Page 75 of The Iron Flower

“We won’t be going through the border crossing.”

I cough out a laugh. “Yvan, we’d have to. The only other way into Keltania is straight over the Southern Spine.”

His lip lifts, as if he’s amused that I actually think this could be an obstacle. “We can get over it.”

I eye him with wry disbelief. “Are you telling me you can fly? Without wings? Or do you magically sprout them at will?”

Yvan’s face tenses, his smile disappearing. “I can climb it.”

“The VerpacianSpine?” I sputter, confused by the sudden change in his demeanor.

“It’s not unheard of. Some Amaz can climb it, as well.”

I regard him speculatively, remembering the immense tree he scaled the night we rescued Naga. “So, you have advanced climbing abilities, among your many other supernatural talents. I’ll have to go back to my books about the Fae and find out which type can climb vertical cliff faces.”

He rolls his eyes at me, amusement quirking the corners of his mouth. The sensual curve of his upper lip snags my attention for a moment, sending a warm flush prickling over my neck.

“Maybeyoucan climb it, Yvan,” I point out, struggling to ignore his ridiculous beauty, “but Ican’t.”

“I’ll help you. Really, Elloren, it will be easy. I never travel home through the border crossing. I always go over the Spine.”

“So, you’ll carry me clear over the Spine.”

He nods slowly, a slight smirk on his lips.

I eye him warily. “I’m not fond of heights.”

Yvan looks at me patiently, as if waiting for me to finish protesting, probably knowing that my concern for Marina and the other Selkies will win out over my fear. And there’s something else I think he knows—that beneath all the tumultuous feelings and fiery tension between us, I trust him.

“How long is the trip?” I ask, relenting.

“After we get over the Spine, a few hours on horseback. Andras is showing four mares at the Keltanian winter horse market, so we could meet him there and get a horse. Then we can travel to Lyndon, meet with Clive and spend the night at my home. We’ll come back the next day.”

I eye him skeptically. “Your mother approves of having me stay over?”

He gives me a sidelong, cagey look. “She doesn’t exactly know about it.”

I laugh bitterly. “Oh, I can just imagine the welcome she’ll give me.”

“She’s fair, my mother. She’ll give you a chance.”

“I’ve never traveled outside of Gardneria before,” I tell him, both nervous and excited by the prospect. “Except to come here, that is.”

“Well,” he says, cocking his head to one side, “here’s your chance.”

I arch an eyebrow at him. “To be surrounded by a whole country of people hostile to me.”

He smirks a bit at this and gestures toward my tunic. “You’ll need to disguise yourself a bit, but you already dress like a Kelt much of the time.”

I glance down at the very un-Gardnerian brown woolen tunic and skirt I usually wear when I’m here in the evening or working in the kitchens. “I guess I do.” I hold out my hand, sliding my tunic sleeve up to my elbow. “But what do we do about this?”

My skin shimmers emerald in the hallway’s shadowy light. Yvan brushes a finger over my glittering hand, sending a shiver up my spine and a pulse of his fire through my lines. He pulls his hand back abruptly and looks away, clearing his throat. After a moment he turns back to me, eyeing me sidelong and keeping a careful distance. “You’re an apothecary, Elloren,” he says softly. “I’m sure you can find a way to disguise your shimmer.”

I blush and pull my sleeve back down, wondering how I’m supposed to go anywhere with him and keep my wits about me. But we have to find a way to help Marina and the other Selkies. That’s all that matters right now.

“When do you want to leave?” I ask.

“At week’s end, when the winter break begins.”

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