Page 75 of Heart of Fire
“Fierce,” she corrected, stroking his muzzle. Her heart wrenched in her chest. “Don’t ever frighten me like thatagain.”
And suddenly tears spilled from her eyes down her hot cheeks. Freyja flung her arms around his neck, but could barely reach halfway around. She couldn’t believe he’d survived.I promise you I will never turn from my fate again, if only you heal, she thought, hoping that any gods who were listening might hearher.
Heat shimmered beneath her touch. Power flushed and ebbed. Then her arms clung to the bare, naked shoulders of the man she loved so much. He winced and took a step to catch himself. Freyja clung tightly. “Rurik?” sheblurted.
“Take me into the volcano,” Rurik gasped, his left arm curled against his side and his skin mottled withbruises.
“What are you doing?” she demanded. There weredrekihunters here. Men she didn’t trust, not with herdreki’slife.
“Got to... protect my wings,” he replied, and his face blanched ofcolor.
Freyja turned, her gaze locking on Haakon’s. He and his men stood at the top of the ravine, the ballista glaring dangerously down at them. His face remained implacable, but he nodded, once, toward her. An apology, and an offer ofamends.
That didn’t mean she trusted him aninch.
Freyja’s eyes narrowed. She reached out and swatted the ballista with her power, and the hauling mechanism cracked and split inhalf.
“Just in case you have any foolish ideas before mydrekihas a chance to heal,” she called up tohim.
“Damn it, Freyja.” Haakon curled his fists at his sides. “That’s twice you’ve broken myballista.”
“Which makes us even,” she shot back, before Rurik groaned and slumped against her. “Now get out of here, before I really lose mytemper.”
Twenty
“ONE MORE STEP,”Freyja gasped, helping Rurik toward the steaming pool within one of his caves. Steam whispered from its surface, and the heat almost blistered herskin.
But Rurik stepped into the water with a sigh of relief, and lowered himself into the sulfurous liquid. He almost completely submerged, water turning his golden hairdark.
Freyja knelt beside him, though she didn’t dare touch. Would it be enough? He’d said the waters would heal him and he could drain energy directly from the elements around him—fire, water, and earth—but she couldn’t shake the horrible suspicion his wings would never be the sameagain.
“He’ll heal,” Andri said, stepping up beside her. The youth had helped her haul Rurik into his caves. Black curls raked over his face, and his eyes were the same unearthly violet color he wore indrekiform.
She wasn’t quite certain she trusted him—but Rurik evidently did. And she had no one else to turn to, who might know how to helpRurik.
“Will he fly again?” shewhispered.
Andri looked down at his cousin, his face devoid of all emotion. “If he allows himself time to rest, then yes. He’s of the First Line. Apureblood.”
Thedrekisaw her confused expression, and interpreted it. “His line descends directly from the goddess, and his blood has been kept pure. Within his line,drekihave only mated withdreki. They have not mixed their blood with dragons or serpents, or even humans. He has powers very fewdrekiown, including the ability to directly channel fire. He can manipulate the damage to his body if he regains his energy. In fact, he should have been able to heal himself out there. He was dangerously overtaxed for somereason.”
Her father.Freyja’s nostrilsflared.
“I understand why he helped you, but I do not understand why you helped him,” Freyja murmured. She had no intentions of leaving Rurik behind, nor of turning her back on Andri even for a second. “You came here to kill him, and I won’t forgetthat.”
For the first time, conflicted emotion showed on Andri’s face. He looked down at his cousin. “I came here because I was ordered to. My father wanted him dead and promised his lands to my brother.” For a moment, he seemed more of a boy than a man. “You do not argue with my father. I am not the son he would choose,” Andri replied, and lowered his gaze. “My father thinks my weakness is my mother’s fault. She’s his second mate, and he’s never thought highly of her. I was given a choice: prove I can be a son he is proud of, or watch her suffer. I had to come. I had to... to protect her. But being here... seeing Rurik again. It reminds me of everything I oncewas.”
A hushfell.
“What will your father do when he hears you failed and watched your older brotherdie?”
More emotion in those dangerous eyes. Andri blinked through long lashes. “I do not know. His heir is dead. Some within the court will say Magnus earned his death for daring to trespass on Rurik’s lands, but... my father’s loyal companions will take offense at thisdeath.”
A chill ran through her. “They’ll come for himagain.”
“Maybe.” The word echoed in the hollow chamber. “Some will be wary to rise against their prince. Magnus was one of the best, and Rurik defeated him.They’ll—”
“Their what?” she brokein.
