Page 38 of Frost Bound

Neve blinked at his best friend. “What do you mean?”

“Flyka won’t be leaving your side, per her oath, but thevallesshould not be alone with a male that is not her family or husband.” He pursed his lip, his long scar puckering. “Even though you’ve been married by proxy insaloescustom, the marriage rites have not been completed in Loriia.”

“So concerned about the princess?”

Olwen shook his head. “No, but I can sense she’s on the verge of losing it, and I don’t want to deal with a royal tantrum.”

“Fair enough.” Neve rolled his neck. “Put Flyka, myself, and the human in one room, and you and Eyri take the other.”

Olwen whistled. “I don’t like you with just one warrior.”

“You don’t think I’m enough?” Flyka asked, joining their conversation.

“No, but you have more than one royal to care for now,” Olwen pointed out. “You’ll have both thereillovand our futurereilleve’s lives in your hands.”

Future queen.

It echoed like a bad joke in his ears. Had he really thought this through?

Flyka nodded. “You’re right. We’ll all stay in the same room, and set the other one up as a decoy.”

Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention. Eyri stood beside the princess, whispering softly to her. He frowned at his cousin. What was he doing?

Neve cleared his throat. “My lord? Your room is ready.”

Eyri nodded and held his arm out, gesturing for the princess to go first. She curtsied, and then strode toward their group. Flyka climbed the stairs first, followed by the princess and Eyri. Neve’s nose twitched as she passed him, a delicate scenthovering in her wake. He rubbed his nose, trying to dispel the smell, and followed her up, Olwen hot on his heels.

Neve hid his smile at how his friend grumbled about tiny human spaces. It would be nice to be home soon, where none of them would have to stoop to get through doors or worry about the support of any given chair.

Flyka unlocked the door to the room and gestured for thevallesto enter. The princess moved straight to the small fire and crouched before the hearth, seeming to ignore everyone. Neve assessed the room. It was large enough that they would all be able to sleep. His gaze moved to the bed. Undoubtedly, the princess would want it, which was fine. It wasn’t as if anyone would fit in it except asaloes.

“What are you doing, my lady?” Olwen asked, leaning his shoulder against the wall nearest to the door.

Neve glanced at the human as she tossed more wood on the fire from the rack. “Building the fire.”

“It’s already sweltering in here.”

“I’m freezing,” she muttered, her odd eyes narrowing. “How are you not cold?”

“Frost giant,” Olwen replied, with a smirk and a wiggle of his brows.

She blinked hard and dismissed Olwen, unlacing her dripping cloak. Thevallespulled it from her shoulders to hang it next to the fireplace.

Neve flinched, and ignored the choked sound from Olwen’s direction.

The green dress she wore was almost transparent and clung to her curves. It was vulgar, unnatural, and … something else.

Tracing the line of her figure made him want to fidget. To fit his hand to the flare of her hip.

Qov.

Neve crossed his arms and looked away. He froze as he watched his inner circle gawk at the human. Eyri showed curiosity—ever the scientist. Flyka seemed to be searching for weapons, and held two of her fingers out. Two hidden weapons.How cute. And Olwen—well, his best friend held a gleam in his gaze that Neve wasn’t quite comfortable with. It seemed the human form appealed to his friend.

Olwen caught his glare and shrugged sheepishly.

“We should all get some rest,” Eyri said, breaking the silence. “You may have the bed, my lady.”

The princess put her back to the fire and Neve blinked slowly. He could see her breasts. Well, most of them. It was difficult to look away from the oddity. The women of his culture weren’t as endowed as humans. Breasts were to feed their young, nothing more. Thevallespushed up and out of an undergarment that looked like a shield strapped to her body.

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