With nothing left to add to the conversation, Crow lapsed into silence for the rest of the walk back, his thoughts wandering to how he would deal with his father over the next few days. Albin had been set on his plan to negotiate with Gorm, so he probably wouldn’t be in a good mood now that he had to start over from scratch. There was going to be at least one meeting to discuss the changes, if not more if a solution couldn’t be agreed upon quickly by the council members. The viceroy knitted his brows, perplexed as he pondered when he would be able to bring up his intentions to court Penelope without being shut down on the spot. Until things settled down again, discussing that subject with the king was going to be tricky.

Eventually, they reached the large, iron gates that curtained off the palace courtyard, and Crow yawned, worn down from the long day. He looked forward to curling up on his soft mattress to sleep that night. With any luck, all the exercise he’d gotten earlier would stave off his nightmares as well. He needed as much rest as he could get before he faced his father about the war and his love interest.

“Me too,” he mumbled as they passed through the opening in the barrier. “I can’t stop thinking about my pillow.”

Trudging through the steadily accumulating snow, the viceroy pulled ahead of the knights again when they approached the entrance to the castle. He climbed the steps and waited for the night guards to open the oversized doors, silently marveling at the men’s fortitude to stand outside in such brutal weather. As soon as the path was clear, he led the way inside the foyer.

“Warmth at last,” he sighed in relief, lowering his frosted hood from his head. As peaceful as the winter night had been, he was glad to have escaped the cold that came with it. He kicked the toe of his boots against the stone floor and shook the snow from his clothing. “I should take Naida back to her bedchamber, since our rooms are close together,” he said decidedly, looking up at Penelope once his cloak was free of ice. “I’ll see you tomorrow, love. Get plenty of sleep.”