Page 77 of Ties of Frost

“Wait!” She pulled back a little, although she didn’trelease me, and tilted her face to meet my gaze. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, but a wide smile made her face nearly glow. “I was wrong, and I’ve been foolish and ridiculous and rude, and I don’t know why you’ve put up with me for so long, but I want you, Kyrundar Ilifir. I want this heartbond and I want the stupid Kyrmaris moniker and I want to know you’ll be with me on my next mission and every mission after that. And I want to kiss you. Iskyr above, I want to kiss you, and I’m done pretending I don’t.”

That was an invitation if ever I’d heard one, but I couldn’t act on it just yet. Still, it took me a few moments to stop staring at her with a boyish grin.

“I want all of that, too,” I murmured. “But first, I need your answers to two questions.”

Her honey-brown eyes danced with a wildness that made me want to release the dam of my resolve and kiss her until I couldn’t think straight. She nodded. I licked my lips, nearly crumbling when her eyes tracked the movement.

“Zee, do you love me?”

She jolted in my arms and blinked. “Did I not actually say that in my speech?”

I shook my head.

“I love you,” she said, her voice quiet and warm and slightly rough. “I’ve been blind not to have seen how much I love you.”

I drew her closer and dropped my forehead down to hers. “Zidra Eilmaris,” I murmured as my eyes drifted shut. “Will you marry me?”

Her arms tightened around me. “Yes.”

My heart danced in my chest, and if I hadn’t been holding her, I might have jumped up and whooped in a decidedly un-elvish way.

I loved Zidra, and she loved me. Nothing had ever felt more right.

Then her lips were on mine, and all rational thought fled. I moved a hand up to cradle the back of her head. My fingers tangled in her curls. I couldn’t draw her close enough. Her fingertips traced up and down my back, sending pleasant shivers down my spine.

Suddenly the realization that we were standing on Rouven’s beach in full view of both Rouven and Sajen broke through, and I eased away, reluctantly breaking our kiss. She started to pull me back in, but I moved my hands to rest on her hips so I could hold her at arm’s length.

“We have an audience,” I whispered, my amusement barely contained.

She leaned to the side to peer around me. Her eyes widened, and a blush spread over her cheeks.

I released her and took her hand instead, and we walked back to the others. Sajen grinned, a sparkle in his eyes that said he was barely restraining himself from teasing us. He held one arm against his torso, and dark blood stained his sleeves.

“Sajen,” I exclaimed. “Are you all right?”

He waved his other hand. “A bit scratched and bruised, but fine. Rouven already agreed to stitch up the worst of it.”

For his part, Rouven looked thoroughly grumpy, the old goat.

Zidra surveyed the bodies and winced. “We made a mess of your beach. I’m sorry.”

Rouven shook his head. “This is probably for the best. With their archon and best warrior dead, the Laedresh conclave will be in disarray and have to retreat into the shadows to lick their wounds.”

“Best warrior?” I asked.

“Perhaps best assassin would be more accurate,” he said. “Kane had boasted about the night elf, called him their prized weapon and the envy of several other conclaves. The League as a whole will probably feel the sting of this defeat, but the loss will also make them angry. Their Sovereign will be most displeased.”

“I’m sorry to make things harder on you—” Zidra started, but Rouven held up his hand.

“Actually, this will likely help. I can’t identify their archon anymore, so I’m not as big of a threat.” He looked around the inlet. “And this hiding place is discovered, anyway. I think I’ll find my wife. We’ll do what she always wanted and make our way together.”

Zidra lightly squeezed my hand, and I returned the gesture. Now that I had her, I wouldn’t ever choose to part with her.

Rouven sighed. “Now I have to wait for the next ship to come by.”

“Only if you want to take your things,” Zidra said.

“Are you…offering to carry me?” Rouven’s jaw went slack.

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