by S. T. Bende
“And so.” My fingers gripped the podium as I finished my statement. “I hereby request this governing body approve the Restoration Resolution in its entirety for the greater good of Alfheim, for our citizens, and for the realms we are sworn to serve.”
Applause rocked the back of the chamber, the burst of noise erupting from silence. Heat crept along my neck as I glanced at the viewing gallery where my friends sat watching the vote. Maja raised one fist in solidarity, and Jande flashed me a grin that stretched from ear to ear. Near the side door, Signy and Larkin both beamed their approval. I willed the heat to drain from my cheeks as I scanned the rows of senators.
“I move we take this matter to a vote.” Our newly appointed minister of state rose from her seat. In Narrik’s absence we’d appointed Ella Andriskog, one of the returned Opprør, to serve in his former post. Ella was a seasoned senator, and someone we knew would lead fairly—without manipulating the crown.
“All those in favor of approving the Crown Princess’s resolution, vote ja.”
The right half of the room immediately raised their hands to their data pads. I’d expected the Opprør to vote in my favor, but my throat tightened as my gaze shifted to the left. Several of the Kongelig pressed their fingertips to their data pads. When they’d finished typing, they looked at me and offered tentative smiles.
Holy. Freaking. Gods.
I glanced to the throne behind me, where Constance nodded regally.
“And all those opposed,” Ella called.
The rest of the Kongelig typed furiously.
Ella’s cherubic face lit up as she examined her data pad. “The jas have it. The Restoration Resolution is hereby passed.”
A wolf whistle pierced the air. At the back of the room Maja stood on top of her bench, two fingers in her mouth and a fist in the air. Elin whooped enthusiastically beside her. And Viggo applauded at end of the row, his face fierce with pride. His eyes locked on mine and a wave of relief coursed between us.
We’d done it. We’d taken the first step toward reversing the nightmare Narrik had inflicted on our realm. Our work was just beginning, but we could be proud of what we’d accomplished. Our senators were home. Our home was on the road to recovery. And we’d ensured that no resident of Alfheim would ever again be exploited.
I shot Viggo a wink as I stepped down from the podium and shook Ella’s hand. Once she dismissed the session, I crossed to Constance.
“You did well.” She squeezed my hand. Before I could thank her, she’d escaped through the back door. My grandmother had been quiet since we’d briefed her on the extent of Narrik’s wrongdoing. Whether she was disappointed or embarrassed, or something else entirely, I couldn’t quite tell. For now, I’d decided to give her space. She needed time to lick her wounds before we began restructuring our cabinet. With the Opprør home, we were finally going to be able to bring in the representatives we needed.
Thank gods.
The senate floor buzzed with excitement for a good few minutes after Constance’s departure. There were countless congratulations, and endless exclamations of relief. When the politicians began trickling from the room, Signy and Larkin came over to wrap me in tight hugs.
“Sweet girl,” Signy whispered. “I am so proud of you.”
“That makes two of us,” Larkin seconded.
“Thank you. For everything.” I squeezed them fiercely.
“Come on.” Signy pulled away. “Your friends want to celebrate with you.”
“The extremely subtle ones, over there?” I pointed to the rear of the chamber, where Finna bounced on her toes and Jande waved enthusiastically.
“Those are the ones.” Signy led me in their direction.
When we reached the benches, Elin immediately threw her arms around me. “We did it!”
“Now we can get to work,” Zara added. “My parents are visiting next week. They were on a restoration team in their day, and they’d love to brainstorm strategies with the new units.”
“We’d be lucky to have them,” I said honestly. “Thank you. All of you. For everything you’ve done . . . and everything I’m about to ask you to do.”
“Thank you, Aura.” Rafe clasped his hands together. “You helped bring my daughter and the rest of our citizens home. You were brave to help Maja. And even braver to stand up to all of this.” His gaze swept the now-empty chamber.
“I had a little help.” I smiled at my friends. “And a lot of painful training.”
“If you’re talking about learning to manage dark energy, you’re welcome.” Maja pointed to the labradorite necklace I still wore. “You’re going to need that again. Just you wait.”
“Gods, I hope not.” I shuddered. “I’m still recovering from last time.”
“Tell me about it,” Maja said wryly. “At least it’s over. For now.”
“Maja,” Rafe acknowledged. “Let Aura celebrate. Today marks a big victory.”
“And tomorrow begins her whole new level of workaholic-ness.” Elin sighed. “But we’ll be right there in the trenches with you. I promise.”
“You always are.” I shot my bestie a grateful grin.
“What do you say, Glitre?” Viggo’s pride permeated the entire room. “Can we take a few hours off to celebrate?”
“I guess,” I said. “What did you guys have in mind?”
Signy’s eyes darted to Viggo. “We may have set up a little thing in the academy courtyard. It’s only a few desserts, and balloons, and . . . well, you’ll see.”
I arched my brow. “How did you know the resolution would pass?”
“Maja told us it would.” Wynter pointed to Viggo’s cousin.
“Maja,” Rafe admonished. “You’re not supposed to look into the future.”
Whoa. Maja can do what?
I studied the dark faerie through narrowed eyes. “Hey, Maja?”
