Page 218 of The Sun He Buried

Nobody reaches for it.

Eirik stands between us.

I didn’t see him move.

His gloved fingers press into Baldr’s shoulder. The silver mask covers his mouth, but the rest of his face is open.

Completely.

His purple eye burns.

The pale-green one is fixed on me.

The Dróttin is gone and what’s underneath is looking straight at me.

He saw me disappear inside that kiss.

He felt it.

And he couldn’t stay in his chair.

Baldr sees it too.

His face empties.

Eirik releases him.

His eyes go cold. His shoulders settle. When he speaks, the words are already aimed.

“She leaves with you when the road opens,” he says. “Try not to look so frightened of the wait.”

Eirik turns.

He walks out of the Hall.

No one stops him.

The door to the inner passage shuts. Baldr keeps looking at it.

He knows.

Whatever lie we were all sitting inside has broken.

I touch my mouth.

“Baldr.”

He looks at me.

His eyes are the same two colors they were an hour ago.

He looks older.

I want to take his hand.

That’d be another lie.

“I’m sorry.”