“She needs to help with that food!” Nia rolled her eyes. She was cutting some salted meat and root vegetables to be put into a large pot. Nia was the second youngest, and she had already hit her growth. All legs and arms, she was a slip of a girl with fantastically wild hair to her shoulders.

“Gwen, if you don’t get down here I’m gonna tan your hide, miss!” Tama called. “You know we have guests.” She looked back at Aldrik with a small, apologetic bow.

“Your hospitality is already more than enough,” Aldrik said gracefully from a chair at the end of the table where he sat.

Vhalla gave him a small smile. She knew this life must be very odd for him, but he handled it like a gracious ruler. Aldrik caught her eyes, and his lips curled into a small smile in return. Vhalla looked away quickly, frustrated that after all this time, her cheeks could still feel hot near this man. They both seemed to be on a mutual elation just at the sight of each other, especially after all that had occurred.

The feeling sobered when Vhalla’s eyes turned across the table, meeting the Northern princess’s. There were many words unsaid, and she couldn’t let the lull of normalcy distract them for too long. Vhalla caught the prince’s eyes once more, and he nodded in agreement, able to read her obvious thoughts.

As much as Vhalla wanted to just kick everyone out, she knew why it hadn’t been done yet. Fritz’s family remained oblivious to the real reasons why they had arrived, knowing nothing more than there were injuries in the party. Vhalla resented the girls slightly for their ability to remain ignorant of the horrors in the world, but not enough to want to shatter it for them.

“Fire is going,” Jax announced from the stone hearth that dominated a large portion of the wall to the left of the main entrance. He sauntered over to the table, leaning between Elecia and Nia. “My stunning lady, might there be the slightest thing I could do to assist you? I hate to see such beautiful hands being taxed with such labors.” Jax took the knife from the open-mouthed girl’s palm.

“I-I-hi, hi, how are you?” she stuttered dumbly. The girl clearly had limited experience with men, and encountering Jax was akin to being thrown into the deep end. “What’s your, name? Yes, that’s, something, forgot, what’s your name?” She smiled widely at the charming look Jax was giving her.

“My name.” His hand cupped her cheek boldly. “Fair lady is—”

“Jax!” Fritz snapped, carrying in a load of lumber from the yard. “Away from my sister!”

“I do not think your brother approves.” Jax grinned, passing the knife back to Nia.

“Let her be, Fritz.” Cass rolled her eyes. “It’s not like you’re around to protect her normally; she’s gotta learn.”

“And oh, the things I could teach her.” Jax snickered at Fritz.

“Jax!” Fritz practically jumped at the man.

“Fritter,” his father boomed with a laugh, scooping up the scrawny sorcerer with just his arm. “Leave the girls be.”

“I’m trying to help protect them!” Fritz frantically tried to keep the stack of cut wood in his hands as his father carried him, heavy load and all, over toward the hearth.

“Oh right, we need protecting?” Reona rolled her eyes as she helped with the lumber. They did not need wood to burn with sorcerers about, but Orel seemed to move out of habit. “Just like that time we got you out of the tree when you climbed too high up and wouldn’t stop crying?”

“I was five!” Fritz whined, his father putting him down.

“Or the time when you got stuck in the smokehouse playing hide and seek and wouldn’t stop wailing until Cass got you out?” Nia motioned with her knife at her brother.

Elecia sniggered, shooting Fritz a sideways glance.

“Let’s not forget, girls, the time he was so scared by a nightmare he wet—”

“Enough!” Fritz cut off his big sister with a red flush. “There’s a reason I don’t come home!”

“You love us.” Cass hooked her arm around Fritz’s neck and ruffled his hair.

“So you’re really the Windwalker?” Nia asked from her place by the hearth.

“Nia, that’s not—” Fritz was quick with an apologetic look directed at Vhalla.

“I was.” Vhalla attempted a brave smile. She had to brace herself to endure the wave of emotion that came with those words.

“Was?” Nia tilted her head. Cass began listening, too.

“There was an accident.” Vhalla raised a hand to her shoulder.

“The one that made you all come here a day ago?” Cass asked.

Vhalla nodded.

“Sorcerers can lose their powers?” Reona asked sincerely.

As Vhalla opened her mouth to explain, there was a commotion from up in the loft above. The patter of feet started from the middle and rushed toward the edge. A girl, who could not be older than six, holding a blanket like a cape about her shoulders, jumped off in clear disregard of the ladder nearby. Aldrik, Jax, and Elecia were all on their toes. Vhalla stuck out her hand instinctively to stop the girl’s descent but no magic came to her palm, and she was forced to feel ashamed and awkward. Fritz just rolled his eyes.

“Papa!” the girl squealed, kicking her feet in the air.

“Good morning, my little Gwen!” Orel boomed. He crossed the room in five large strides and caught the bundle that was his daughter.