Earth's End (Air Awakens Series Book 3) (27 page)

“Vhalla!” Aldrik was on his knees beside her.

“Don’t touch her,” Jax cautioned. “Her body is now under the influence of the crystals, my prince; it could react poorly with your magic.”

She fought for air. It was as though the cuffs had taken away her ability to breathe or think. Her whole body felt strange, and she reeled from the vertigo.

“Are you all right?” Daniel’s step forward vaguely registered for Vhalla.

“I-I am. It’s ...” she panted, struggling to breathe. It was as though the air itself had vanished. The world was too still. Even her own voice sounded distant and dull. “A shock.”

“I believe they are called Channels, the way a sorcerer draws their power.” The Emperor had a curious glint to his eyes. “These cuffs were engineered by Windwalkers in old Mhashan to be used on other sorcerers to block such passageways.”

On other Windwalkers
, Vhalla corrected mentally. Her vision clouded, staring at the shackles. These had been made by slaves, for slaves.

“They work by blocking the source of a sorcerer’s magic and prevent it from being opened for the duration which the cuffs are worn,” the Emperor explained to a generally horrified table. “Given the abilities of a Windwalker, I can agree that removing her sorcery is the best course of action.”

Vhalla hadn’t realized how accustomed she had become to feeling magic. It was a part of her, and its absence made it feel as though it had been torn from her like a limb. Yet she struggled to her feet. Aldrik grabbed her elbow, helping her. She didn’t have the strength to caution him against touching her.

“She has proven her loyalty, Father. Take them off.” Baldair frowned at Vhalla’s empty expression.

“You are dismissed, Miss Yarl.” The Emperor walked back toward the table.

Vhalla stared at her feet, trying to ignore her hands bound together before her. She tried to will herself to move.

“
Enough
! I have had enough of this!” Aldrik gripped the box Jax was still holding, ripping it from his grasp. It fell loudly as Aldrik cast it aside for a small key contained within. The prince grabbed for her wrists. The crystals flared, reacting to Aldrik’s touch.

Aldrik grit his teeth and placed the key in the center hinge holding the shackles together. The cuffs popped open and fell off her wrists with a metallic thud. His jaw set, Aldrik picked them off the floor and threw them back into the box, snapping it shut.

“Jax,” Aldrik growled. “You take that into the forest, and you bury it somewhere
far
and
deep
. And you keep its location secret to your grave.”

Jax gave Aldrik an approving nod, taking advantage of the chaos and departing before any objections could be raised.

“My prince, that is the West’s heritage!” Major Schnurr was horrified.

“It is a heritage of hate.” The prince glowered at the dissenter. “It is a heritage that true Westerners do not take pride in.”

Major Schnurr shook his head, a mixture of anger and disgust on his face. He opened his mouth to speak but quickly thought better of it, storming out the door.

“Vhalla, come.” Aldrik took her hand in his.

“Son, you will not—” the Emperor began, his composure finally beginning to break under the public insolence, under not having his power play work out as planned.

“Father, I have found your behavior toward Lady Yarl—our guest, your loyal subject, the person whom you have brought here to help with your victory—
appalling
. You have tested her time and again, where each test she passes more stunningly than the last.” Aldrik pointed at his father. “No more.
I
will not let you harm her again—or demand for her to harm herself—for your amusement or to abate your insecurity. I understand the pressures of war have misplaced your better judgment. Hopefully you quickly realize the same, for I have no interest in any further discussion until a much deserved apology has been given.”

All stared at the prince in shock, including Vhalla. Aldrik was oblivious to it, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and ushering her quickly to the back hall. Vhalla expected to hear the Emperor stomping behind them, but no footsteps came. It all disappeared as Aldrik led her into the one place they had made their haven, slamming his door shut.

“I cannot believe he-he would—by the Mother,” Aldrik seethed. “
Crystals
, he brought crystals here? He’s a mad man! I cannot believe my uncle would produce them.”

“I’m sure Lord Ophain didn’t have a choice,” Vhalla pointed out what she hoped was true.

Aldrik continued, ignoring her. “How dare he use the chains the West used to treat Windwalkers like cattle—to use them, to kill them—on you.”

