Page 51 of Hold my Reins

His ear twitched, needing to hear Rox’s voice.

Bothvar laughed, and the two frost giants with him joined in. “I don’t care about your stupid laws, human. The kelpie obeys me and me alone. I have magic.”

“I don’t know anything about magic. How does it work?” Rox quipped.

Why was Rox trying to talk to Bothvar? Something wasn’t right, and Lynck wasn’t sure what. He wanted to tell Rox to run, that Bothvar’s patience was little more than a frayed rope ready to snap at the best of times.

“I give an order, and the kelpie obeys. Watch and learn, Roxburgh. Kill the human, kelpie.”

Lynck flinched.

Rox swore.

Bothvar glared at Lynck. “Did you hear me, kelpie? Kill the human who claims ownership but lacks a bridle. Show me you are still useful.”

He wanted to be useful, and he needed to kill. The bridle burned the bridge of his nose. But he couldn’t kill Rox. Anyone but him.

As a horse, he didn’t have the words to beg for his mate’s life. His feet moved, and he slowly turned to face Rox. He stood inthe moonlight dressed in black as if he were a shadow or a dream made momentarily real.

His hair burned as he resisted the order, and the acrid scent filled his lungs.

Rox took a step back and hummed the song that had bloomed in Lynck’s heart the first time they’d met. A reminder that there was something Bothvar couldn’t take from him no matter how much he tried. Rox would always be in his heart.

Lynck took another step forward, and Rox stepped back.

“Come and get me.” Rox turned and ran.

twenty-four

Honestly, Rox had expected Bothvar to order his death much sooner. But no, he’d needed to keep talking until Bothvar was sick of listening to him so that Thursten had time to sneak around.

The entire plan being that with Lynck chasing after him, Thursten had a chance to kill Bothvar and break the bridle’s magic. Of course, if Bothvar killed Thursten, Rox wasn’t going to be far behind—there was only so much stalling he could manage as Lynck was much bigger and acting under compulsion.

And if Rox failed to keep Lynck from killing him, then Lynck would return to protect Bothvar and kill Thursten. The odds of the plan working were low.

As Rox ran through the woods, he realized why Lynck had warned him to let him go. And that this might have been a very large mistake, from which there was no coming back. It was already too late to change his mind.

He risked a glance over his shoulder. Lynck wasn’t gaining, even though Rox was sure a horse could outpace a human. He slowed as he reached the edge of the lake to avoid tripping over a fallen tree. Lynck stepped out from beneath the trees, themoonlight making his coat gleam as if he was made of magic and stardust. Across his nose was a line of black hair.

Not rushing was hurting him.

Shit.

“I know you don’t want to do this and that holding back is hurting.” Rox stepped over the fallen tree. Should he climb up a tree to buy more time? “Thursten is going to kill Bothvar. You need to hold out a bit longer…please.”

Lynck stepped over the tree, hooves gleaming and sharp, eyes dark and dangerous.

They were closer now. Rox wanted to back up some more, but running wasn’t going to solve this problem. He needed to dig in and stand his ground, even as the wet sand seeped through his runners and into his socks.

Talking wasn’t going to break the bridle where power tools had failed, but there were things he needed to say. That was a mistake he wasn’t going to make. “You can understand me while in horse form?”

Lynck nodded, a gesture that was far too human for a man who was currently a rather large horse.

Smoke coiled around Lynck’s face where the bridle touched his hair and skin. “Would you like me to put something between you and the bridle so it doesn’t burn? Will that help?”

Lynck tilted his head as if in thought, then gave another single nod.

Rox stripped off his hoodie, wishing he’d thrown a T-shirt on underneath as the night air chilled his skin. He took a couple of steps closer, well aware he was in biting and kicking distance. His heart hammered on his ribs. “This won’t take long.”

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