Page 16 of Heart of Fire
Haakon’s expression tightened. “One of them stole my wife six yearsago.”
“Stole?” he asked thoughtfully. “You come from Norway,yes?”
“Yes.”
“There are nodrekion the mainland in Norway,” Rurik mused. “Which means one travelled far to take her, and I assure youdrekido not take that which is not givenfreely.”
“Are you calling me a liar?” Haakon’s facedarkened.
“I am wondering how you were so certain your wife was taken bysuch?”
Haakon pushed his chair aside with a scrape, leaning his knuckles on the table as he growled, “Because I saw her enter the grove, and I saw the beast launch itself into the air directly after she screamed. By the time I got there, all that was left was her basket, and scattered bread loaves she’d been taking to my sister. I have not seen her since and I have spentmanya long night searching." Haakon closed his eyes briefly, his voice becoming raw. "The last thing I remember is the sight of her face as she glanced one last time at me, and the look in her ambereyes....”
"Amber eyes?" A curious tale. Rurik frowned. “Describe thedreki,please.”
“What?”
“Describe him,” Rurik repeated. “What size? What shape? Whatcolor—”
“Gold,” Haakon spat. “The beast shone like newly minted coins, which is why I’m here. I’ve heard Krafla’s beast is the samecolor.”
Gold. Rurik sat back in surprise. Dragons could not change shape into mortal form. Butdrekicould. And there was only one goldendrekihe knew of, besidehimself.
Oh,Hel.
“Árdís, what were you thinking?” He threw the thought out into the world, and felt someone far away turn toward him as she heardit.
* * *
After a rather tense supper,Freyja escaped to check on Hanna before she returned to the inn. The wine had gone to her head, and though dinner was delicious, it left her feeling a littleunsettled.
Haakon had stormed out in a huff after the confrontation over his wife, and even Rurik gave up any pretense at trying to charm her, dwelling on his wine with a frown. The story of Haakon’s missing wife bothered him more than he’d like toadmit.
A storm rumbled overhead as she found herself in the courtyard behind the inn. Freyja looked up with a harsh intake of breath. Lightning lashed the mountains that surrounded the town. The houses were spread far enough apart that there was little protection from thewind.
“What is going on?” she whispered. This mood; this itch. It didn’t feel entirely natural. Reaching out, she felt the rage of the storm slip through her fingers as though it were a herd of savage horses, whipped to fury by masters she couldn’tsee.
“Come.” A warm hand slid into hers, and Freyja looked down in shock as Rurik took her hand. She hadn’t realized he’d followed her out of the inn. His gloves were warm and he was the kind of hot-blooded man a woman would want in her bed on a coldnight.
He wasn’t looking at her. Instead he stared toward the west, toward the origin of the storm, and that intense expression on his face deepened. His fingers slid between hers, locking their palmstogether.
“They saydrekiride the wings of such storms,” he finally murmured. “It would not do for either of us to be caught out thisnight.”
“I have to check onHanna.”
Rurik stared at her for a long moment. “Followme.”
Then he hurried her into the shadows of the stables. And madness of madness, she lethim.
Five
THE HORSES WERE restless.Freyja moved among them with a quiet murmur, soothing where she could and darting glances over her shoulder at the man by thedoors.
Rurik peered through the slightly ajar door, lightning flickering over his masculine features and carving shadows across his stark cheekbones. He didn’t move, but his eyes darted, searching the skies above as if he truly expected to see somethingthere.
“This is ridiculous,” Freyja murmured. “The wyrm will not be out this night. He will be sleeping in his lair, purring like akitten.”
“Dreki. Not wyrm.” A flash of irritation crossed his face, then his eyes turned cunning. “You have seen him, youclaimed.”
