Page 68 of Ties of Frost

“Are you all right?” Zidra dropped to a crouch next to me, her eyes wide with worry.

Grand. Falling out of my hammock like an idiot was such a good way to convince her to stay.

“Kyr?”

I forced a smile. “I think my pride took the worst of it.”

She rolled her eyes and stood. “Your pride could take a few hits.”

I caught her hand before she fully straightened. “You were worried about me, though.” I winked. “Admit it.”

“Obviously. Who is going to sense Rouven’s traps if you break your skull falling out of bed?” Yet she didn’t pull her hand free of mine, and the corner of her mouth twitched with mirth.

My lips curved into a full smirk. “On second thought, I think you’d best check me for injuries. Just in case.”

Zidra pressed her lips together and raised an eyebrow as she looked me over. “No blood. You’re fine. We’re nearly to the inlet.” She tugged on my hand. “Get up.”

I pushed to my feet and let the added momentum of her pulling propel me forward. We bumped into each other, and I snaked my free arm around her waist.

“I don’t know,” I whispered as I gazed down into her coppery-brown eyes. “I’m feeling a little lightheaded.”

Pink tinged her cheeks. “I’m starting to believe you’ve never flirted before. This is terrible.”

Leaning closer to her ear, I murmured, “Then why are you breathless?”

Someone cleared their throat, and Zidra nearly leaped out of my arms, wrenching her hand free of my grasp. Stifling a sigh, I turned to face the sailor. His skin had taken on a ruddy hue as he stared determinedly at a post off to my right.

“We’ll be passing the Seath Inlet within a quarter hour. Rengir Hargren has already headed to the deck.” He bobbed an awkward sort of bow and turned sharply on his heel before marching away at an impressive speed.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you make someone uncomfortable,” Zidra said dryly. She darted around me and followed the sailor.

Well, she wasn’t angry I’d broken her no-flirting request, so I counted that as a win and trailed after her.

On deck, the air was cold and sharp with the taste ofsalt. The bright edge of the sun crept over the coastline to the east, casting the mountainous coast in shadow and setting the peaks ablaze in glowing orange. Something stirred in my chest at the sight, familiar yet foreign. While I was growing up, we lived near my mother’s family in Bryluthia. But we’d visit my father’s family in Glacori on the other side of the Ithemorca Mountains most summers. Many pleasant memories included watching the sun melt behind the mountains as the stars came out.

Zidra stepped up next to me and leaned against the railing, squinting at the horizon line and taking deliberately slow breaths. For a moment, I let my mind run wild, imagining taking her to meet my family, watching white ermine bounce through the snow, and showing her all my favorite places in Glacori and Bryluthia. Well, not all of them. I’d already shown her the pond where I’d learned to ice skate and my favorite ice elf cathedral a few years ago, after we’d finished a mission together in Glacori. My wistful mood evaporated.

Looking back, I don’t know how I’d mistaken her disinterest in my tour for mere exhaustion when she was probably resenting me for elbowing in on another of her missions. At the same time, it felt equally foolish that I’d thought I needed to show Zidra places that I remembered fondly from my childhood but also hadn’t realized how much I cared for her.

Zidra shivered and wrapped her arms tighter around herself. Only the bustle of sailors going about their tasks around us stopped me from putting my arm around herand pulling her close. Not that I cared what they thought, but if Zidra was unsure about our future together, she might care.

My magic tugged inside me, drawing my attention from Zidra to the coast.

Captain Hulme pointed at an indentation along the coastline. “There it is.”

I nodded. “I can sense potent ice magic.”

“I suppose it’s time, then.” Sajen shifted into his huge gryphon form. I could barely see over his lion back without going up on my toes, so I was relieved when he crouched down for me to clamber onto his back.

Zidra turned toward us. “Be careful. Both of you.”

“When am I not?”

A sound rather like a laugh rumbled deep in Sajen’s chest, but Zidra gave me an unamused look.

“All right, when is Sajen not careful?”

She shook her head. “Iskyr guide you and bring you safely back.”

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