Page 21 of A Song of Saints and Swans
The air between the two gods was crackling with a volatile energy that made my hair stand on end. True to their dynamic, Jarilo dropped his gaze first, but not before his eyes swept over me with fathomless emotion swirling in their golden depths.
“Never say never, goddess,” he murmured before disappearing in a flash of fiery light.
Thawing a Frosted Heart
MARENA
As my closest companion, Jarilo always knew how to push my buttons, but rarely did I lash out at him so vehemently.
What has gotten into me?
It was a rhetorical question, as the obvious reason for my outburst was standing before me. Anthia awkwardly shifted on her feet, usually so confident, yet somehow more appealing for howunsureshe looked.
Stop getting attached, Rena.
“Jar will be back after he’s calmed down,” I soothed, compelled to make sure she was comfortable above all else.
“I don’t care about Jarilo and his hissy fit,” she sniffed, making me fall in love with her all over again. “It’s not the worst thing for a snob like him to hear some real talk about how the world works.” Her expression softened as her violet eyes swept over me. “How areyoudoing?”
Me?!
“I’m fine, ‘Thia,” I quickly redirected, wondering if my intuition powers were rubbing off on her. “I’m simply concerned about what I might—or might not—see when Iscryfor those two lovebirds. Why don’t you go join them and poke around theVardo,since you didn’t get the chance to before we, ah…”
I trailed off as my entire body responded to the memory of Anthia’s cunt squeezing my fingers, of her shattering in my arms while my twin brought her to ruin a second time. Warmth rose to the surface of my skin, quickly chased by a thin layer of frost as I vainly attempted to not give myself away.
Don’t. Get. Attached.
“I’ll look later,” Anthia murmured, stepping closer, leaving me nowhere to run. “Right now, I want to be withyou.”
My hands clenched into fists as I harshly reminded myself not to read too deeply into her words. “As you wish, but I’m afraid you won’t find scrying to be terribly interesting.”
She rolled her eyes before looping an arm through mine and practically dragging me toward the lake. “Oh, yes, howtediousit will be to observe an actual goddess using her powers of second sight to predict the future. How will I not die from boredom?
I threw my head back and laughed, all awkwardness forgotten. Despite the horrors she’d lived through, I appreciated how Anthia always fully shared herself with me in this way. Her friendship, her humor and opinions—even her casual touches were willingly given without me ever feeling as if I were intruding or taking them without permission.
Of course, I wished for more between us, but with the way Jarilo and Anthia not-so-secretly looked at each other, I’d be a fool to think she wanted us both.
Friends it is, then.
Friends who occasionally ride each other’s fingers…
“Why does ice keep appearing on your skin?” Anthia dramatically shivered. “Oh! Canyoudisappear like Jarilo did? Do you turn into icicles or something?”
I laughed again, delighted by her questions as we settled onto the grassy bank overlooking the lake. “Yes, I can also dematerialize. I become more of an icy mist than icicles. Although…” I trailed off, feeling my cheeks heat, like a ridiculous human teenager.
This is so unacceptable.
“Tell meeeee,” Anthia giggled, snuggling against my side with no concern for how her proximity was driving me mad.
Unable to deny my little dove anything, I sighed in resignation. “I’m able to form ice…appendages,for when others want—”
“Oh, my goddess—YOU PEG JARILO?!”Anthia joyfully shrieked before furtively glancing around, as if my brother might suddenly turn up.
I knew he wouldn’t, as we respected the other’s privacy while incorporeal. Not to mention, Jarilo had legitimately seemed upset before he vanished, so I didn’t expect him to return anytime soon.
Especially sincemyharsh words were probably to blame.
“I wonder if it runs in the family?” Anthia continued, unrelentingly mischievous as she thoughtfully tapped her bottom lip. “Because Vasi told me Asabegsher to rail him into the mattress.”
