Pain flashed through Aldrik’s eyes briefly, but there was no hostility at the truth she bore.

“You did tell me she had a bit of fire in her.” Lord Ophain chuckled at Aldrik before returning his attention back on her. “I know of the accusations against you. And I know of the magic you wield. But what I wish to know most is about the woman behind it all.”

Vhalla noted that he used the word “accusations” instead of “crimes.”

“Well, I was born in an Eastern town called Leoul. It’s west and a little south of Cyven’s capital, Hastan. About three day’s travel from the Western border?” Vhalla had never travelled it herself, but she had heard about the journey from farmers. “When I was eleven, I was brought to the capital by my father and ended up working in the palace as a library apprentice.”

“Which explains how you could come into contact with a prince,” the lord mused.

Vhalla nodded, curling and uncurling her fingers. “Yes, my lord, though it was all rather strange and lucky.”

“There is no such thing as luck, Vhalla.” She prompted him to continue with an inquisitive stare. “The Mother has given us a line to follow until the end of our days. It is filled with meetings and partings, none of which are chance.” He paused before adding, “At least, this is what I choose to believe.”

Vhalla paused, trying to decide how much of that curious statement she considered to be true. “I see, my lord.” She was unsure of what else to say.

“You are skeptical,” he stated with a grin.

“There are a great many things I do not understand; it would be presumptuous to rule out any superficially,” Vhalla retorted, both a truth and a polite response.

“I am sure you are made all the wiser for such an attitude. I can offer you proof, however; should you take it.” She tilted her head, listening intently. “I believe were such things not a fact, then some Firebearers could not use these lines to peer along into a person’s future.”

“Firebearers can?” Vhalla interjected eagerly.

“Some,” Lord Ophain nodded.

“Very few,” Aldrik scoffed. “Most are curiosity shop charlatans with smoke-and-mirror parlor tricks.”

Vhalla decided then to keep the incident with the Firebearer named Vi to herself.

“Fine. Since my nephew seems keen on dismissing that theory.” The lord looked between them knowingly. “The ties that Bond two people together are made of the same red lines of fate.”

Vhalla’s eyes grew wide. Lord Ophain allowed himself a satisfied smile. Her heart began to race and she glanced over at Aldrik. Her prince chuckled softly and shook his head.

“Don’t worry, Vhalla. I trust him,” Aldrik reaffirmed.

She stared in shock at the prince and then back at Lord Ophain. It spoke volumes of the relationship these two shared if Aldrik trusted him with the knowledge of their Bond. Vhalla began to immediately warm up to the Lord of the West.

“To not even be Awoken and form a Bond.” Lord Ophain ran a hand across his chin. “You are a curious creature indeed. I am truly excited for your demonstration tomorrow.”

“It’s tomorrow?” Vhalla asked the room.

“Father told me earlier.” Aldrik nodded.

“Have you thought of introducing her to crystals for all this?” Lord Ophain asked Aldrik.

“No, and do not breathe a word of it to my father,” the prince threatened. “As far as he is concerned, she cannot handle them without risk of taint, just like any other sorcerer.”

“And how did you get him to believe that?” The Lord of the West seemed impressed.

“I told him I tried.” Aldrik shrugged. “I have been providing him carefully doctored notes based on my own to paint the picture I want him to know.”

“Clever,” Lord Ophain praised.

Vhalla ignored the guilt she felt for ever suspecting that Aldrik would share the intimacies of their Bond without care. “But, I can handle them ...” Vhalla thought back to the stones Minister Victor used on her after she was first Awoken. They had worked so effortlessly with her magic it was as though they’d been made especially for her.

Lord Ophain grinned broadly at Aldrik, clearly excited by her admission. The prince pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Vhalla, don’t repeat that out of this room.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Do you know how the War of the Crystal Caverns was started?” Lord Ophain asked her.

“Well, my father was a soldier during the war ...” Vhalla thought back to what he and her mother had told her. Aldrik was suddenly fascinated with a corner of the room, avoiding the conversation as though it weren’t happening. “He said that it was because of the chaos locked in the crystals escaping and disrupting the Mother’s day and order. That we were fighting the darkness. I read that it also had something to do with sorcerers meddling with forces they shouldn’t.”

“But why were they meddling with those forces? What prompted them to be there?”

Vhalla didn’t have an answer for the lord’s question.

“Uncle, enough of this!” Aldrik was on his feet, his hands clenched into fists. Vhalla could feel the power radiating off him.

“Aldrik, relax. I know when a story is not mine to tell.” The man’s voice was stern, yet it had a gentle touch to it. Aldrik stood rigidly for another moment before his hands fell limply to his sides. His eyes were tired and distant as he huffed over to the bar.

“The Crystal Caverns have long been a mysterious enigma,” Lord Ophain continued, ignoring his temperamental nephew. “Some claim it to be the gate to the dark realm that the Father built to keep our world separate. Others theorize it’s solidification of raw magic from when the Gods created life. No matter what you choose to believe, there is something about the properties of the stones that can be found there which can alter a sorcerer’s natural abilities.” The lord took a sip from his drink. “The war was started because people had returned to the Caverns in another failed attempt to claim its powers for their own selfish greed—powers that have the potential to warp even the strongest of sorcerers, faster even than a Commons because of a sorcerer’s magic Channels.”

“What does this have to do with me?” It was interesting history, but she didn’t know why it was relevant.

“Why did the West want Windwalkers?” Lord Ophain returned her question with a question. She was beginning to see where Aldrik got his teaching style from.

“For their magic,” Vhalla said uncertainly. She’d only read one book.

“To access the caverns.” The lord leaned forward with grave seriousness.

Aldrik nursed a drink from behind the bar, still ignoring them.

“Why ...” Her voice had dropped to a whisper.

“Because Windwalkers are the only ones, of all sorcerers or Commons, who cannot be tainted by the crystals.” Lord Ophain finally gave her the answer that she hadn’t wanted to see on her own.

“So then—” Vhalla looked to Aldrik and stole his attention. “You don’t want your father to know because you don’t want him to have this power.”

“If he can have it or not is irrelevant.” Aldrik topped off his glass before returning to his seat. “I don’t want you used by anyone.”

Vhalla’s heart couldn’t even skip beats at his words, her mind was too heavy. She had a power that could give access to an even greater, ancient magic that had the ability to warp the hearts, minds, and bodies of men. Vhalla gripped her hands tightly. Minister Victor had asked her to bring him a crystal weapon. She now knew why, and why it had to be her.

“But enough on history and dark ‘what ifs.’” Lord Ophain attempted to disperse the cloud that now hung over the room. “May I have a demonstration of your abilities, specifically this Projection I have heard of, in advance of tomorrow?”

Vhalla obliged him and was better for it. The wonder and excitement Lord Ophain had toward her magic helped Vhalla overcome the worries and fears of the Crystal Caverns. The war was over and people had learned their lessons when it came to crystals. While Vhalla agreed with Aldrik’s decision to keep secret the fact that they did not affect her negatively, she also decided not to worry about it.