Page 41 of Ties of Frost

Then where under Iskyr’s great sky was she?

I had just determined to go find her, even if she would be angry with me, when I glimpsed movement through the forest. Tensing, I eased forward, then leaned heavily against a tree as I spotted Zidra’s tan face and bouncy curls. She angled forward, struggling with dragging a brown mass behind her—a deer. A large one, too.

When she reached me, she dropped the deer’s leg with a grunt. “Hunting deer in this form is frustrating,” she muttered. “I can smell them, I can follow them, I can hunt them as humans do—and elves, I suppose. But it’s so much easier to swoop down and catch one in my claws. Easier to carry it back, too.”

“You werehunting?” I demanded. “Why didn’t you tellme?”

At least she had the decency to look embarrassed. “I caught the scent and hurried after them. I didn’t want to lose the scent, and I didn’t think it would take so long.” Her face screwed up in a scowl. “It’s been years since I hunted without shifting. Deer are so heavy.” Abruptly she looked at me. “And however you were sending sensations through the heartbond without me accessing it, stop it. Your worrying was distracting.”

“Oh, forgive me for being concerned that you vanished! At least thanks to the heartbond, I knew you weren’t dead or in imminent danger.”

Zidra rolled her eyes, so exactly like I’d earlier imagined that I almost laughed. Shaking her head, she knelt beside the deer. “Then why were you worried? Making me rush back for no reason. I need to field dress it still, then we can depart. Can you transport it on another ice disk?”

I huffed. “Of course I can. But I don’t know if it will keep all day, even with my ice to keep it cold.”

“I don’t need it to keep all day, just long enough for someone to buy it.”

“Ah, it’s for coin, not food.”

“Of course. Coin is much easier to transport and doesn’t spoil.”

Zidra made quick work of removing the deer’s innards, and soon we were off again. Once my agitation abated, I was glad things seemed normal between us. My vague admission last night hadn’t ruined our friendship, and the turbulent emotions we’d both felt had faded with the night.

Still, I couldn’t deny that even if our external relationship remained the same, something had changed inside me. I was more aware of Zidra than ever. Of her practicality, quick-thinking capability, and range of skills, yes. But also of her presence, of the heartbond tying us together…and of how wildly attractive she was.

Not long after we started north, we stopped at the edge of a mixed human and elf village comprising a cluster of wood and wattle-and-daub houses and shops. While Zidra negotiated the deer’s price with a villager, I stood back and watched because it gave me a chance to admire her while she was distracted.

I’d always thought Zidra was beautiful, but now as I took in her lean, curvy figure, full curls, and tan skin, I couldn’t believe I’d never stopped before to think about how alluring she was. Perfect from head to toe, even in her scuffed boots, dusty fitted trousers, and leather breastplate, with a sword at her hip, a bag strapped to her thigh, and a traveling pack on her back. She looked capable, dangerous, and gorgeous.

No, I had to stop thinking like this. She wasn’t interested, so we would stay friends. Or become strangers, if that was what she wanted.

Even if what I wanted was to put a ring on her finger and never part ways with her again. Although right that moment, all I wanted was to wrap my arms around her, draw her close, and kiss her like my life depended on it.

“Kyrundar?”

I blinked, startled out of the pleasant daydream of herlips pressed against mine. I cleared my throat. “Ready to depart, then?”

She gave me an odd look but nodded.

We’d been traveling for less than half an hour when a strange sight caused me to slow. Ahead of us on the road, a lone man raced in our direction on foot. Sunlight glistened on the sweat dripping from his brown forehead, and dark patches of perspiration marked the front of his plain shirt.

“Something is amiss,” Zidra said, just as the man started shouting.

“Help! Help! You there! Help!”

I frowned, trying to decide how to phrase this. “I’ll take care of whatever this is. You’re not—”

“My current condition does not negate my oaths,” she said hotly. “Put us down. It looks like we may have a mission.”

The only mission we officially had, and the one that concerned me most, was finding Rouven and saving Zidra’s life. Still, I couldn’t turn aside from a person in need, and I’d only waste time trying to convince Zidra to stand aside—something that went not only against her vows but against her very nature.

I brought us down in front of the man, who stumbled to a halt, breathing hard. Short, sweat-slicked dark hair parted around his rounded ears, and he was on foot. Most likely a magicless human.

“Please,” the man said between gasping breaths, “with your magic, you can travel much faster than I…” His eyes bulged, focused on the insignia pinned to my chest. “Rengiri!” He collapsed to his knees and held up clasped hands. “Thanks be to Iskyr!”

“What’s your name?” Zidra handed the man her water flask. “And what has happened?”

“Allinde.” After several gulps of water, he pointed back down the road. “My village—void wolf. We’ve no mages and only two light elves with little training. Sent a runner to Baslune for rengir assistance, but I was going to Deersfield village to ask for men to help hold the village.”

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