Page 28 of Blood of Ancients

My brow furrowed and I scooted closer. I’d let my spear fall off the bed to give us room. Even with that, half my ass was hanging over the edge. To say it was uncomfortable sharing the cot with another person was an understatement.

I’d take the discomfort if it meant listening to any of my men speak.

“I failed,” Arne said. “As usual.”

“Don’t.” My face hardened. “Remember what I said about self-pity? Where’s the confidence you first showed on theGray Wraith, when you threatened to break Ulf Torfen’s fucking kneecaps if he laid a hand on me?”

A wistful smile curled the corner of his lips. “Shrouded in doubt, unfortunately.”

“Doubt about what?”

“About losing you, little fox.”

Gently, I pawed a hand through his bright hair. Even gentler, I leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead.

I could get used to having a soft boy in my pack, even if it was unexpected. It was nice to have someone I could talk to at times, and open my heart to. By contrast, Grim was silent, Magnus couldn’t open himself up, and Sven was exasperating.

But Arne? This was a new side of the iceshaper, and I appreciated it. My body grew warm around him, hyperaware of our proximity, despite my body’s exhaustion.

He didn’t make a move. He respected my wishes of simplybeingand notdoing.Staring into each other’s eyes—his sky-blue orbs radiant in the darkness of the cave dwelling.

“So what happened?” I asked, wanting to hear his voice.

It was soft, coated in sugar. “Dieter denied me. Said Frida has too much pull with the Lepers, especially the young recruits.” He raised his brow as if just remembering something. “They got four new members between terms, by the way.”

“Well that’s . . . good. Right?”

His nod wasn’t very reassuring. “As long as we can keep them on our side.” He hesitated for a long while to speak. Then, finally, he added, “I just wish Dieter and Frida and all the others saw in you what I see in you.”

The burn returned to my eyes, the lump to my throat. Biting my lip, I asked, “And what do you see in me, Arne?”

“Hope, little fox. Someone who can force change. Someone worth following.”

My chin trembled for a flash. I sniffed to keep it together. Flaring my nostrils, I said, “That’s sweet—”

“It’s the truth, love.”

I nodded, content with that. Not finding the need to defend myself, as I so often felt like I had to. I realized Arne was laying it on thick, saying all the right things to stay on my good side.

But gods be damned if it wasn’t working.

After a long while of companionable silence, my eyes started to get droopy. Our arms were entwined, hands buried in our hair, making soft motions to relax one another.

Lust burgeoned inside me, heat swimming in my belly. I could tell by the leaves-little-to-the-imagination pajamas he wore, and the protrusion between his legs, that Arne felt the same way.

He cleared his throat, moving his hands from my silver hair and pale face. He took my knuckle and kissed it softly.

“Arne . . .” I groaned, closing my eyes.

I wouldn’t resist what I wanted. I told myself this was the calm before the storm. I deserved the pleasure from my men because I didn’t know when I’d get it next.

Still, teasingly, almost infuriatingly, Arne resisted.

A disconnected thought came to me, seemingly out of nowhere. “You’ve said Frida has been with the Lepers for years, and the new recruits respect her. How can that be, if she’s your younger sister and you’ve only been at Vikingrune for two years?”

“Well, little fox.” He cleared his throat. “To understand that story, you have to understand the Lepers Who Leapt have been around nearly as long as Vikingrune Academy itself.”

I chewed my lip, both of us seeing what was happening—coyly trying to take our minds off each other.

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