I touch the handle to my door and stumble forward a bit.
I imagine his lips trailing down to my jaw, his mouth brushing the edge of my throat. Each featherlight kiss would feel like a wave of frost blowing across my skin. Goose bumps rising. I would suck in a breath when his lips linger at the hollow of my neck. He would hesitate, then blow cool air right across my pulse.
It would pick up immediately.
I’d dig my fingers into his shoulders in an attempt to anchor myself. Needing more. Needing everything.
My senses would blur around me as thunder pounded in the distance, in perfect cadence with my erratic heartbeat. A storm might brew outside, but with each kiss he’d start another one between us. I want to surrender, to give in to the ice. To let go. So I’d wrap my arms around his neck, our eyes locking.
He would smile against my lips. “I like your warmth.”
I would shiver as I sank down on him—
Whoa there. Nope.
I smack myself in the head and realize that my door’s still partially open.
Ziva’s standing there, cup of coffee halfway to her mouth. “You good?”
“Yup!” I say too quickly. “Just…forgot what I was doing and, uh, catch you after class.” I shove the door closed and lean against it.
I really wish someone was on my team—anyone—and now even Rowen’s snapping, forgetting himself, getting violent, speaking for my father, watching me. Can’t they see I’m trying? Plus, it’s been two days! I can’t create a miracle in two days.
I collapse onto the bed and reach beneath it to pull out the note from Laufey.
? ? ? ? ?
Raido, Dagaz, Hagalaz, Othala, and Thurisaz.
I read the runes over and over again, then pause.
Raido. The rune from the Hall of Ormir.
Frowning, I dig through the black orientation packet Reeve gave me, pull out the brochure of the campus, then circle the rune at Raido. Does Endir have a map of the runes? A guide? Google has a guide for everything—there’s probably a Reddit thread, too. Maybe even a useful one, if I’m being optimistic.
Did Laufey mean for me to be hunting something, or did she just give me some sort of ancient blessing because she’s a Giant and they know their runes? At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a freaking warning about which to stay away from.
Laufey wouldn’t risk her life to hand me runes for nothing; they’re too powerful for that, the meaning too important. Everything she does has purpose. I can’t forget this. She’s patient. Brilliant. I have to figure it out.
I’ll need to pay more attention to them when I walk around campus. Maybe in trying to understand what she was hoping to communicate, I’ll find Mjölnir faster.
I glance out the window and see Aric. He’s walking toward the forest and seems angry. Because he walked in on Rowen and me?
He kicks at the ground and suddenly stops as ice builds beneath his feet. He stares down, seemingly confused, then keeps walking. Interesting. He’s unknowingly creating ice when his emotions are high.
More interesting—he may not be awake, but something inside is.
Maybe it’s time I help him let it out.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Aric
I jog out of the building, unable to see straight. I don’t remember slamming the door behind me, but apparently I did, because someone yells at me to watch it. This is why Reeve keeps warning me away from her. It’s like I can’t control shit around this woman—my temper, my need to talk to her even when I know it just makes things worse.
Shit, does she have to be everywhere?
I stop and look down. Icy footprints stare up at me.