“Mmm?”
“Any chance you want to work with the government? Join the regent’s cabinet, maybe?”
Maja tilted her head. “Do you want to know your future?”
“Me? Gods, no.” I slid my arm around Viggo’s waist. “I know everything I need to—for now, anyway. But since there’s a crazy dictator with a grudge out there, well . . . we could use every bit of help we can get to keep things running smooth around here. Right?”
Maja pressed her lips together. “I’ll think about it.”
I looked at Viggo. “Honestly, that’s a better answer than I’d expected.”
Maja jutted her hip. “I am a team player, you know. Just ask Dad.”
“I know you are,” I said seriously. “That’s why I want you on my team.”
Maja shrugged. “Who doesn’t?”
I grinned. “Maybe Signy’s award-winning scones can convince you. Did you make any for this ‘little event,’ Signy? Perhaps those ones with the thick sugar granules on top?”
Signy folded her arms. “Do I look like this is my first garden party?”
With a laugh, we followed her out of the senate building, and made the journey back to Alfheim Academy.
True to form, my aunt had pulled together an elaborate spread. Long, linen-clad tables framed the courtyard. They were laden with every imaginable dessert, beverage, and of course, an endless supply of fresh blooms. Elin had strung tiny lights and streamers around the courtyard, and I had no doubt Jande and Finna were responsible for the bevy of crystals placed strategically around the party.
“For harmony,” Jande called as I bent to study a purple stone that stood three feet tall. “We knew you’d want to jump right into work, so we borrowed some crystals to charge the space with restful energy.”
“Are you allowed to do that?” I asked him.
Jande shrugged. “The faculty’s on summer vacation, too. What they don’t know won’t hurt them. Right?”
“I guess not.” I laughed as I let him drag me over to the cake table. He shoved a plate filled with scones and waffles in my hands before stuffing an entire cupcake in his mouth.
“What?” He grinned through a mouthful of crumbs. “It’s a party.”
And it was. We spent the rest of the day celebrating. Rafe, Signy, and Larkin entertained us with stories from their days at the academy, while Maja and Wynter swapped stories about their unconventional gifts. If Maja did decide to work with us, I had no doubt she and Wynter would become fast friends.
At some point, Elin turned on the music, and Jande challenged everyone to a dance-off. Zara impressed us with her hip-hop moves, but Rafe proved to be the biggest surprise of all. He waltzed an embarrassed Maja across the grass in a graceful display of athleticism. When they’d finished, Jande demanded he stick around to teach a ballroom class at the academy.
“Please? Please, please, puh-lease?” Jande folded his hands together. “Ondyr can learn so much from you.”
“Hey,” Ondyr objected. “I dance just fine, thank you.”
“You do many things well,” Zara said solemnly. “Dancing is not one of them.”
Ondyr growled at his training partner.
Viggo nudged my shoulder with a smile. “I’ll sign up if you do.”
I gazed at him. “Guess your parents weren’t the only Sorenssöns who had that particular gift, huh?”
“I guess not.” Viggo snaked his arm around my waist and tugged me closer. He lowered his head, and pressed his lips to mine in a slow kiss. A pulse of heat shot straight through me as the pressure of his lips increased. I sighed contentedly as Viggo ran his tongue along my bottom lip and hiked my hips against his. My heart thundered, the intensity of Viggo’s kiss overwhelming me in the best possible way. When Viggo finally pulled back, my head spun from the lack of oxygen.
“Mmm.” I murmured. “What was that for?”
“For being you.” Viggo kissed me again. My wings fluttered, and he reached out to tweak the tip of one. My sword tattoo sparkled in the late-afternoon sunlight, the mate-mark a perfect match to the one on Viggo’s wing. “Lucky thing, the Norns pairing us up.”
“We’re very lucky.” I rested my head on his chest, feeling the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat against my cheek. “For a lot of things.”
And we were. As Viggo slipped his arms around my waist and held me close, Elin turned up the music. Viggo rubbed lightly at the small of my back as we swayed to the beat. I angled my head to kiss him lightly before settling into his easy rhythm. While we danced, I took in all of the happiness that surrounded us. Rafe and Maja walked Ondyr through a basic waltz, while Jande and Zara struggled to contain their laughter. Finna, Wynter, and Elin twirled beneath a string of lights, while Signy and Larkin chatted over a plate of scones. My heart swelled as I took in the sight of everyone I loved best, relishing an evening of pure happiness. In this moment I felt joy, love, and complete and total peace.
Not long ago, I’d pledged to protect Alfheim from forces that seemed insurmountable. I’d vowed to ensure our realm remained a sanctuary—one where everyone was safe to be exactly who they were, whether that was a senator or an älva or a student who just wanted to leave our realm a bit better than it had been when they’d found it. But I’d quickly learned I wasn’t meant to do any of that alone. I was going to protect our realm with my friends at my side.
It was time for us to get to work.
Aura’s adventures continue in:
Alfheim Academy: Royal Rebel
THANK YOU FOR READING AURA’S STORY!
Reviews of this book and others are hugely appreciated, and make my author heart sing.
