Page 57 of Ties of Frost

Sajen blinked. “That’s it?”

I nodded, unwilling to admit aloud we had no better ideas.

“Then you two should get dressed and we should start searching.” He left, closing the door behind him.

The mention ofyou tworeminded me that Sajen knew we’d kissed, and I didn’t want to deal with my feelings about that right now. I avoided looking at Kyrundar while I grabbed my things and changed behind the screen. When we emerged into the hallway, Sajen was waiting with his war hammer hanging from his hip. We headed outside, but Sajen stopped just past the front door.

“Let’s split up. Kyr, why don’t you ask around in the city center. Zidra and I will go to Klavon’s Port and talk to the sailors and dockworkers. We can meet back at the Haven to discuss our findings.”

I wasn’t certain if I was more relieved or panicked at the prospect of going with Sajen.

Kyrundar shook his head. “I should—”

But Sajen held up his hand. “Truthfully, I need to talk to Zee about something we discussed before you two left Laedresh.”

My mouth went dry. I wasn’t sure what Sajen wanted, but it definitely had something to do with Kyrundar, and I didn’t want to talk about him. Us.

The troublesome ice elf in question looked between Sajen and me. “I’ll see you soon, then.” He hesitated before he struck off toward the city center.

Sajen started in the opposite direction. “Shall we?”

Feeling like I was back at Harcos and about to getscolded, I fell into step beside Sajen. How fitting that now, as at the Academy, I was only in this situation because of Kyrundar.

Gravel crunched beneath our boots, and the cry of a seagull carried over the rhythmic crash of the waves on the nearby rocks. The briny air off the sea had a cold edge that nipped at my ears and nose.

After several heartbeats of nerve-wracking silence, Sajen said, “So. Kissing.”

I wanted to bury my face in my hands, but I forced myself to keep walking with my arms loosely at my sides. A dozen responses tangled in my mind, but my mouth felt too dry to speak.

A triumphant grin crinkled his face. “It’s about time.”

“What?” I squeaked.

“First, of course, I’m delighted that you’re accepting more help and that the two of you are working together through everything you’re facing. More importantly, I’d hoped this would be the result of you two being forced to spend days together.” His knowing smile grew. “If gambling weren’t against our vows, the instructors at Harcos would have been placing bets on when you two would get engaged.”

My jaw fell. “That’s—what? Ridiculous! And we’re not! That kiss was probably a mistake, and—”

“A mistake?” Sajen stopped but was forced to catch up to me when I kept walking. “Why?”

I took a fortifying breath and released it slowly. “Kyrundar distracting me is part of why I’m in this situationat all.” I motioned to the bandage on my arm. “Sort of. I don’t really blame him anymore, and without him I wouldn’t have any idea where to look for Rouven. More importantly, I’d be dead several times over. He’s as honest and genuinely kind as he appears.”

Sajen bumped his arm against mine. “That sounds more like an argument for a relationship than against one.”

“There are more reasons.” I kicked a stone out of the gravel path. “I don’t know if I can release all my past hurt from his behavior, even if I was wrong.”

He cocked his head. “What do you mean by wrong?”

“Well… I resented him, but I’ve learned I misunderstood him. He isn’t using me for glory or pitying me for being a wyveri rengir. I was hurt by a situation that existed only in my mind, I suppose.” Said aloud, that sounded ridiculous even to me.

“Changing your emotions can be difficult, even once you realize they were based on a false reality.”

That made me sound like a petulant child. “I did forgive him. I’m not holding my own stupidity against him.”

Sajen nodded. “All right. Good.”

I felt like I’d been tricked into discarding an argument against a relationship, but I wasn’t upset about it. Still, I rushed to the next problem.

“He’s an elf. If I wed an elf, my father will feel hurt, and my mother might decide that’s the final straw and disown me.”

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