Around his hands, fire sparked to a blaze. Vhalla gripped his fist with both of hers, the flames licking around her fingers. “Don’t burn anything.”

His rage on her behalf was as comforting as it was fearsome. But she knew more anger would not solve the problems that needed solving. It was anger like this that drove the prince to dark places. She needed him to see that; she needed to keep him from it. Aldrik’s rage softened the moment his eyes met hers.

“Vhalla!
Gods,
Vhalla.” His hands went to her face, the fire extinguished. “How dare he ... How could you? You should not have let him.”

“By doing so, I think it made him appear worse,” she explained.

Aldrik gave a raspy laugh. “You really thought that way?”

“Was I right?” Vhalla searched his stunned expression.

“You certainly were.” Aldrik brought his lips to her forehead, and she closed her eyes.

“You shouldn’t have, Aldrik.” Vhalla thought of his hands on her as she was under the effects of crystals, of Jax’s warning. She thought of his insolence before his father.

“No.
Do not tell me that
,” he demanded firmly. “That was entirely the right thing to do. I’m tired of standing by while my father treats you as he does. Appearances be damned.”

A stomping grew louder from down the hall. Vhalla inhaled sharply, and Aldrik pulled her tightly against him. Every horrible thing that could happen raced through her head: soldiers coming to take her from him, to put her away, to put her back in those awful chains. They shredded what strength she’d mustered. The door shook as the person banged on it.

“Brother, get back here before we have a civil war on our hands.” Baldair slammed his fist against the door again. Aldrik took a deep breath, his face buried in her hair. “I know what Father did was wrong,” Baldair lowered his voice. “It was foul really. But are you honestly surprised? Vhalla shamed him in front of his leaders. He was losing his power and needed to prove that he still had control. Father is nothing but a prideful man—”

Aldrik left her side to throw open the door.

“So I am to allow his actions to be forgiven for his
tender pride
?” Aldrik scowled.

“The Western majors are up in arms that he would use the cuffs. That it will hurt the West’s trade relations—”

“As they should be!” Aldrik’s anger was back, and it was being taken out on his brother. “She is an inspiration for the East, a beacon of hope, a new era, and he would send the message that he would treat Windwalkers as they were treated more than a century ago, hunt them, chain them, kill them. He outright called her a tool! Not even a person to him but a
thing
. I do not blame the Western leaders for not wanting anyone to think that the West is still in bed with such archaic thinking—as my uncle supplied the means!”

“They are threatening to ride home.” Baldair held out his hands, pleading and ignoring his brother’s righteous tirade. “Erion is leading them, and he’s not listening to me because I am not, ‘of the West’.”

“Good, then Father will see why he must respect the people whom he depends on,” Aldrik spat.

“Aldrik,” Vhalla cut into the conversation, commanding the attention of both princes with her tone alone. She crossed to her dark-haired lover and reached up to Aldrik’s cheek. He sighed softly under her touch. “Go.”

“But—”

“No.” Vhalla shook her head. “You need to show them that the future Emperor is a bigger man, a better man than the current one. I want this war to end; I will swallow any offenses against me for that goal, and I need you to do the same.”

“Vhalla,” Aldrik whispered softly.

“Go, find an end to this,” she begged of him. “You said you would take me home.”

“You are an amazing woman.” His hand went up to hers, and Aldrik looked at her lovingly.

Vhalla smiled softly at him.

“So, you’re coming?” Baldair hovered in the doorway.

“Yes.” Aldrik nodded. “And I plan to make it known that my compliance is the result of a woman who my father would rather have locked up like an animal.”

Baldair threw up his hands in defeat to Aldrik’s mood.

Her prince leaned forward and kissed Vhalla’s forehead lightly once more. She closed her eyes and sighed softly. If she was honest, she wanted him to stay. Aldrik’s presence reassured her, it made her feel safer. As though when they were together, nothing could stop them. But he did what she had asked, what he needed to do. Aldrik released her and walked over to his brother.

“Vhalla,” Aldrik spoke tenderly, but firmly. “If anyone other than me opens the door or tries to force entry, you will fight them. Lest my father try something underhanded while I am away from you.”

