“Let’s dance!” Anna tugged on Caelo’s arm. “You too Neve and Vale.”
I looked at my mate, who grinned.
“You’ll have to teach me the common dances. Clem only informed me of the courtly ones.”
“We’ll be learning together,” I said.
“Speak for yourself.” Caelo stood and offered his arm to Anna. “I could dance this in my sleep.”
“Then we’ll follow your lead.”
We took to the floor and Caelo, the cocky bastard, showed us and everyone else in the tavern how adept he was at the common dances. I snorted as he grabbed Anna by the waist, lifted her and spun. The human squealed, and Neve laughed before turning to me.
“Well, aren’t you going to spin me?”
I lifted my mate, breathing in her intoxicating scent as we spun, and she laughed. Around us, villagers cheered and clapped, happy to see others happy. Caelo set Anna down, so I did too and soon enough we lost ourselves in the music, the dance,
I didn’t care that I was likely doing it wrong. My friends were having fun, as was my mate. We had coin to fund our trip, and we were on our way to safety. The fae of the village danced with us, beaming and singing and laughing. A few looked as though they were working up the courage to ask Neve to dance.
My mating bond hummed inside, but when I caught Neve staring up at me, her eyes only for me, I relaxed. A villager might ask her to dance, and if she wished to do so, I’d allow it—with a stipulation that the dance partner keep his hands to himself—but she wasmine. And I was hers. My bond might insist on possession, butwhen it came to our love, we had nothing to worry about.
Neve beamed. “No serious thoughts. Be with me, Vale. Dance with me.”
I brushed aside a stray lock of her hair and looked her in the eyes, committing this moment to memory. “I’m with you. Always, with you.”
Chapter 15
NEVE
At dawn, we rode for Riis Tower. Our safe haven. There, I could continue to search for clues as to where the Ice Scepter might be. I had to believe that, at the very least, I knew more than King Magnus, who might not even know that Roar was dead.
I gazed past Vale and his horse. Ahead was an arch of stone that clung to the side of the mountain. From so far away, the passage appeared large enough for horses and their riders to go beneath one by one.
Somewhere on the other side of that arch, we’d exit the Red Mist Mountain Range. According to the Fellhelms and a musician Caelo spoke to the night prior, once we were out of the mountains, the road would run along a river that fed a lake so colossal that some called it a small sea. Vale claimed that body of water was the same lake where House Vagle built Staghorn castle upon.
I blew out a plume of white breath. The temperaturehad dropped again overnight, making it so cold that my thick fur cloak was barely enough to keep me lukewarm.
I cast a furtive glance at Anna, riding third in line. She was not a winter fae, and if anyone would be the worst off in this weather, it would be her. For that reason, my friend wore thick clothing, a gift from the dwarves, andtwofur cloaks. One down her back, the other cascading down her front, leaving only the smallest of slits for her to expose her arms to hold her reins. Judging by how her teeth chattered, her furs weren’t doing the job either.
I swallowed as I turned back around, not wanting her to catch me staring. I coddled her, or so she claimed. But humans were so delicate and this kingdom so cold, so happy to take a life and bury it deep in snow.
But we only needed to last until tonight. In the nearest city, Vitvik, I’d been told, we’d once again have a fire and a warm bowl of stew. There, I could buy more clothing for Anna. Perhaps hire a sleigh enchanted by a fire fae to keep it warm?
I’ll ask Vale. It won’t slow us down that much . . .
The tunnel through the mountain was now upon us, and Vale held up a hand.
“Let me check the inside first.”
Now that we were closer, it was clear that this was no short passage through. Darkness indicated the tunnel was of some considerable length and that meant many creatures could be within. They might simply be taking shelter from the winds, but they could also be hiding for more nefarious purposes.
“Neve, let Caelo take second position.” Vale twisted in the saddle and waved his friend forward. “Just in case.”
“I can fight.” I patted my sword, Sassa’s legendary blade, and felt the dagger on my other hip shift as I did so. Vale insisted we all travel armed to the teeth, and I did not disagree.
“Of course you can fight. That’s why you’re the rear guard,” Vale replied with a grin that warmed my heart. “We very much need you to watch our backs, Force.”
“Flatterer.”
