Page 54 of The Crown of the Last Fae Queen
When she peeled her eyes open, she was back in the room with the painting. A sigh of relief escaped from her shuddering body, and she collapsed onto her back. She had never thought she’d be this happy to be back here.
“You’re sopping wet.”
Kolfinna raised her head to the sound of Vidar’s voice, finding him leaning against one of the walls, his strong arms crossed over his chest and his wings splayed behind him. She wasn’t sure what she saw in his red eyes—concern, amusement, or frustration—but she didn’t want to stare too hard to figure it out, so she flopped her head back onto the floor, uncaring that he was witnessing her like this.
“I fell in the lake,” she said with a frown.
“You fell? Or were you dragged in?”
“Does it matter?”
“No, I suppose it doesn’t.”
She pushed herself into a sitting position and shoved her wet braid out of her face. “What would you have done if I didn’t know how to swim?”
Vidar canted his head. “If you were seconds away from death, the tower would drop you back into this room. It is a condition that is written within these walls. Typically, it’s written in the Black Castle as well, but some instructors remove it to weed out the weak.”
Kolfinna shifted her attention to the painting in the room, her attention sliding to the woman, and then to Vidar’s painted face. Her throat closed up and she found it hard to say anything. She could feel Vidar watching her, but she ignored it.
“Is that …?” She clamped her mouth shut, her voice wobbling.
“It is.” Vidar stared at the painting; his shoulders grew taut, but there was a softness in his eyes that didn't suit him. “It was trapped with my army, which is the only reason it survived. I hadit covered with my shadow-magic the entire time, so nobody has seen it before but you, myself, Aesileif, and the artist.”
“Why is it here?” she asked, swallowing down the confusing emotions climbing up her throat, making her want to feel so many things.
“Why not?”
She didn’t have an answer for him.
He pushed himself off the wall and strode over to the doorway and hesitated there, his attention moving from her to the painting, and then back to the door. “You did well. Rest for a few days and then we will move onto your next trial.”
Kolfinna’s thoughts instantly snapped over to what she and Blár had discussed last night, about her plan to siphon information out of Vidar. Now seemed like the perfect chance, especially since he seemed to be softer today. More forthcoming.
But she didn’t want to learn more. It terrified her.
“Vidar,” she croaked.
He paused, midway through opening the door. “Yes, Kolfinna?”
Her question remained stuck in her mouth. Fear gripped her tightly and she struggled to ask him anything. She clambered up to her feet, her training clothes sticking to her like a second skin. A shiver ran down her spine and she clutched her elbows to her body.
Did she want to know more about Vidar?
“Kolfinna?”
She blinked over at him. “I … I was wondering …”
He continued to stare, the silence prolonging the awkwardness.
“Would you like to have … dinner?” Water dripped from her clothes onto the stone tiles of the tower floor, and she found herself staring at the spots intensely. She found it hard to meet his eyes, but when she finally peeked up, she saw him staringat her levelly. His lips were pursed and there was a gleam of suspicion flickering across his face.
Were her intentions that obvious?
She cleared her throat. “N-never mind.”
“Yes,” he said with a slow nod. “I’ll fetch you later tonight, then.”
Kolfinna blinked up at him, but he was already turning to leave. She trailed behind him, and then noticed Astrid and Yrsa standing close to the doorway, their heads lowered as Vidar brushed past them.
