Page 56 of A Bond in Blood

I blinked at him, my hands trembling at my sides.

“Did you?” I stopped the question. I never asked about her. I’d learned to keep those questions locked inside of me at a very young age.

Frode’s hands grabbed mine. “Frey was beauty personified, and kindness was the blood that ran through her veins.”

My tears lined my eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered.

Frode grinned. “Enjoy your swim, princess. Just don’t freeze. That cove is frigid.”

He pushed the door open for me, gesturing to the empty courtyard. “Don’t get caught.” He winked.

“I don’t plan to,” I replied, rushing past him and out into the brilliance of a high winter sun.

The sun hit my skin while my feet landed on the gravel of the courtyard. I stopped, for only a minute, admiring the subtle beauty that was Ulrich’s fortress. My eyes went across the yard, finding the gates at the other end.

I could not stop the pace at which I moved. I could not prevent the hope in my heart while I flew through the gates, startling the sleeping guards. I turned, finding the wall covered in the thick green leaves barely depicted in the map in my cloak. My hands ran across the leaves as I pulled it back, revealing the hidden passage.

The tunnel was dark at first, barely lit with the light peeking through the hidden door quickly disappearing the further I walked. I almost turned around when light filled the space. I glanced up, gasping at the clear ceiling above and the moving feet, seemingly unaware of the tunnel below them.

I stared ahead, blinking back my admiration at the beauty of this tunnel. The stone walls and the green leaves lining everysurface. With the light above, it was breathtaking, almost to the point of unexplainable emotions.

Why was it hidden?

The tunnel was not long but it was also not as short as I had anticipated. When I was sure my feet were going to grow tired, the smell welcomed me.

Water, home, the sea.

I walked briskly until my feet hit the sand, and I let out a breath. Before me was a secluded beach with high sandy hills blocking it from anyone’s view or access. I walked through the tunnel threshold, turning back to admire the only entrance to this secluded wonderland.

When I had reached the middle of the small oasis, I spun in my spot. In my unintentional prying, I had found a place my soul could breathe in.

A place away from the creatures determined to make me lose my mind. Somewhere I could wash myself with the cold of my beloved water, ignoring all the darkness on this island.

My cloak fell to the ground, crumpling in the sand and I threw myself into the water, letting out a gleeful cry as the liquid enveloped me.

As I moved onto my back, I allowed myself to become weightless while I stared up at the winter sun above. My hands moved slowly and I let out a breath, losing myself in the ecstasy of my first moments of true peace in months.

Chapter 14

My arms cut through the freezing waters, slicing it like my fingertips were the tips of the glaciers I longed to see again. My feet kicked ahead of me, and I stared up at the late-afternoon sun.

I’d been out in the water for the entirety of the day, swimming and lounging on the sand. Soaking in the small reminders of who I was.

Because I’d quickly been forgetting everything that made me—me.

The small habits that kept me grounded. Kept me tethered to that mortal side of myself. The side I preferred.

Not the wild beast I was becoming.

The sun continued to set, and I knew I had to leave. I had to get inside. Even with my suit, made to cover my body from the tops of my toes to the tips of my fingers, my exhaustion would soon surprise me. I chose to ignore my mind’s warning though, continuing while my arms and hands moved me through the water, and I smiled. Likely too soon when my head hit a solid, yet soft surface.

Flailing, I jumped up, moving my feet under the water to keep me afloat. The sun finished its descent, and I glanced up.

“Fuck,” I muttered, finding Ulrich. I laughed, covering my mouth at the black mask on his face.

“Even out here?” I chuckled. “In a hidden cove?”

He blinked at me then smiled. “Your rules, Brenna.”

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