Chapter 272: The Morning After
The next morning, just after breakfast, Prince Alaric, accompanied by Agilus and a handful of his royal guards, made his way to General Odin’s manor. The air was cool and tinged with the sweet scent of dew-soaked grass, but Alaric’s mood was anything but light. Guilt sat heavy on his chest—he had left Lara the night before without a word. He hadn’t wanted to. But her brothers had cornered him with a mix of teasing and authority only siblings could wield.
"You’ve danced with her already," they had insisted, forming an unrelenting wall. "Now let us have our turn."
Alaric had reluctantly yielded, and afterward, he’d slipped away to visit his mother’s chamber. It was there he realized that twenty years of certainties had been upended. What he thought he knew—about himself, his father, the past—was now full of cracks.
The carriage rolled to a halt in front of the stately Norse manor, its stone façade dappled in morning light. As the door creaked open, a servant’s eyes widened at the unmistakable crest of the royal prince glinting on the carriage door. With a startled bow, he darted inside.
In the dining hall, the Odin family was gathered, enjoying the last bites of dessert—flaky pastries and ripe berries served with steaming cups of tea and coffee. Laughter echoed off the high ceilings until the servant entered, breathless.
"Prince Alaric is here for Lady Lara," he announced.
Silence fell like a sudden snowfall. All eyes shifted to Lara, whose spoon paused mid-air. Even Mira, seated across the table, stiffened, her gaze clouded with jealousy.
Lara coughed lightly and set down her cup. "Ah, I nearly forgot—I arranged to meet a metalsmith today, an acquaintance of Prince Alaric. He was to show us a sample piece."
Gideon tilted his head, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Is that the same smith who crafted the mechanism you told me about? I’d like to come with you—see it myself."
"But I was the one who went with her last time!" Peredur protested, his tone petulant.
"Exactly why you shouldn’t come this time," Gideon said, a rare firmness in his voice. "Besides, I’m curious about the craftsmanship of that thing that sister has drawn."