Page 30 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

He bit his lip and looked down. “I didn’t mean it like that. I meant no offense.”

“Then you shouldn’t have said that. But that’s not even the point. What are you hiding?”

He shook his head. “Never hiding. I’m sure you’re aware that the Ironholds can’t be trusted.”

“You found out something?”

He looked away. “Not anything specific. Yet.”

She decided to ask a different question. “What do I get if I marry you?”

He moved a lock of her hair away from her ear and whispered in it. “Tons of kisses.”

His voice gave her goosebumps, and she hoped he didn’t notice it. “Won’t the kisses hurt you?”

“I don’t think so. Not anymore.”

“What else do I get?”

He got up. “Greedy, you. Here I am offering you my heart, and you’re looking at it like some kind of negotiation.”

She snorted. “Offering your heart? You’re asking me if I want to marry you as if you were asking whether I’d buy your cart of mangos. Of course I want to inspect the cart.”

“You know, I wouldn’t mind being treated like a mango.”

Naia shook her head. “It’s not romantic.”

There was a glint in his eyes. “Would you marry me if I were romantic?”

“Maybe I would consider it. But then, let’s agree my father will not approve, and I don’t know about your family but—”

“They don’t tell me what to do.”

“Can Ancients even marry humans?”

“Sure.” He shrugged. “Nothing wrong with it.”

“But why? I mean, you certainly don’t care enough for me to send a word that you’re alive, so what’s the point?”

“I already explained. I was angry. And your house is quite protected—in the hollow. It’s not a place an ancient can venture into.”

“But you were there.”

“Yes. And I’m not sure you noticed it, I almost died.”

“Why did you go to Umbraar?”

He looked at her, as if thinking, then smiled. “Marry me, and I’ll answer you.”

She rolled her eyes. “You don’t even sound serious.”

“I’m an Ancient. I never sound serious. And perhaps I don’t know much about your mating rituals. I don’t know anything, in fact. The offer stands, but my pride is getting too scratched with your insistence in saying no. I’ll give you two days. Think. You won’t get another chance.”

“Wait,” she said, but it was too late, as he’d already disappeared, only black smoke where he had once stood.

Her head was spinning. She’d imagined meeting River again many times, and she’d never have guessed it would be like this. Fine, she had imagined they would kiss, and sometimes even imagined they would do whatever people did after they kissed. But a cold marriage proposal? He was doing it for a reason, she was sure of that. And she didn’t even know if it was true. If by any chance it was serious, her father would be furious. Somehow, the idea of her father fuming didn’t seem that bad. She was losing her mind.

Naia focused on the metal hooks on her dress, then ripped them all out at once. There.

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