Page 21 of The Magic of Vanaheim

A new wave of excitement washed over Talvi. Only this morning he’d believed that a bleak future bonded to a princess he neither knew nor wanted lay in front of him. But now fate had offered him the most desirable man he could imagine instead. The only thing he had to do was to make Håkon fall for him, too. Even as a boy, when he’d watched Håkon fight and Talvi’s feelings for him had been nothing more than a child’s infatuation, he’d sensed a deep sadness in Håkon. Talvi felt the need to make him happy now, just as acutely as he had then. He couldn’t bear to see him miserable for the rest of their lives.

Watching them with an unreadable expression, Perhonen nodded. Most people were creeped out by her clairvoyant abilities, detesting having someone close who probably kneweverything about their future. Talvi found it amusing. And he was determined to forge his own fate.

Gaze falling on the ice flower circlet Håkon had worn earlier, Talvi picked it up curiously. He turned it in his hands, marveling at its beauty.

“Is this a dwarven work?” he asked.

“It’s aJotunnblacksmith’s masterpiece, supposed to be part of my sister’s dowry,” Håkon said, sounding bitter about it.

Talvi couldn’t have that. He would have gladly kissed away the pinched look on Håkon’s face.

“Why don’t you return it to her when the time comes?”

“Maybe,” Håkon mumbled, not meeting Talvi’s gaze. “We’ll see.”

“Until then—” Fluffing up Håkon’s hair, Talvi placed the circlet back on his head. “—you should at least wear the circlet with pride. It suits you.”

Color rose to Håkon’s cheeks, but he didn’t pull away. The bride’s circlet symbolized virginity and was usually removed during the bathing ritual, and Talvi couldn’t resist teasing Håkon a little by making him wear it again. Besides, he looked unfairly gorgeous with the icy crystals glimmering in his hair. But seeing Håkon’s reaction, he almost regretted his rash decision. He wanted to brighten Håkon’s mood and not humiliate him. But it seemed he wasn’t very good at charming his husband-to-be.

“Very well,” Perhonen said, her features serene as ever, but Talvi didn’t doubt for a second that she was inwardly having a good laugh at his expense. In a swirl of white robes, she finally left them, abandoning Talvi to deal with his betrothed.

Talvi sighed. He’d hoped that some civil conversation and a little bit of harmless flirting would reassure Håkon. Hemustbe able to tell that Talvi was flirting, not mocking him, right? But Håkon still looked like he was being dragged to his execution,not his wedding. Obviously, Talvi wasn’t doing a good enough job.

“Would you like to see where you’ll live? Come.” He gestured to Håkon to follow him into a more private part of his living quarters, hoping to convey that he had every intention of keeping Håkon by his side as his adored husband and not lock him away to rot in the dungeons. But after Arngrim’s little stunt, he must be thinking exactly that. He followed Talvi cautiously, almost as if expecting a trap.

Behind the tactic room, the royal chambers stretched out, consisting of Talvi’s bedroom, a library, comfortable living quarters, and the private bathing house Håkon had already seen. As they stepped inside the living quarters, Håkon eyed the huge four-poster bed dominating the bedroom as if it might bite him before letting his gaze trail over the whole room. Talvi was under no illusion that he wasn’t searching for a weapon. But the mere sight of Håkon standing next to his bed was way too enticing for him to worry about much else.

“Do you like it? You know, we can always redecorate,” Talvi said with a wink. But he was being serious. If Håkon had asked him to raze the citadel to the ground and rebuild it as he wished, Talvi would’ve done so in a heartbeat.

“It’s tolerable,” Håkon said haughtily. His condescending tone made Talvi want to pile treasures at his feet.

“Good.”

Pulling off his stained tunic, Talvi threw it carelessly to the floor and headed for the washing basin. He couldn’t look like a blacksmith when he was going to marry a prince, after all. Before making himself presentable again, Talvi wetted a piece of cloth, offering it to Håkon.

“May I?”

Håkon’s gaze jumped from Talvi’s chest to his face, but Talvi didn’t dare hope that theJotunnmight enjoy the sight. Inhindsight, it might’ve been smarter to keep his clothes on before invading Håkon’s space, but being near him made it difficult to think straight.

“What are you talking about?” Håkon seemed so confused, ready to bolt. What wouldn’t Talvi have given for him to be relaxed and happy, but he knew trust would have to be earned.

He gestured toward the blood still staining Håkon’s chin. Lifting a hand, Håkon gingerly touched his lips, obviously surprised to find that his fingers came back bloodied.

“Oh.”

Daring to shift a little closer still, Talvi carefully started to clean the cut on Håkon’s bottom lip.

“Did you decide to try to overpower ten guards?” Talvi asked lightly, but what he really wanted to know was whether anyone had dared to lay a hand on Håkon unprovoked.

“Your warriors aren’t fond of me.”

Well, that wasn’t a direct complaint, but probably as much of an admission of being ill-treated as he could expect from someone like Håkon. How dare they? Talvi ought to have a serious conversation with Arngrim and whoever had the smart idea to punch the future prince consort in the face. Gritting his teeth, Talvi tried to rein in his anger.

“You’ll tell me if someone disrespects you again. Understood?”

Not for the first time, Håkon looked at him as if Talvi had lost his mind. He didn’t even dignify that with an answer.

“That’s when you say ‘yes,’” Talvi implored. At the very least, he needed Håkon to know that he was serious about this.