Page 38 of Hold my Reins

“What the fuck?” He ripped off the goggles and inspected the chain more closely.

Lynck sighed and pulled the goggles off before pulling out the earplugs. “No luck?”

“None. I don’t even know if the oxy torch will work.”

“It won’t,” Arn said.

Rox spun to face the door where Arn stood, arms crossed.

Lynck gasped and backed up, ears flattening. “You didn’t say your boss was a frost giant.”

Rox glanced at Lynck, then back at Arn who wasn’t even supposed to be there. “A what?”

Arn shrugged, but as he did, his skin took on a bluish tone, and ice crystals formed in his white hair. He also grew an extra foot.

Rox’s heart quickened. He’d fucked up even though he hadn’t wasted work time or supplies, even though nothing was damaged. “I’m sorry for using work tools.”

“I don’t care about the tools,” Arn snapped. “That is a bridled kelpie. He belongs to?—”

“Lynck doesn’t belong to anyone.” Rox stepped forward. Who was Arn to say anything about a bridle?

Lynck put his hand on Rox’s arm and nodded at Arn. “He knows the rules.”

“I don’t care about monster rules. This is the human world, and you can’t own people.” He was getting fired for this, he was sure of it, even though Arn needed him to work while he was away.

Arn ignored him. “Who is your master, kelpie?”

“That is none of your concern,” Lynck said. His voice was firm, but his ears betrayed him.

“You were trying to remove the bridle.” Arn took a step forward.

Lynck’s hoof tapped the concrete. “And? I am in the human world. It has no power. No use but to serve as a reminder of the cruelty of the frost giants.”

Oh, shit.Bothvar was a frost giant. Not that Rox knew what a frost giant was or how to recognize one without the ice and blue skin.

“You are forbidden to remove a bridle.”

“It didn’t work, so it doesn’t matter.” Rox’s voice pitched up at the end, and he cursed himself for not being able to act like he was calm.

Arn and Lynck glared at each other.

Finally, Arn nodded and returned to the human-looking man Rox was familiar with. “Fine. Leave. Both of you.”

Rox swallowed. Was that a leave forever?

“The kelpie is not to be here again,” Arn growled as he picked up a box from the work bench. “Understood?”

“Yes,” Rox said.

“I will watch the cameras while I am away.”

Rox nodded. He’d seen the cameras on the outside of the building, though had assumed they were to protect the tools not spy on who was coming to the shop.

“I will not set hoof on your property,” Lynck said.

Arn glared at Lynck, then stalked out, the door slamming after him.

eighteen

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