Page 124 of Into the Isle

They were losing ground.

Within minutes, when I checked over my shoulder, I saw they had given up.

Sven howled at the full moon one last time—his grievance to the gods for letting us get away.

Then he and his ilk padded away, defeated, distraught, and likely eager to find another morsel to hunt down.

We were halfway up the path when I set myself onto my belly and Ravinica climbed off. She half-rolled, half-jumped, and landed awkwardly.

I shifted, staying on my hands and knees.

“Thank the gods,” my little sneak said, breathing heavily. She put a hand on my shoulder. “Are you all right, Grim?”

I nodded, trying to catch my breath. Sweat poured down my chin, my forehead, my arms. I was naked and filthy, bleeding lightly from my side.

I could still taste Ravinica’s essence on my tongue. That was all that mattered anymore. Her.

“How fucking exhilarating!” she cried out, pumping her fist. “Riding a bear? That wasn’t on my bingo card.”

I let out a snort and faced her as she helped me up from my knees. “How about riding a bear twice in one night?”

She blushed, recognizing my innuendo. “Yes . . . about that.”

I put a hand to her chin, lifting it so she wouldn’t look at the ground in shame. “We don’t have to ever speak on it again, if you don’t want, Ravinica.”

It pained me to say. But I would do it for her—forget it ever happened.

We started walking up the mountainside path. She was quiet for a long while, while my heart rampaged in my chest. It was less about the adrenaline of our chase that worried me, more about how Ravinica would react after what we’d done.

“Never speak on it again?” she said at last. “That sounds like a dismal way to celebrate one of the most rewarding moments I’ve had at Vikingrune Academy.”

My head spun, eyes bulging. She grinned, eyes alight with mischief.

I couldn’t help but grin also, learning how she truly felt. “But, Ravinica . . .”

Her face grew stern. “You didn’t force yourself on me, Grim, if that’s what you’re wondering. I made that choice on my own. And by Freya am I glad I did. It . . . was everything I’ve been feeling over the past few weeks with you but couldn’t explain.”

“The feeling is mutual.” My grin remained. It was rare I smiled so much, and so long. I never had much of a reason to. With Ravinica in my presence, looping her arm around mine . . . how could I not love it?

“You didn’t go berserk, either,” she said. “I’m proud of you for that. It would have spelled bad news for me.”

We were nearing the top, the academy. I still had so much to say to her. “You were able to calm me, somehow. You hold a power over me no one else ever has, sneak. I don’t know how, but I can’t deny it.”

Her beautiful face brightened, rosiness coming to her cheeks. “I’m glad for it.”

I had this woman. This light, who could be the single shining thing to guide me through the depths and darkness of my past.

“I never finished my story before the full moon hit me,” I drawled as we leveled out on flat ground, with the gates ahead of us.

Huscarl Grant, overhead, yelled out, “They’re back! Grim’s naked as a newborn and the girl is okay! Not limping or anything!”

The other guards laughed at his crude joke.

Ravinica rolled her eyes. “Fucking boys,” she muttered, making me laugh. She wrapped an arm around my waist. “Truth be told, I am a bit sore. You’re . . . something else, Grim Kollbjorn. Now what was it you wanted to tell me?”

We passed under the gate. My heartbeat flared. With her arm wrapped around me, my cock also flared, swinging and stiffening between my legs. It would take everything inside me to give her any semblance of peace and quiet for the rest of the evening.

I tamped down my arousal, squeezing every ounce of willpower out of me. I said, “You deserve to know, and come to your own conclusions and decisions. I never want to deceive you or make you feel unsafe.”

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