If you’re looking to check out any of my other Norse-inspired YA Fantasy books, try:
- PERFEKT ORDER (the Norse God of War’s story); then try
- ELSKER (the Norse God of Winter’s story).
And if you love time-travel, adventure, and Vikings, check out VIKING ACADEMY, where a seventeen-year-old girl lands in a world where Vikings rule the seas and dragons roam the skies, and the only thing more dangerous than the chief who takes her captive is the rival who steals her away.
If you want to connect with me, you can find me on Twitter or Instagram (where I share Norway/Disney/hiking photos, and book teasers), or sign up for my Reader’s Group to get monthly updates and freebie alerts.
TUSEN TAKK!
Find out what’s next for Aura in…
Alfheim Academy: Royal Rebel
Aura Nilssen’s life hasn’t gone at all according to plan. She’s the unwitting heir to a tainted throne, the recipient of not one but two unwanted legacies, and she’s on the hit list of every dark realm in the cosmos. But with weeks to go before her graduation from Alfheim Academy and official coronation as queen, the reluctant royal thinks she can finally take a breath.
* * *
She should have known better.
* * *
When her allies’ borders are breached, Aura knows it’s only a matter of time before Alfheim is attacked. As dark powers move against her home, Aura and her friends set out to determine exactly who might be strong enough to overpower the light realms. With more than just Alfheim’s future on the line, Aura will risk everything to save the world she’s grown to love . . . and the warrior who’s claimed her heart.
* * *
Read ROYAL REBEL now!
Want more of the älva? See the world they fill with magic in . . .
VIKING ACADEMY
* * *
* * *
Erik held me until my shoulders stopped shaking—whether it was a minute or an hour, I couldn’t tell. The only things I knew for sure were:
I was trapped a thousand years in the past, with little hope of ever going home. And,
I was wrapped in the arms of the most absurdly gorgeous Viking to have ever walked the face of the Earth.
Maybe my old life was overrated.
When seventeen-year-old Saga Skånstad discovers an antique dagger, she’s instantly sucked into a world where Vikings rule the seas and dragons roam the skies, and the only thing more dangerous than the chief who takes her captive is the rival who steals her away. The heir of Norway’s most feared tribe is fierce, cold, and absolutely unyielding. With intruders encroaching upon his borders, Erik Halvarsson has little patience for the girl whose ignorance threatens his very existence. He enlists Saga in the magical Valkyris Academy, where she learns the skills she’ll need to protect herself from foreign raiders and domestic terrors. But nothing can protect her from falling for the one guy in all the world she’s absolutely forbidden to choose . . . or from risking everything to unlock the secrets that haunt him.
* * *
When darkness threatens Saga’s new home, she must decide whether to return to the life she’s always known, or fight for a love she never could have imagined. Her decision will determine a legacy—not only for Saga, but for the world she never knew she was fated to lead.
* * *
Read VIKING ACADEMY now!
Meet the God of War’s Norse crew, in …
THE ÆRE SAGA: PERFEKT ORDER
* * *
* * *
All's fair when you're in love with War.
* * *
For seventeen-year-old Mia Ahlström, a world ruled by order is the only world she allows. A lifetime of chore charts, to-do lists and study schedules have helped earn her a spot at Redwood State University’s engineering program. And while her five year plan includes finding her very own happily-evah-aftah, years at an all-girls boarding school left her feeling woefully unprepared for keg parties and co-ed extracurricular activities.
* * *
So nothing surprises her more than catching the eye of Tyr Fredriksen at her first college party. The imposing Swede is arrogantly charming, stubbornly overprotective, and runs hot-and-cold in ways that defy reason…until Mia learns that she’s fallen for the Norse God of War; an immortal battle deity hiding on Midgard (Earth) to protect a valuable Asgardian treasure from a feral enemy. With a price on his head, Tyr brings more than a little excitement to Mia’s rigidly controlled life. Choosing Tyr may be the bigges
t distraction—or the greatest adventure—she’s ever had.
* * *
Read PERFEKT ORDER now!
And read all about THE ÆRE SAGA on S.T. Bende’s website, www.stbende.com.
Also By S.T. Bende
Meet the Valkyris crew in VIKING ACADEMY.
VIKING ACADEMY
VIKING CONSPIRACY
VIKING VOW
* * *
Meet the Norse gods in:
THE ÆRE SAGA
PERFEKT ORDER
PERFEKT CONTROL
PERFEKT BALANCE
PERFEKT MATCH
-and-
THE ELSKER SAGA
ELSKER
ENDRE
TRO
TUR (a novella)
THE ELSKER SAGA: COMPLETE BOXED SET
* * *
Meet the faeries in ALFHEIM ACADEMY:
ALFHEIM ACADEMY
DARK FAERIE
* * *
Meet the demigods in NIGHT WAR SAGA.
PROTECTOR
DEFENDER
REDEEMER
* * *
And introduce your Padawans to STAR WARS!
Complete list of S.T.’s Star Wars children’s titles
at http://www.stbende.com/star-wars
* * *
Stay in touch with S.T. at www.stbende.com.
And find pronunciations, translations, and info on all things Asgardian on S.T.’s website at WELCOME TO ASGARD.