I look away and clear my throat. “Okay, let’s be strangers.”
“Walk with me?”
I’m curious; that’s why I follow her, or at least, that’s what I tell myself. But the truth is I think I would follow her anywhere. I clasp my hands behind my back and follow her through my ice forests. She sees a joy in my world that no one ever has.
She doesn’t talk a lot, but when she does, I find it's something I want to hear.
Days and nights bleed together as I follow her.
I can’t make myself stop.
After a while, I forget to want to stop.
She’s standing on a hill looking up at the midnight sky with the millions and trillions of stars. She looks lonely.
I don’t think about it; I just walk up beside her. I’ve been following one step behind, unable to figure out how to close the distance between us. But now, she looks so forlorn, and I can’t stand it. I take her hand in mine.
Electricity zaps from my hand to hers and back, but I don’t pull away.
She stills, and her little fingers curl around mine. Her cheeks get a rose hue, and I think I feel her hand tremble. Do I affect her as well? Can she feel what’s between us?
“I want to give you something so that you remember me forever.”
“I would never forget you; it would be impossible,” I say, though the words come haltingly. I have never needed to express an emotion before, and never one this powerful.
“Would you accept my gift, Winter Wolf?”
“I do,” I whisper, absolutely transfixed by her liquid silver eyes. “I will.”
My hand burns, and when she pulls hers free, I lift my hand to find a swirl of stars and a moon tattooed in a perfect white design.
“It’s beautiful,” I murmur and look up at her. The world stills; my cold winter eases off. “You are beautiful,” I whisper, putting all my feelings into those three words.
Her cheeks turn the most delicate shade of pink.
“May I also give you a gift?”
She nods. I conjure an ice crystal and place it just below her neck. It disappears into her skin.
“What is it?”
“If you need me, if you ever need me, place your hand over the shard of ice and call for me. I will come.”
She steps closer, one hand over the ice shard and one on my chest. I look down at her and think that this is love.
“Do you promise?” she asks urgently. “No matter where I am? You will come?”
“Wherever you are, I will come. I swear it,” I vow.
She wraps her thin arms around me, so delicate and so strong. I hold her, too. It is the happiest moment of my life.
We watch the night turn into day, and then she keeps walking. She leads me to beaches, across mountains.
I know nothing about her, but I know I want to spend the rest of time following her around like this.
She turns and smiles at me.
“This has been fun.”
