Page 36 of A Winter Redemption
“Idon’t see why you’d be surprised that I’ve never been ice skating before,” Jarne said as he tied his skates, trying to ignore the slight tremor in his hand. “When would I have gone?”
“I’m pretty sure there is ice skating in Bordertown,” Ketho said.
“I’ve always been too busy with work,” Jarne said.
Rivers in Bordertown froze sometimes in the winter. Not often but usually every couple of years. Then eager individuals would grab their skates and go out onto the ice. Jarne had seen people do it.
Jarne stood and stared out at the shimmering, flat ice stretching before him.
How thick is the ice? How easily would it break?
A few years ago, he’d seen a couple skating along one of the frozen rivers. They’d smiled and laughed at each other, holding hands. A moment later, a scream had pierced the air as the ice cracked and shattered.
They’d fallen in.
Luckily, passers-by had pulled them from the icy river. They’d survived. But the same year, he’d heard that others had died after falling through the ice. So even if he hadn’t been busy with work, he doubted he would have been keen to go ice skating.
But Ketho had asked him and told him it was safe. Jarne didn’t have much time left with Ketho. He’d leave the Norend Mountains after Winter Solstice, which was just two weeks away. He enjoyed spending time with Ketho. And he thought Ketho liked spending time with him.
Unlike Sasha, who had only married him because he was useful. Sometimes, Jarne wondered what Sasha thought of him. Did he dislike Jarne? Hate him, even? Had Sasha been miserable during their marriage? Had he despised sucking Jarne’s cock that first time? How had he felt when they fucked? Had he gritted his teeth each time he approached Jarne?
Just thinking about it made Jarne want to vomit.
But Ketho enjoyed spending time with Jarne. Ketho got nothing for spending time with him. Which meant he must genuinely like doing so. So when Ketho had suggested they go ice skating, Jarne had said yes, wanting Ketho to continue enjoying Jarne’s presence.
But now, standing here staring at the lake, he regretted his earlier boldness.
Jarne tried to hide his nerves, keeping his face neutral. He just wished the ball of anxiety would stop bouncing around his stomach. He tried not to imagine himself falling through the ice and flailing in the water. Jarne didn’t even know how to swim.
Ketho smiled, unaware of Jarne’s nervousness. “Yes. I know. You were always too busy with work. It’s a recurring theme.” Ketho straightened and finished lacing his skate shoes. “Good thing you can focus on fun and frivolity now.” Ketho reached out his hand. “Now come on.”
Jarne took his hand. Then he stared out at the ice. The clouds’ reflection rolled across it. The lake stretched so much wider than the rivers in Bordertown. If the ice broke in the middle, he’d be so far from the edge. He didn’t know how hard it would be to climb out of the water onto the ice and then get back to shore.
Jarne straightened his shoulders. “Are you sure it’s safe?”
“Very sure.” Ketho faced him. “Although, I should tell you something.”
“What?”
Ketho’s lips quirked. “I’m not a very good ice skater. Honestly, I didn’t grow up skating and have only skated a handful of times.”
“What?” Jarne cried out. “Then why did you suggest it!”
Ketho’s eyes widened, the man surprised at Jarne’s outraged tone. “I thought it might be fun,” Ketho said. He squeezed Jarne’s hand. “Give us a chance to do something novel.”
White marks like scars scratched the surface of the ice. Evidence that others had skated here previously. But no one skated today.
Was there a reason for that? Perhaps ice needed breaks. Perhaps the stress of being skated on constantly increased the risk of the ice cracking beneath them.
“If you don’t know how to skate well, then how can you tell the ice won’t break?” Jarne snapped.
“You’re worried,” Ketho said, sounding slightly surprised.
“Of course I’m worried! It’s ice with freezing water beneath. If it breaks…” Jarne swallowed, suppressing a shiver. He didn’t like this.
It was one thing to trust Ketho when he was an expert, another if it was just Ketho thinking this might be fun. And Ketho was half-oread. If he fell into the freezing water, it probably didn’t matter too much, what with him not feeling the cold as Jarne did.
“Jarne, look at me,” Ketho said, voice calm and gentle but firm too.
