Page 120 of Ironling
Kneeling on the cobblestones, he gave the hand sign for Wülf to sit. The mutt did, looking up at him dutifully as Hakon relayed more signs, instructing him to return to their room and wait.
Hakon intended for the block he’d tied to Wülf to make as much noise as possible along the way.
Giving the signal to go, Hakon stood. Wülf grumbled, rising to his feet and shaking out his coat. With a canine huff, the dog started out through the dark, the block clattering behind him.
Hakon just needed a few moments of distraction. And to charm a good bone from Hugh as a reward.
Letting loose the rope, he swung the grappling hook he’d filched from the armory, gaining momentum until it swung in a wide loop. He let it fly, hand hovering over the slithering rope.
The hook caught between two rails of the balcony. With a testing tug, Hakon secured the rope around himself, made a loop for his foot, and heaved himself up.
Hand over hand, he climbed.
His beast rumbled with impatience and hope, thinking soon,soonthey’d see her.
He climbed faster when the stones of the railing whined under his weight.
Sweat beaded down his neck as hand over hand, leg up, hand over hand, he made the third level.
Hoisting himself over the rail, Hakon pulled the rope up behind him and listened.
The east courtyard below was silent. No alarm had been raised. He didn’t even hear the block Wülf dragged behind him.
Flaring his nostrils, he dragged in as many scents as he could before turning to the set of arched doors leading into her solar. From what he could smell, it was only Aislinn in her room. It pleased a visceral, instinctual part of him that it was only female scents that came from his mate’s rooms, and the only one other than his mate’s was Fia’s, and it wasn’t fresh.
He tried the knob and—it was locked.
Biting down on his frustration, he peered through the leaded panes into the solar.
The room was dim, the fine fabrics of the drapes and rugs and tapestries absorbing the meager light that flickered from a half-dozen candles across the room. It was enough, though, for his orcish eyes to see Aislinn bent over a writing desk, hurriedly scratching at a piece of parchment.
Just the sight of her soothed his unruly beast a little.
With a knuckle, Hakon rapped on the windowpane gently.
Aislinn jumped in her seat, startled eyes looking about the room. He rapped again, drawing her gaze and—
His heart sank into his stomach.
He caught the glint of tears in those wide eyes.
She blinked at him in surprise, and he realized his big hulking form must look threatening, a dark mass come from the shadows to tap at her door.
“Aislinn,” he murmured, not sure she could hear, but hername tasted right on his tongue. “Please open the door.”
She stood slowly, taking a few cautious steps before hurrying to the doors. The lockclickedopen, and Hakon hastened inside, shutting and locking the doors behind him.
For a long moment, they just stared at each other.
Her solar wasn’t warm but wasn’t cool either, the fire in the hearth banked for the night. Candles flickered about the room and one lantern burned low. Despite the late hour, she was still in her gown for the day, her hair still set with pins.
Something’s wrong.He could smell it in her scent, the salt from her tears burning his tongue, and could see it in her posture, as if a small breeze would topple her.
When she finally opened those perfect lips to speak, it was to tell him, “You can’t be here.”
Hakon tossed the rope to the floor and closed the distance to her. Taking her face between his hands, he said, “I had to see you.”
“If someone sees…” Fresh tears gathered at her lashes, making Hakon go cold. “Bayard can’t know.”
