For some reason, I didn’t think my icicle controller had realized I was using a very small part of my magic.
I was beyond grateful for that.
Relief wasn’t a big enough word for what I felt when Dain brought me back to myself. His bond with me allowed me to break away, and thank the Ice Goddess for that.
I’d felt him long before he’d gotten through, and it was as if I could see our silvery thread growing in size and strength, until finally, it was stronger than the icicle magic.
And now, not only was our viramore bond bright and shining, Dain had also accepted my icicle gift. We were forever bonded in more ways than one, and I was so… content and looking forward to our future.
Honestly, I was a little giddy on the inside, although I was still stressed and exhausted from this trying day.
My happiness over Dain was overpowering everything else, though.
“You okay, big guy?”
I nodded. “Yes. Just drained and really hoping I’m not about to be arrested by the dozens of king’s guard surrounding us because I just want to go home and maybe, um, hold you for a while.”
“I want that too.” He blinked. “Wait. You think they’re gonna arrest you?” Turning in my arms, but not moving away, Dain surveyed our surroundings.
Half of the trees in the park were either ripped apart from my wind or laid out on the ground, having been knocked over. There was snow and ice covering absolutely everything, and the immediate area around us was buried in a foot and a half of snow. I honestly had no idea how Dain had even slogged through it to get to me, and I had a feeling that snow was the only reason the king’s guard were staying back and not tackling me to the ground.
I winced. Maybe I shouldn’t have given Dain my icicle without knowing what prison cell I’d be thrown into. Would having my icicle make our separation even harder on him?
Shit. I hadn’t been thinking about anything other than our connection, and now… now, he might come to regret bonding with me.
“Is that… is that Ailin and Sebastian Ellwood?” Dain asked, squinting and nodding off to our right.
I squinted too and sucked in a breath. “Holy crap. I think it is.” I didn’t know them, but I was pretty sure everyone in the entire world had seen their pictures.
“Huh. I didn’t expect them to come.” He turned and patted my chest. “Don’t worry. We’ll be okay. Between Tan and the Ellwoods, I’m sure they’ll be able to work this out for us.”
“You know them?”
He shrugged. “Yeah. Anton and Jed introduced me, and they’ve been trying to get me to come to one of their movie nights for months.” I cringed. “Probably more like years, but anyway, they’re good people, and since none of this was your fault, I have no doubt they’ll help us out.”
Well, wasn’t my viramore full of surprises?
“Let’s go over there now and see what’s going on. Hopefully, someone arrested whoever had your icicle.”
He seemed… so calm now, although I could tell he’d been crying a lot from his swollen and red eyes. I’d felt it and seen it for myself, even if I hadn’t been able to comfort him right away. I felt awful that he’d been in such a state, but there was really nothing either of us could do about it.
Dain took my hand and started wading through the snow, but I waved my free hand, clearing a path for us.
“Thanks,” he said, tugging me along. “Let’s get this over with so we can go home.” He glanced over his shoulder. “And bygo home, I mean, let’s both go to your house and stay in bed for afew days because there’s no way in hell I’m separating from you for a very long time.”
That made me grin. “I like the sound of that.”
He smiled. “Good. Plus, I want to see the inside of your castle.”
“It’s not a castle.”
He snorted. “Nope. Just an absolutely humongous house made out of ice, snow, and trees that looks exactly like a castle.”
I couldn’t help the chuckle that came out, and I felt myself relax. I knew Dain was talking and joking around to try and ease both our nerves, and I appreciated it more than he knew.
“Sooo… what’s your middle name, anyway?”
I bit my lip, then sighed dramatically. “Snowflake.”
