The air in Onyxheim felt different this time.
Colder. Sharper. And charged with memories she hadn’t asked for.
She stood out front of the hotel with her duffel slung over her shoulder. Her heart hammered painfully as she stared at the mountains that rose around her. Snow dusted the peaks like a warning.
Don’t run into him,she prayed silently despite the fact that her heart warred with her head.Please don’t run into him.
She was here for research. Official and pre-approved medicinal studies. That was the excuse.
The truth sat heavy in her chest.
Meg’s trail had led her back here too. She had texted the unknown number when they landed. She had no idea if anyonewould read it, but she had no idea how else to let anyone know she was back in the Northlands. Despite her assertions to her parents that Meg was not a part of her decision to return, it made the research aspect feel less like an excuse and more like a shield.
Mallory kept her head down as she checked in and felt the first real crack in her resolve right off the bat. The hotel was the same.
The same stone archways, the same welcoming hearth in the corner, and the same faint scent of pine and smoke. Even the desk clerk recognized her and offered a polite nod that made her stomach flip.
Her room once again overlooked the same stretch of frozen valley. She set her bag down slowly and her fingers brushed the edge of the bed. She sat down hard and told herself she didn’t miss him.
That was a lie.
She missed the way he watched over her. The way he made her feel like the world would rearrange itself to keep her safe. She pressed her palm to her chest and breathed through the ache.
Get it together.
She needed something for the jitters. It was later in the day than she normally drank coffee, but the memory of the wonderful local roast had her scurrying out the door.
The hotel café was quiet at that hour, all amber light and soft murmurs. The scent of roasted beans welcomed her brain and cut through the cold that clung to Mallory’s coat. She avoided a glance at the table where Jakob had greeted herafter the ball. Despite her need for caffeine, the place held more memories than she had anticipated.
She got in line and found her gaze locked on the table in the corner despite her intentions. She suddenly wished that Brooke and Violet were with her this time, even though they had all drifted apart after their trip. Mallory tried not to blame them for being angry at her disappearance, but there was no way to fix anything when she had no answers to offer.
“Black. No sugar.”
The voice made her head whip around so hard she almost cramped up her shoulders. She knew that voice all too well.
Her breath stuttered.No. Not here.
Without even looking up, she knew he was there. Her heart recognized him before her mind ever caught up and her spine stiffened.
She stepped to the side to look at the front of the line as dread crawled up her throat.
And there he was.
Jakob stood at the counter. She could see snow melt into the dark fabric of his coat and was close enough to notice the faint scar along his jaw she used to trace with her eyes when she thought he wasn’t looking. He looked like everyone else here, not a king. He was just a man ordering coffee.
Which somehow made it worse.
This was the last place she would have expected him. She had planned on avoiding anywhere official where he could be. She never expected him to be somewhere before she could brace herself. Especially not on her first day back.
She should run back to her room before he saw her. She took a step backward but couldn’t tear her eyes from him. He was right there and all she wanted to do was run into his arms, not away. Her heart slammed against her ribs as indecision kept her rooted to the spot.
As if Jakob felt her stare, he turned.
Recognition flared instantly, sharp and unmistakable. His expression went still and he looked as if the world had dropped out from under him too. He never picked up his coffee before he crossed the short distance to her.
“Mallory,” he said quietly, like she might disappear if he said it too loud.
Hearing it from him again sent a rush of heat through her chest. She hated how fast it happened. How her body reacted before she could armor herself.
