes at Baldair’s remark. It didn’t dissuade the prince from continuing. “We all know what happened the last time you both tried this path. But that will be nothing compared to what will happen if you try to get in the way of his engagement.”