Page 74 of Ties of Frost

“They started threatening you?” Zidra guessed.

The physician nodded, his expression sagging into deeper wrinkles. “I started finding notes implying I was being watched and claiming that bad things would happen to me and my wife if I said anything about the League.”

“You’re married?” Zidra gasped.

“Indeed, although it doesn’t feel like it when I haven’t seen her in over eight months.” Rouven’s sigh was mournful. “I sent my wife away to be with her family in southern Glacori. The ‘archon’ of the Laedresh conclave visited me and told me he’d asked the archon of another conclave to keep an eye on her.”

My fingers tensed, digging into my thigh as I imagined the fear and fury Rouven must have felt.

“So I asked an acquaintance to secretly send word to my wife, telling her to change her name and move to a secret location. I hoped the league only wanted me for my power as the head of Merael’s, so I retired. That didn’t stop them, and they were angry they had lost track of Winni. They made it quite clear that I knew too much to walk away.” He stared out the window. “So I came here. Far away from my Winni, and far from any major towns where the Ascendant League might have conclaves.”

Silence fell over the cabin, heavy and uncomfortable.

“Do you have names?” Zidra asked quietly. “Descriptions?”

Rouven scowled. “And make myself more of a target? They’re difficult to hide from. Even if you can take down one of their conclaves, there’s all the others to worry about.”

“If we can take them alive—”

“They’re fanatics,” he scoffed. “They aren’t rational. I doubt they’d give up any information they might have. Besides, that large of a society doesn’t stay a secret unless they keep secrets from their own members.”

That made sense, but we couldn’t pretend this Ascendant League wasn’t a threat, no matter how ridiculously grandiose their name was.

“Telling you would only put me and my family in more danger.” Rouven shook his head. “I’m—” He cut off with a gasp, and his head snapped toward the door. “They’ve found us.”

The door slammed inward and crashed against the wall. Breathless, Sajen stuck his head inside. “Three people approaching! Human, shifter, and an elf, and they don’t look friendly.”

Twenty-Seven

Zidra

No. No, they couldn’t have found us—not yet. Not before I’d had a chance to tell Kyrundar I’d been wrong. Over the last few days, the heartbond and Kyrundar had become a part of me in a way I never would have imagined. A part of me I didn’t want to lose.

I wanted to keep the heartbond, to keep Kyrundar.

But now wasn’t the moment to tell him.

Sajen had already left, the door swinging shut behind him. Kyrundar and Rouven jumped to their feet, but Kyrundar turned to me, his eyes worried.

“Are you—”

“I can fight.” I stood and squared my shoulders. For the first time in over a week, I stoked my dragon fire. Claws erupted in place of my fingernails, scales formed on my neck and jaw and horns grew from my scalp. My fangsbecame more pronounced, and my eyes shifted to slitted red dragon eyes, sharpening my vision.

Kyrundar’s eyebrows raised. “You are terrifying and beautiful, and is it bizarre that I am so attracted to you right now?”

My last fear, that maybe he wouldn’t want me now that I didn’t need him, was banished.

“A little,” I said, even though I couldn’t help a teasing grin.

Rouven made a gagging noise. “Enemies approaching, rengiri. Save it for when you’re in your own room.”

I shared a smirk with Kyrundar, but then Sajen’s shout of “They’re landing” wiped the mirth from our faces.

“Maybe you should hide those features, though,” Kyrundar said. “Let the fact you can shift again be a surprise.”

With a sigh, I nodded and shifted away the wyvern traits. My ice elf strode toward the front door, and I hurried after him.

“We’ll handle this,” I told Rouven as I passed him. “Just stay—”

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