“I’m agreeing, Lark. You can erase your hangdog frown because I’m saying yes. Oh! Not—” Her eyes go wide. “Not yes like it was an actual proposal. Just… yes, I’ll pretend to help you with the sentry. I mean, I won’t pretend to help. I—ah!” Sheexhales sharply, then groans. “Iwillhelp you. Not pretend. That is…I’ll help by pretending.”
I bite back a grin.
“Drowning Deep. Make the words stop.” She glares at the floor, the prettiest pink blush colouring her neck and cheeks.
I can’t help but laugh. “I understand you. At least, I’ll pretend to.”
“Hey, I’m trying to help here.” She swats at my shoulder, but at least she’s smiling now.
“And I’m grateful. Can I ask why, though? And don’t say it’s to apologize, because we’re all even there, especially after you broke that pipe clean off just so I’d get paid to fix it.”
She lifts her chin. “Yes. That is why I did that.”
Putting that smile on her face makes me warm inside, which I refuse to think too much about.
“No more apologies,” she says. “I’ve had enough of those. Which is why I need to know what I’m doing from now on. I really need this job, but I don’t have much experience. I just—I don’t have anywhere else to go right now. I’m, uh…figuring some things out. So I need to stop messing up before Daria sends me away.”
“Well, let’s see… Experience serving hungry mouths?”
Val tilts her head.
“Check. Cleaning up after messy customers? Check. Kitchen know-how? Laundry? Using tools?” I continue ticking off fingers. “Check, check, and check. Looks like I’m your guy.”
She finally relaxes. “I figured you might know this practical stuff.” Instead of trying to explain a lifetime of luxury and palace life leading to this gap in knowledge, she simply shrugs. “I want to learn.”
And,huh? What do you know? I think I believe her.
For a princess, she’s awfully humble.
“I can definitely help. Plus, it’s good for me to put those skills to use around here. The last thing I need is a sentry turning up to find me lacking. There’s a lot I can’t offer these kids, but I have to keep us together. I can’t bear the idea of separating them.”
“Of course not,” she says immediately. “You’re great with them—from what I saw at breakfast the other day.”
I scoff. “If you call constantly messing up and having at least one of them upset with me ‘great,’ then sure, it’s great.”
Val’s smile is too understanding, and words come tumbling out of my mouth.
“I sometimes wonder if it would be better to let the youngest ones go with the sentries. Maybe their best chance isn't with me.”
The moment I say it, agony flares in my chest. I’ve never voiced the thought out loud before, have no idea why I did now. The idea of saying goodbye to Aili. To Eevi. Maybe even Helkki—
It’s just that no matter how much I do, it never feels like enough.
It’s their fault they got stuck with me. I never expected Frederik to die and leave me in charge. No one planned for the orphanage to be shut down. I was just the last option when it all fell apart, that’s all.
Val’s hand grips mine, steady and firm. “No way,” she says with an intensity that startles me. “Why would you think that? It’s obvious how much you love them. And what guarantee is there that they’d find that again?” She shakes her head. “Besides, it’s clear to anyone with eyes that you’re a family. Already, I’ve seen how much you do for them, Lark. That’s what a family is supposed to be like.”
I swallow hard. When was the last time someone stood up for me?
“Now,”—she puts a hand on my chest—“we’re doing this, right? Together?”
I nod, unable to find words with how she’s looking at me—with fire, with certainty, with something fierce and blazing.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice rough. “I think I really needed to hear that.”
“Good. Then reminding you will be my job while you teach me how to do my actual job.” Her hands slide out to my arms where she gives a gentle squeeze. It sends a strange, thrilling warmth through my middle. “After all, what’s a fiancée for?”
I smirk, feeling bold in our new closeness. “Oh, I’ve heard fiancées are good for quite a lot.”
