Don’t know everything yet, do you, Little Raven?Fen’s smug amusement rattles through me.Now hop down.
His tone is entreating, but I don’t do as he asks. Instead, I twist in Kyor’s arms. ‘Elska is Fen’smate?’
His lips purse, and he looks faintly nervous. ‘I promise, I was going to tell you. I wasn’t keeping it a secret. It was just difficult finding the right moment. It’s why she was so distressed when Fen was in the water.’ A smirk flickers on his lips. ‘Although in terms of your relationship with her, it’s definitely helped. You know, if you were still worried about her wanting to kill you.’
I know he’s trying to inject some humour into the situation, and I find myself believing him when he says he was going to tell me, but still, I can’t help but gape.
‘They’re mates?’ I repeat dumbly.
‘Indeed,’ Kyor says. The smirk drops, and I can see he is less thanthrilled about our current development. Stormy blue eyes meet mine. ‘We are as entangled as it is possible to be, Thorn.’
‘You knew Fen wouldn’t stand for me riding on Elska instead of him,’ I accuse.
‘I knew there was a fair chance,’ he agrees.
‘And if he had?’
Kyor flashes me an irresistible grin. ‘Then at least I would have had you in my arms for a few hours.’
His words make my heart lift. We’ve not mentioned the words we shared before I fell asleep, so maybe it’s time we do.
As I dismount from Elska, I turn and look him in the eye. ‘Just so we’re clear, you don’t have to wait until I’m half-dead to pull me into your arms next time.’
He smiles – a true smile that reaches his eyes – and my heart aches to see it. ‘Good to know, Thorn.’ He nods at Fen. ‘Good luck on your first solo ride.’
‘Thanks.’
With one last flash of a grin, he and Elska lope off to scout ahead, leaving me with my own dire wolf.
My own dire wolf.
Of all the deluded events of the last five moons – defeating a jötunn, freeing a kraken, winning the gifting, learning of my sister’s accidental pregnancy and subsequent marriage to Jonas, and discovering that my brother yet lives – this somehow feels more implausible than them all.
I am bonded not just to a dire wolf, but to the most magnificent dire wolf I have ever seen. Magnificence that radiates from more than just his height or build.
Fen was bonded to a commander of the army, a warrior whose skill and strength in battle were only surpassed by his integrity and compassion outside of it.
And now I have that same bond.
Nervous excitement flutters through my chest as I approach him, ready to mount. Yet Fen remains standing tall, looking at me impatiently.
Well, crouch down,I say.Elska crouches down for me.
He sniffs.I said you could ride on me. I didn’t say I’d makeit easy for you.
The soaring pride and happiness of moments ago falters.
He’s not going to make it easy for me? I grind my teeth and hope my annoyance scorches through the bond.
Of all the dire wolves in the whole of the world, I had to land the most stubborn one.
Like calls to like, apparently, he shoots back before relenting a little.
Fen lowers himself just enough to make a point of howlittleeffort he intends to expend to help me climb onto him. I eye the broad span of his back, the thick ruff of rust-coloured fur bristling beneath my fingers.
This is a terrible idea.
I place one foot against his flank and attempt to haul myself up with what I hope passes for dignity.
