Page 173 of The Last Valkyrie

The day before the start into my third term, I was in my longhouse, minding my business. Construction had begun to repair the southern wall and some other buildings that hadbeen razed during the attacks. It was loud and made it hard to concentrate, but I appreciated it nonetheless.

Vikingrune was bustling and surging into a new era—hopefully one of long-lasting peace.

As I reclined and read a textbook on my belly, Sven grumbled as he walked inside the longhouse. “Gods, woman, haven’t you studied enough? You just passed the finals with flying colors!”

I closed the book and winked at him. “This is for third-year studies, love.”

Corym was right behind him, joining the other three mates who had been quietly doing their own thing in my house, all of us casually enjoying one another’s presence. Corym and Sven had gone to get some food, and brought back a few plates for us.

The elf plopped down next to me, biting into a muffin. “I’m getting used to these human puffs.”

“You mean . . . muffins?”

He smiled at me around a mouthful.

My cheeks flushed and I looked away. “You know . . .” I started, growing hesitant and scared in an instant. “You’ve been pretty mum about the whole Zentha situation, Cor.”

He let out a pleased sound and tossed the remains of his muffin to Arne across the room, who fumbled with it, watched it fall to the ground, and then stared down forlornly before picking it up, shrugging, and eating it.

“It’s strange,lunis’ai, but nurturewife Zentha has allegedly gonemissingfrom Heira Nation,” Corym said.

My eyes bulged. “M-Missing?”

He shrugged easily, resting back on his palms—one of them strategically placed between my stretched legs. “That’s what my contact tells me.”

“You still have contact to people in Alfheim, even though the portals have been closed?” Grim questioned.

Magnus folded his arms at the edge of the bed, staring down at the seated elf. “Unless this was something that happened . . . before the battle, perhaps?”

Everyone fell silent.

Corym shrugged, keeping his cards close to his chest.

Finally, Sven said, “How much did you pay her?”

I gawked.

Corym said, “All my titles, my land. Enough to make her very wealthy, powerful, and get far, far away from Heira. I’m sure she’s a powerful princess of her own by this point, in another nation in Alfheim.”

He was quite smug and proud of himself.

I couldn’t keep my heart from plummeting to my stomach. “You did all of that . . . for me?” I asked sheepishly, sitting up.

He tilted my chin with his warm finger, kissing me softly as his golden eyes locked on mine. “I would do anything for you,lunis’ai. Absolutely anything.”

I gulped past a tight throat.

Arne quipped, “Wait, so that means you’renota prince anymore?”

Corym dashed a smile at him. “Afraid not, iceshaper.”

“For shame. You were hotter as a prince.” Arne’s shoulders sank as everyone laughed.

“What,” Sven said, “were you starting to enjoy getting fucked by a prince, dandy?”

Arne scowled at him, cheeks flaring red. “I don’t know, wolfie, are you starting to enjoy getting fucked by a dandy?”

The laughter was huge, and I sputtered before hiding my crinkled face in Corym’s shoulder.

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