Page 38 of Ties of Frost

I glanced toward him. Sunlight highlighted his white hair and glinted on his silver earrings. The chains and dangling gems swung with his steps. The baldrics crossing his chest and the cut of his dark-blue tunic emphasized his lean, muscular frame. Had he always been so attractive? Orwas the heartbond tampering with my perception? Surely I’d need to be using the heartbond for it to affect me.

Right?

Using the bond. What was a heartbond’s function, anyway? I didn’t dare voice my question. Besides not caring to admit I was thinking about the bond, I didn’t want Kyrundar to give me some ridiculous answer about it being like art or sunsets that are colorful for no practical reason.

“You know,” Kyrundar said, “I am getting the strangest sensations through the heartbond.”

I recoiled. “Stop accessing it, then.”

“I’m not.” He cast a smirk my way. “But I was getting the distinct impression you were thinking about me. Dare I say it—positively.”

My face burned like it had been enveloped in dragon fire. Clearly the purpose of the heartbond was to humiliate me.

A faint sense of displeasure rippled through me, but I knew it wasn’t from the elf.

No, Iskyr. I know you wouldn’t give couples a heartbond to hurt them. Not when your prophets taught that all relationships, especially marriage, should be founded on love that puts others first and does not harm.

Thankfully, Kyrundar and I had no relationship.

That was a weak excuse, but he had hurt me first.

Unwilling to let this line of thought continue, I forced a shrug. “I was thinking I’ve had enough exercise and am ready to continue this journey at a faster pace.”

“Oh, excellent!” He did a little jump, and snowflakesdanced around his feet. “I’ve been struggling to keep my worries in check. The sooner we find Rouven, the sooner we can destroy that ice curse, and I’m not going to feel at ease until then.”

Because until then he was stuck with me? Or because he cared about me? Or was he just pretending he cared since I’d said he might like it if my shifting powers never returned? I found I didn’t actually believe it could be the last option.

Within moments, we were rushing through the air. I thought about sitting down, but if that were an option, surely Kyrundar would do it himself. Perhaps that would be too cold. My feet were colder than the rest of me, after all, although not enough to cause concern.

Some time in the early afternoon, we stopped in a village and bought small hand pies for lunch, saving the dried beef for when food wouldn’t be available to purchase. I frowned as I counted the few coins left in my pouch. We would have to count on charitable goodwill to get us passage on a ship unless something drastic happened before then.

Night fell before we reached the next town, so we stopped and looked for a place to make camp. Often I would sleep as a wyvern if I had to sleep by myself in the wilds. Not only was it safer, but it kept me warmer, too. It rankled that shifting wasn’t an option. I had a cloak rolled up in my pack that could double as a light blanket, and this late in the spring, the nights weren’t too cold. A few clouds drifted overhead, but none looked like they held rain.

While I dug my cloak and the hardtack out of my pack, Kyrundar set about building himself a snow shelter. I ignored him, trying not to feel the sting of knowing my magic couldn’t contribute anything. In my di’yar, I could breathe fire. Not that we needed a fire.

My fingers brushed against the flint in my pack, and a sardonic smile tugged at my mouth. I could light a fire in my di’ora, too, just as any elf or human could, even if flint and friction were less impressive. And, I supposed, if I had to be trapped in one state, at least it was in my true form. As discouraging as it was to be unable to shift, being trapped as a wyvern would be far more difficult. I’d probably have no choice but to return home, defeated and ashamed. At least in di’ora, I could blend in as a human.

“There,” Kyrundar announced. “Done! That should be sufficient space.”

I closed my pack and twisted around, still crouched, to peer at his snow shelter. It looked larger than others I’d seen him make before.

“Don’t look all confused. You always refuse to share, but that was when you could turn into a wyvern.” He waved toward the small entrance to the domed snow structure. “This will protect you from any wind or rain that comes up, and it’ll be warmer than out here—the nights are still chilly, don’t argue. You can’t afford to get cold with an ice curse in you. Most importantly, I won’t have to worry about whether you’re safe. Not in a self-important way, just…as a friend looking out for an injured friend.”

I glanced between him and the dome of ice. It lookedcold, but he’d explained before that the packed snow trapped heat. His magic not only kept the snow from melting, it regulated the temperature inside and would alert him if anyone or anything tried to enter. But being inside would involve being in close proximity to him all night, with nothing between us. That felt different than sleeping on separate cots in the same room. More…intimate.

Besides which, a part of me still bristled at the thought of accepting his help. Whether because of my own stubborn pride or because I didn’t believe his sincerity, I wasn’t certain.

I stood to face him. Carefully, as if he might detect it, I reached for the heartbond. Once I had a sense of his emotions—currently mostly embarrassment and impatience with a simmering note of hopefulness—I posed my question.

“Did you mean it when you said we work well together? And about wanting to help me, not trying to use my skill to increase your own glory and not seeing me as an opportunity for self-righteous posturing?”

Kyrundar stepped closer, urgency in his ice-blue eyes. “I swear on Emperor Syrzin’s grave, my help was not given for selfish reasons. Not entirely, at least. I won’t pretend I didn’t also think we could bolster each other’s reputation. Maybe that’s selfish, but I promise I didn’t want to better myself at your expense.”

His resolve and honesty poured through the heartbond with crackling intensity.

“I’m sorry I overstepped in wanting to save you from perceived loneliness,” he continued. “I’ve never come toyour aid or joined you on a mission or saved your life because I considered myself better than you. You’re worth my efforts, Zidra. You’re my friend. Honestly, I owe you my aid. Our friendly rivalry is the only reason I graduated from Harcos with honors. Possibly the only reason I was initiated into the Order of the Rengir at all.” His thoughtful expression broke into a grin. “Admittedly, our competition is also why I had to do extra homework to make up for disciplinary marks, but still.”

I snorted and rolled my eyes. “You would have found trouble without me. For example, I never hosted parties that caused half the academy to be caught out of bed after curfew.”

---