A shadowy silhouette of cavalry thunders over the hill and into the valley toward us. They ride a variety of creatures, and my heart pounds with anticipation. Reindeers storm at the forefront with antlers raised high, while the rear guard is comprised of lumbering polar bears. Giant white foxes dart in and out of the formation with ease. And leading the troop is a massive moose, its mighty legs propelling down the hill with grace and power.
Atop each of these beasts is a fae soldier, dressed in the sapphire blue regalia of Winter.
The soldiers rip through the wraiths, distracting them with blade and spear and rounding them into a tight circle. From above, the ranger atop the snowy owl shoots flaming arrows into the mix. A rider on a polar bear throws a flask into the ring of wraiths, and blue fire explodes around them. Whatever they’ve done to their weapons has made their fire impervious to the relentless downfall.
Ezryn and I back up against each other. “It’s the Kryodian Riders,” I breathe.
47
Farron
Ihaven’tseenastorm like this in years. The clouds, heavy with rain, loom low over the realmlands, sparking with lightning. Rosalina sits in front of me atop my great elk, Thrand. Her white mare, spooked by the thunder, trots behind us on a lead.
“This certainly came on quickly,” Rosalina calls above the wind.
When we embarked this morning, the sky had been clear, that gray-blue color I’ve only seen in this realm. Rosalina and I had set forth to a village frozen by one of those wraiths.
Kel had barely batted an eye at Rosalina and I traveling alone.He trusts me,I realize.He trusts that my magic is enough to protect his mate. A warmth blooms in my chest.
With Autumn’s Blessing, I’m the only one strong enough to unfreeze an entire village on my own. With the rest of our forces spread thin, I’m happy to take these missions. Traveling to the village today took the better part of the morning, but the relieved faces of the citizens had been worth it.
As grateful as the villagers were for my magic and presence, it was Rosalina who had truly comforted them. There was a feeling of harmony in the way she handed out the supplies, a trust and comfort in her words that didn’t sound forced but brimmed with genuine optimism. I might have used my flames to clear the frost, but Rosalina left something else gleaming in their eyes.
The spark of hope.
It’s her faith in all of us to make this right,I think.Her faith in me.
Faith that I’ve had a hard time finding lately.
“The weather can be temperamental here. The storm probably won’t last long.” I urge my steed forward. His giant hooves splatter in the mud. The wind pelts my face, and my clothes are completely drenched.
And not just mine. Rosalina’s beige tunic is soaked, and through the light material, I see the dark shape of her pointed nipples. My thoughts run wild with need. I want to spin her around, take her breast in my mouth, wet fabric and all, and suck her until she’s aching.
My elk starts up a rocky incline, and the shift in gravity presses Rosie flush against me. My riding pants do little to hide my engorged cock as it rubs against her ass.
“Oh.” Rosalina lets out a breathy sound, and it’s as if she’s deciding on whether to move away. Her hand drifts up into the rain. “There’s beauty to the storm, isn’t there? Something wild and uninhibited.”
“You mean dangerous,” I say.
“Or is it only perceived that way? Storms renew ecosystems, enrich the soil, and help prevent fires. The calamity of a storm heals.” She leans against me, pushing herself into my bulge. “Imagine being that way: wild and unafraid, if only while the rain falls.”
“A stroke of lightning,” I murmur, my hands moving around her body. “A flash, and then it’s gone.”
“But what a flash it could be.” Her voice is low, hungry.
I know what she’s doing. These moments alone together have only made me doubt when I failed to touch her in the hot springs or when I couldn’t kiss her at the burned library.
My logical brain knows I made the right choices then.
But while the rain falls…
“Hold these for a moment.” I hand her the reins. Thrand is so well-trained he doesn’t require much guidance. “I should stretch.”
I splay my fingers on her soft stomach. She leans her head back against my chest, admiring the scenery. The red and gold trees bend and creak, their branches lashing out in the gale. Bursts of lightning illuminate the dark noon sky.
“Are you cold?”
“Not too bad,” Rosalina says, but her shiver tells me otherwise.