She nodded tiredly. “Good luck, both of you.”

The moment the door closed, the events of the day settled upon her all at once, and Vhalla leaned against the wall for support. Her knees buckled, and Vhalla slid into a ball by the door. She grabbed her arms tightly and tried to stave off the shivers, to fight off the memory of Rat and Mole and Egmun.

Vhalla also wondered in horror what the Emperor now knew about her and crystals. The cuffs were meant to work on any regular sorcerer, perhaps Aldrik’s lie of her not being able to manage the magical stones would still hold. If the Emperor knew she could manage them then that could turn her into something more. It could turn her into the Emperor’s means of unleashing a legendary power from the Crystal Caverns. Her head hurt trying to think about what that awful man may be scheming, and Vhalla pressed her eyes closed.

She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she knew, Aldrik was shaking her gently.

“Vhalla,” he whispered.

“Wh-what?” She blinked sleepily.

“Why are you on the floor?” His voice was thick with exhaustion.

“I don’t ... I guess I fell asleep.” Vhalla didn’t want to tell him about her fears. She was certain he knew of them already. “What time is it?”

“Late,” he yawned, helping her to her feet.

They were quick to strip down to the most basic of clothes. Vhalla savored the level of comfort they had found with each other. She had to savor the few things that could still give her ease.

“Were you meeting all that time?” Vhalla asked.

“I was—we were.”

“I made a mess of things,” she muttered, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed.

“No, my father made his own mess. It was actually refreshingly amusing to watch him try to clean it up.” Aldrik crossed to stand before her.

Vhalla gazed up at her prince. He wore nothing but basic cotton trousers, pulled with a drawstring at the waist. His hair was limp, unfixed from the day’s battle of words and power plays. It curtained around his face and drew dramatic shadows across his angular features. The small flame that flickered loyally at his side cast light upon every scar he bore, telling tales of hardship and trial. Vhalla swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. There was something about his eyes that was totally different.

“Tonight, this past year, especially since the Crossroads, I’ve watched you grow. I’ve watched you find strength no one thought you had, deftly handle matters of state, navigate nobility, pushing yourself beyond every expectation,” Aldrik began.

“I was only trying to help.” The words spilled from her lips hastily. There was something about his mannerisms that elated her. That elated her so much it worried her. Her body knew what it saw in his eyes from the first word he spoke, but her mind rejected the knowledge. She was equal parts terrified at the ideas of him saying everything, and nothing at all.

“Do you enjoy it?”

“Do I enjoy it?” she repeated.

There was no parrot comment. Aldrik remained fixed on her answer.

“I suppose,” Vhalla whispered. “I’ve never been forced to synthesize knowledge like this, to really use it. It’s every piece of theory or history applied. It’s more than I’ve ever done each day, and even if it terrifies me, it often excites me.”

“There is a position which I need to fill. This position requires such things every day. Someone must assume the mantle before I can be Emperor.” The lump in Aldrik’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. “It requires someone brilliant, someone strong, and someone kind. Someone who can temper me and remind me of my own humanity even in the darkest hour.”

“That sounds like a lot,” Vhalla whispered ineloquently. The moment was about to crest and with it her whole world would shatter.

“It is, and it will be.” Aldrik curled and uncurled his fingers. “But it is not without rewards. This person’s word would be trusted, respected, admired. She can shape the future of this Empire for good, for peace.” He focused on the floor a moment, a faint blush creeping up on his cheeks. “She could make her office my rose garden, forever, if she so chose.”

He knew just what to say. “How does one apply for such a position?” Vhalla whispered.

“It is not something you can apply for.” Aldrik’s eyes returned to her, and Vhalla’s chest swelled. “You must be asked.”

“By whom?”

“By me.” Aldrik knelt before her.

Vhalla struggled for sound. She struggled to breathe. Her toes had gone numb with shock—the world seemed to hang on the prince’s every word.

“Would you want me to?” he asked, taking her hands in his.

“I don’t understand,” her utterance was so faint it was barely heard. Her heartbeat was louder.

“Would you, Lady Vhalla Yarl, like to someday be the Empress Vhalla Solaris?”