Her first solo glide was shaky but successful. Tyr skated backward in front of her, close enough to catch her if needed but giving her space to find her own rhythm. Each stroke grew more confident as muscle memory began to develop.
"Look at you." Pride colored Tyr's voice as Beth completed a slow circuit of the rink. "A natural."
Tyr glided closer, his hand reaching for hers. Beth's fingers intertwined with his cool ones as they fell into a synchronized rhythm, their skates cutting parallel lines across the pristineice. The plaza lights sparkled off the rink's surface, creating a magical atmosphere that made her heart flutter.
Beth's cheeks flushed from the crisp night air and exertion as they circled the rink together. Her earlier nervousness melted away, replaced by the pure joy of gliding across the ice with Tyr's steady presence beside her. Each stroke felt more natural, more fluid, as if they'd skated together a hundred times before.
Their joined hands swung gently between them as they moved in perfect sync. Beth couldn't stop smiling, especially when she caught Tyr watching her with that soft expression that made her stomach do little flips.
A puff of white mist escaped her lips as she laughed at a particularly wobbly turn. She glanced at Tyr, suddenly realizing something was different. While her breath created little clouds in the frosty air, his didn't.
"Hey, how come I can see my breath but not yours?"
Tyr's rich laughter echoed across the ice. "Silly girl, I'm a vampire - I don't breathe." His grin was irresistible. "Though I have to admit, watching your little frost clouds is adorable."
Beth giggled, purposely exhaling a bigger puff of mist. "Like a baby dragon?"
"Much prettier than any dragon I've ever met." His thumb traced gentle circles on her palm as they continued their graceful circuit around the rink.
Beth's eyes narrowed as she studied Tyr's face for any sign he was teasing. "Wait, you've met actual dragons?"
"Just one." His grin widened, showing a flash of fang that made her heart skip.
"You're kidding, right?" She tried to focus on both skating and processing this revelation. The combination proved too much.
Her left skate caught an uneven patch of ice. Beth's arms pinwheeled as she lost her balance, a squeak of surprise escapingher lips. Before she could fall, Tyr's strong hands caught her waist, steadying her against his chest. His rich laughter vibrated through her back.
"Careful there." His cool breath tickled her ear. "Though I do enjoy catching you."
Heat flooded Beth's cheeks, but she refused to let him distract her from this bombshell. "Seriously? A real dragon?"
"Mhmm." He guided her back into their smooth skating rhythm, his hands lingering at her waist slightly longer than necessary. "Hundreds of years ago, in another land. She lived as a healer named Kaylee, choosing to stay in her human form."
Beth's mouth fell open. Dragons were real. Actually real.
Suddenly, Lady Flora came to mind. The ancient being who'd appeared as a gentle elderly woman and taken Beth and her sister into the woods, then transformed into a breathtaking maiden before their eyes. The shimmer of magic as her form had shifted into that of a magnificent unicorn, her spiral horn gleaming like pure silver in the sunlight.
Lady Flora had confirmed for them the truth about Beth and Naomi's real family, freeing them from the lies of their supposed mother, aunt, and sisters. But Flora had also sworn them to secrecy. But yeah, okay. Unicorns were a thing, so, dragons. Okay.
"You're smiling." Tyr's observation pulled her from her thoughts. "What's going through that mind of yours?"
"Just... thinking about how much bigger the world is than I once believed." Beth squeezed his hand, choosing her words carefully to keep Lady Flora's secret. "A year ago, I wouldn't have thought I'd ever meet a vampire. Now here I am, skating with one under the stars."
His cool fingers tightened around hers as they glided in another graceful arc. "The world is full of wonders, if you know where to look."
Beth was about to respond when the loudspeakers crackled to life, announcing the rink's closing in fifteen minutes. Beth's legs wobbled slightly as she and Tyr made their way to the exit gate, his steady hand at her elbow keeping her balanced on the blades.
They settled onto the bench where they'd left their things, and Beth untied her skates, her fingers clumsy from the cold despite the warmth of her new leather jacket. A flash of bright red caught her eye, and she spotted the young woman who'd delivered their things earlier. She was perched on a nearby bench, a book open in her lap but her attention clearly on their belongings.
So that's why Tyr hadn't seemed concerned about leaving their things unattended while they skated. He'd arranged for a watchful guardian, someone to ensure their possessions remained safe while they enjoyed the ice.
The young woman looked up, catching Beth's gaze. A bright smile lit up her face as she waved enthusiastically. Beth returned the wave, warmth spreading through her chest at the woman's obvious enjoyment of her role in their evening's adventure. The redhead gathered her things and bounced over to their bench, her grin infectious.
"These fit perfectly," Beth said, running her fingers over the white skates one last time before handing them to the woman. "Thank you for getting them, and for keeping our things safe."
"My pleasure!" The redhead carefully tucked the skates into the canvas bag. "Hope you had fun!" With another bright smile and enthusiastic thumbs up, she disappeared into the dispersing crowd. "I'll drop these with your driver."
Tyr reached for Beth's hand, and as their fingers intertwined, a spark of warmth radiated between them. She met his gaze, her heart still light from their time on the ice, and an unspoken understanding danced in the space between them.They exchanged soft smiles, a fleeting moment that felt like the beginning of something deeper.
