Page 45 of A Sword of Ice
“Try it,” she dared, a smile curling her lips. “Kill me and say goodbye to my help.”
His lip curled back in a sneer to show the gleaming glint of his canines. “What makes you think I won’t?”
“You came to find me for a reason. You obviously need me.”
His dark eyes flashed violently and a moment later, a muscular arm tore between them, shoving Iona back a step. Then Julius was in front of her, his wide hands shoving against Uric’s shoulders. He didn’t seem like he’d used force, yet still the other male went flying back, hitting the far wall with a clang before sliding down it in a heap on the floor.
The white-haired Fae snarled and stood to his feet, gripping his knife. Julius let out an answering growl. Iona had half a mind to let them tear through one another. There was no doubt in her mind that Julius would win that battle with his brute force.
But if these were to be her new companions, she couldn’t create animosity between them. Her hand shot out and placed over the leather on Julius’ arm. He froze, turning to look at her with his flaring nostrils.
“Don’t,” she warned.
He didn’t look inclined to listen to her.
“Enough!” Prince Valerio stepped forward, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He dropped his hand and looked up at Iona with searching eyes. “A familiar is a gift from Mana,” the prince continued. “One we cannot ignore, and we will not. Of course your familiar will travel with us, but we must be ever vigilant with a creature that size.”
She dropped her hand from Julius’ arm and felt a strange tingling sensation as soon as she did, so she brought her digits to her thighs and started tracing out patterns against her pants.
“Where is he, if I may ask?”
Iona stared at Valerio. “Porir City Zoo. He’s in a special enclosure.”
Uric huffed with annoyance. “And how do you expect us to get in there?”
She smirked and reached inside her pocket, procuring the iron key in her palm. It burned against her skin, but it was a pain she’d grown used to after all these years; she still had the tiny scars crisscrossing against her fingers as evidence.
“How do you have a key to the zoo?” Clay asked, amusement shining in his already bright eyes.
“Because I work there. Rather, worked there. It’s a long story, one meant for another time.” She pocketed her key. “So are we leaving or what? I had a plan mapped out to get him out of there before you all ganged up on me in the alleyway.” There was no real ardor in her voice, rather a bit of affection.
She’d only known these Fae for a short while, but already she felt a deeper connection with them than she had with anyone else in Porir in all the time she’d been here.
“What exactly was your plan?” Prince Valerio sounded amused.
“Get in. Get him out. Leave Porir.” She shrugged.
“Good enough,” Clay supplied with a chuckle.
“Do we split up?” Before the question was even asked, all the Fae began shouldering their bags that were leaning against the wall and sheathing their swords at the belts on their waists, just beneath their coats.
“We go in together,” Prince Valerio decided. “You lead us through the city, since you know it better than anyone. We leave discreetly. There are too many soldiers and we cannot afford to draw attention to ourselves.”
“Follow my lead and you won’t,” Iona assured them. Confidence oozed from her in waves, because this feltright.Being around these Fae were the answers to all her prayers.
“Then let’s go.” The prince started towards the door and the others followed in a single line after him. Ryker and his familiar passed and Shula followed, the fire Fae giving Iona a look she couldn’t quite decipher before turning abruptly and catching up at Ryker’s heels.
Julius and Iona were the last ones left in the room and he was facing her, as if waiting for her to go through the door first or waiting to say something.
His mouth opened. Closed.
Iona rolled her eyes, yet a smile still tilted her lips. His sudden insecurity seemed rather adorable. Like he didn’t know quite what to make of Iona. She wondered if he was the type of Fae to dream about his mate and if she lived up to his expectations or if he was disappointed. If he was, there was no helping it. He’d have to accept the hand that Mana dealt him or leave her alone.
She’d never took the time to dream up of that kind of life, with a mate and offspring, when all that had occupied her mind had been thoughts of war, a past she could never change, and a future that was too far away to be chased.
Yet here her mate stood, staring like he didn’t know how to approach her in a way that wasn’t with brute force. Because she’d shot him down and kneed him in the groin twice.
She felt the sudden urge to approach him, to kick past the walled barriers for a brief moment to ease his mind. This must have been as new for him as it was for her, and what other way to navigate it than together?
