Page 58 of Frost Bound

I wish you were here with me.

He closed his eyes and took a moment to compose himself, the snow melting beneath the soles of his feet.

You can do this.

The snow reached his knees, but he hardly felt a thing as he faced thevalles. The princess had pulled her hood back up and slumped over Nova. She looked like a wilting flower. He frowned, and curled his hands into fists. His people needed a strong queen.

Olwen clicked, and Cessa fell in line with the otherrukhals.

He nodded to his Haunt as Nova approached him. Neve held his hand out and gave the beastie a rub along his snout, pulling a dried date from his pocket. The mount lipped it off the flat of his palm, his large dark eyes seeming almost happy.

“There’s a good boy,” he murmured in Loriian. “Come.” He clicked, and Nova began following him down the slope toward the river’s edge.

“Why did you disrobe?” the princess asked, her voice hoarse. “And where are the rest of the delegation?”

“They’re traveling to the bridge. We’ll meet them there,” he replied in the common tongue.

The chilly water lapped at his bare feet, but it wasn’t too bad. He’d swum in far colder waters. Neve led Nova farther into the water when the princess gasped.

“What do you think you are doing?” she asked. “The bridge is over there.”

“This is where we cross.”

“Certainly not,” she said, her voice going shrill.

Nova waded deeper into the water, and Neve clicked for the beastie to stop. He peered up at his humanloviaye.

“This is part of the ceremony.” He bowed before the princess as cheers exploded from his people. His hearts pounded as he straightened. He held out his hand. “Take my hand,seittae.” Adding a please never hurt anyone.

She pushed back her hood and stared at his upturned palm like it was a snake. Neve waited, feeling the stares of his people keenly. The breeze picked up, brushing a few pinkish-gold strands of hair across her pale face.

Her eyes darted from him to the water, to his people, and back up the riverbank. His back molars ground together as he read her mind.

She is going to bolt.

Neve stepped closer and curled his hand around her calf. She jerked at his touch, but he ignored it, pulling until the princess slid toward him. He caught her around her tiny waist, and she hissed when he maneuvered her until she sat sideways on the beast’s back. He took her left hand in his own and she tried to pull away. He growled, and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, holding out his left hand toward the water.

He could feel the dainty bones beneath her skin. He brushed his thumb along the rapid pulse there. “We need to cross. Do not worry. I will do most of the work. I just need you to hold on.”

The whites of her eyes widened, and he flinched.

“No. I will not.”

He gnashed his teeth, feeling like his fangs would snap off. “You don’t have a choice. This is what must be done.”

“You’re trying to kill me,” she spat.

He jerked. Why the devil would she think that?

Before he could respond, she clicked and nudged her heels into Nova. Therukhallunged forward and to the side just asthe princess yanked her hand from his hold. He shouted as thevalleslost her balance and tumbled off backward into the river.

Chapter Twenty-One

DAHLIA

Her back hitthe water first, then the icy barrage closed over her head.

Dahlia reflexively gasped and clawed for the surface, kicking her legs though they tangled in her skirts.

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