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“I was busy down at the barracks,” he said shortly.

“Yes, Eydis mentioned you had been sleeping in your office.”

Humor danced in her eyes. Herrick tried to avoid being drawn into her gaze, but when it came to Maude, he was weak.

“Well, the life of a General is hectic, and my work is so important, you see,” he joked as he moved closer to her.

“And here I thought you were avoiding me,” Maude teased, looking up at him from beneath her kohl-lined lashes.

Gods, he couldn’t breathe around her like this. Herrick stepped forward toward her, drawn into her space like gravity in a black hole. Maude quickly stepped around him, but Herrick wrapped an arm around her waist, spinning her so her back was to the wall. Their positions changed, Herrick put one hand on the wall behind her while his other rested on her hip and leaned in slightly. Satisfaction flared in him as Maude sharply inhaled at their proximity.

“Now, why would I be doing that?”

“You tell me,” Maude prompted as her gaze met his, the intensity of her challenge burning through his walls.

Herrick was quiet as he thought for a moment. His golden eyes searched her dark green ones. He could not find anything to say other than the truth.

“I think you know,” Herrick finally whispered.

He reached up with his right hand and brushed a stray curl that framed Maude’s face behind her ear. Unable to pull his hand back without touching her, his fingers grazed the soft skin of her cheekbone. Maude closed hereyes and exhaled out of her nose, leaning into his touch. He noticed that where his fingers met with her skin, goosebumps trailed after.

“Did you miss me,minn eldr?” Herrick said, a small smile playing in the corner of his mouth.

“Never,” she scoffed, a bit breathless as her eyes flashed open in protest.

Herrick leaned in, his lips barely brushing the curve of her ear.

“Liar.”

A shiver ran through Maude, the motion bringing her body closer to Herrick’s. He looked down and saw her hands balled into fists like she was trying to stop herself from reaching out.

Fast-approaching footsteps sounded from behind Herrick, so he straightened and put his back to Maude, blocking her in. Maude smacked her hand against his arm and told him to move. Hakon appeared to be hurrying toward their dark corner in haste, crazed determination shining in his eyes.

“How are you holding up, Hakon?” Maude asked from behind Herrick.

She was still trying to force her way in front of him. Before she could kick him or stab him with the dagger he knew she had on her person, he stepped out of the way.

“I don’t want to answer that right now,” he started. “I need your help, Maude.”

“What’s going on?” Herrick asked his brother, shaking off the heat that had been building between him and Maude.

“I need you to stick to my side. I think if people think I’ve ‘chosen’ you, they might leave me alone. No one really knows who you are, only that you are a guest at the palace,” Hakon said quickly.

“Alva would have a fit,” Maude said, not entirely dismissing the idea.

“Please, Maude. I can’t choose anyone. The sooner we get through this, the sooner I can get back to Eydis,” Hakon begged her.

Herrick remained quiet; he only watched Maude. At the mention of Eydis, Herrick could see Maude’s features soften slightly.

“Okay,” she agreed quietly.

Hakon let out a sigh of relief as he extended his arm to her. Maude took it willingly and began to walk away, but after a few steps, she turned slightly to look over her shoulder at Herrick. He gave her a slight nod.

“Later,” he mouthed.

Heat sparked in her eyes before she continued moving into the light of the ballroom with his brother. Herrick watched her walk away from him again and thought to himself that it was the most painfully beautiful sight.

Spending the night on Hakon’s arm was not as tedious as Maude had thought it might be when he had asked her to play along with his ruse. She had not spent a lot of time with Hakon and wasn’t sure what to expect, but Maude had enjoyed the evening with him. They had not participated in any of the dances, choosing to watch and critique the dancers spinning in and out of the garden the ballroom opened into. Hakon was familiar with all the nobles of Veter that were in attendance and was brutal in his criticism of them.