“Tell him about the band of traitorous Holgarians plotting against you. See how he reacts to this. We’ll know if he’s in league with them by his reaction. That would ease all of our minds. Ask him about the men. Ask him what his plans are after the Quest for Resources is over and he’s allowed to come back to the island for good. Make small talk until the appropriate time has passed and you can leave without insulting him.”
Torvald nodded slowly. “It seems that’s the most reasonable thing to do.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll go with you.”
“You can’t,” the king murmured. “Halvar specifically asked that I come alone.”
“You’ve never been alone with anyone other than your wife,” I said, annoyed by the nerve of Halvar. “An attempt was just recently made on your life! General Halvar can’t honestly expect you to eat with him while unaccompanied.”
“Do you think he means to kill me during this luncheon?” Torvald asked, wide eyed. “Everyone would know it was him.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter at this point. All I care about is your safety.”
The king released my wrist before collapsing on his side against the pillows. “I’m so tired of this, Asta. I wish it were over.”
“As do I, sire. Take heart. It can’t last forever.” I was trying to convince myself more than him. I couldn’t imagine a life without questions, suspicions, and secret plots. That image of the schoolgirl in the tree, watching the sun set, seemed like a made-up fantasy. Could it have possibly been real at any point in time?
The door swung open behind me, causing Torvald to sit up. I turned to see Viggo striding into the room, chest heaving.
“I went to your room but it was empty,” he gasped. “I thought something had happened to you.”
“I’m fine,” I said, noting the sweat on his brow. “What’s happened?”
Viggo smiled, suddenly sheepish. “Nothing. I was just worried about you, but you seem to be recovering well.”
“Miraculously well, according to Dr. Ichiro. There’s no need to worry.”
Viggo nodded, his gaze drifting to the distressed patient. He knitted his brow. “Is the king all right?”
I threw Torvald a quick glance. “Rest, my lord. It won’t seem so bleak in the morning.” I crept over to Viggo and shooed him out of the room. “He’s exhausted,” I said once we both stood in the hall. “General Halvar practically demanded they have lunch together the moment he’s discharged from the hospital.”
“That’s odd,” Viggo murmured.
“He also wishes I be absent from this meeting.”
Viggo’s eyebrows rose.
I nodded. “Yes, exactly. I think I should have the nurse give the king a relaxing drug before he drives himself insane with worry and doubt. Our work in the shadows doesn’t suit him. It makes me wonder if he’d be better off not knowing the true goings-on of the world around him.”
“The truth is always better than lies,” Viggo said with a quick shake of the head. “He’ll grow accustomed to this eventually. He has to if he’s to be a more effective leader.”
“I suppose you’re right. I do feel for him, though…” I took Viggo’s elbow and allowed him to escort me back to my room. “Could you have extra guards stationed around Torvald’s home?”
“Of course.”
I squeezed his elbow. “Thank you. I’ll ask Hemming to check in on the king when the general comes for lunch but I’d rather my fellow Defender have support, just in case.”
“I’ve spoken to Gabor and the rest of Lennart’s friends,” Viggo said as we neared my room. “I offered them wine laced with truth serum. None of them knew of Lennart’s plans to kill the king or if he was involved in the conspiracy. Hemming willingly offered himself to be interrogated. He knew about the truth serum and took it anyway, just to prove he was on our side.”
There was a brief moment of relief before the frustration drove it away. I was glad that we had eliminated some suspects, but I was upset that we hadn’t trusted Hemming from the beginning. He would have been a much better partner. Instead, we’d been forced to work with Lennart who most likely alerted our enemies of our every move.
“How’s Bryn?”
Viggo frowned. “Still taking exams. I’m tempted to storm into his instructor’s office and rescue him. It’s been almost four hours. How many questions could he possibly have left to answer?”
“Becoming a doctor is no small feat. They have to know everything if they are to properly treat people.”
Viggo pulled the door to my room open. “Yes, I suppose. I can’t wait for his schooling to be over. We’ll have a ceremonial burning of those damned books.”
I grinned. “We’ll celebrate with him once his exams are over, but I believe he still has another three years’ worth of classes to take before he can be certified.”
Viggo groaned. “He’s mad! He has to be. How can he stand the prospect of another three years of studying and testing?”
I slid back into my bed. “He loves helping people. It’s not a burden to him as it would be to you.”
Viggo sat with a sigh. “He’s insane. Brilliant and practically a saint, but still insane.”
I laughed. “Too true. Has he decided what he’s going to do about Raziya?”
“He’s to reject her affections, of course,” Viggo said. “She’s only eighteen.”
“I asked what he was going to do, not what you think he should do.”
Viggo wrinkled his nose at me. “With all his studying, there’s been little time to talk about women or anything else for that matter. He didn’t seem to enjoy dancing with her at the anniversary celebration. I expect he’s overwhelmed by her enthusiasm and annoyed by her high-pitched whining.” Settling back into his chair, he muttered, “I know I would be.”
“Or he’s overwhelmed by the prospect of having a woman be so infatuated with him,” I said. “I think it’s sweet.”
Viggo scoffed. “She doesn’t know anything about Bryn other than his position on the hill and the fact that he’s studying to be a doctor.”
I smirked down at my sheets as I flattened the creases over my lap. “What did you know about me in Dotharr’s Academy when you fell for me, other than the fact that I was feisty and a quick learner?”
Viggo gave the question due consideration. When I dared to peek at him, he gazed down at the floor, copper eyes lost in memory. “I knew you were strong,” he said at last. “I knew that you wouldn’t bow under anyone’s authority unless they had your respect, and that you refused to be shamed or demeaned without a fight.” He threw me a quick, shy glance. “I knew enough.”
“I’m sure my divine beauty had nothing to do with your affections,” I teased.
His lips curved. “Oh, you’re beautiful also? I hadn’t noticed.”
I laughed. “So. What am I going to do with you?”
“You could marry me, I suppose,” Viggo said with a shrug.
“How romantic,” I said with a pout.
His face softened, his eyes smoldering. “Dear Asta, would you marry me?”
I reached for his hand and he gave it. After running my cloth-encased fingers over the calluses on his palm, I pressed my lips to his skin. “I will someday, you rugged, impossible, wonderful man. I’d like a lengthy courtship first.”
He cupped my cheek before he kissed me. He was smiling when we parted. “Agreed. Now, are you well enough to sit in on an interrogation?”
“You’re ready to bring Lady Helka in for questioning,” I assumed.
Viggo nodded. “It’s been an appropriate amount of time. I’d rather catch her before she tries to run or does something even more rash. When are you being discharged?”