He was painfully aware of the rhythm of her steps, the soft hitch of her breath when the path grew steeper, the warmth that radiated from her even through layers of winter clothing. The night was cold and crisp, but her presence felt like a roaring forest fire that was spreading, searing everything in its path, and impossible to ignore.
He shouldn’t be doing this. He shouldn’t be anywhere near her.
Humans are fragile, his mind screamed. But his dragon warned him with a rumble in his gut.She is ours.
Jakob clenched his jaw. “Stop,” he muttered under his breath.
Mallory slowed and glanced up at him with a puzzled smile. Moonlight caught in her hair and turned it almost silver. “Sorry? Did I miss a turn or something?”
“No,” he said quickly and forced his expression to remain neutral. “Nothing. Just… thinking.”
They continued on, but Jakob veered from the main trail and angled toward a stand of denser trees. It was an unconscious decision to not take her back immediately, but one that he appreciated when he recognized it.
The air seemed to change as they left the marked path behind. This was an area that few knew. It was a hidden path that could only be accessed by royals who carried dragon blood. Humans weren’t supposed to ever know of its existence, and he’d been sworn to secrecy long ago never to betray that.
And yet the pull to show her something beautiful, something uniquely his, was stronger than his caution. He couldn’t have stopped himself if he had tried.
Mallory glanced around as she noticed the shift in direction. “This doesn’t look like the way back.”
“It isn’t,” he admitted.
She hesitated for half a step, then caught up with him. “Should I be worried?”
He stopped and turned to face her. “You trust me?”
The question slipped out raw and honest.
Mallory blinked up at him, and he read the surprise that flickered across her face before it softened into something else. “Should I not?”
His chest tightened painfully. “You should always be cautious,” he said quietly. “Especially with me.”
She studied him for a long moment, as if weighing his words. Then she smiled and he saw sincerity. “I’ll risk it.”
Gods.
She had no idea what she was saying. No idea how deeply those words cut, or how fiercely they lodged themselves into his soul, he needed to figure out how to guard his heart.
They walked on until the trees opened abruptly and revealed a pristine lake. It lay before them like a sacred secret that the mountain had been keeping. The surface was as smooth as polished glass and reflected the stars in perfect clarity. Frozen plumes of ice rose along its edges and caught the moonlight. Snowflakes drifted through the air and sparkled as if the night itself breathed magic.
Mallory stopped dead.
Her voice spoke with a reverent sound. “Jakob…”
He followed her gaze even though he’d seen the lake a hundred times before. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
“Yes,” he said quietly.
But he was no longer looking at the lake.
She stepped forward slowly, as if afraid the vision might vanish if she moved too quickly.
“It feels unreal. Like we walked into a painting.”
“A very old one,” he replied. “This place remembers things.”
She turned back to him, eyes bright. “You really didn’t have to bring me somewhere this special.”
“Yes, I did.” He motioned to the lake. “Come on. Let’s walk out there.” The lake breathed cold up at them through a thick layer of ice that would keep them safe.
