Page 16 of Soul of Fire

Arik nodded, his eyes steely as the firelight reflected off them. “We do. Jorgen and Branka can take the Book back while we fly north.”

“That’s all well and good,” Branka said, stretching like a cat, “but there’s one tiny problem with your plan. Two, actually.”

“And those are?” Jorgen shot his mate a bemused look as she nudged his hand with her stockinged toe in silent command to keep massaging.

“First, we need tofindthe Book and somehow sneak it out of the castle with no one the wiser.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Arik replied, his tone of finality suggesting he’d already decided exactly how we would accomplish this.

“Care to share?” I asked, leaning on the edge of the wooden table as I drained my glass of wine.

He shrugged. “I have my ways.”

Jorgen laughed as he kneaded the arches of Branka’s feet. “Cocky bastard. You have no bleeding idea, do you?”

“A problem for tomorrow.” Arik smiled and turned his silver gaze back to Branka. “What’s the second problem?”

Branka’s look of consternation slowly morphed into a wide grin. “The second problem is that, apparently, you have a wedding to attend.”

Chapter five

Revna

Thisissomuchbetter than paperwork.Kindra screeched her approval as we sailed over the white stretch of the Odemark.I miss our reirhold, though.

I felt her pang of longing as she banked around a rocky hill toward the Scar.

I miss them too,I confessed, feeling Kindra’s mind curl protectively around mine.But we’re fine, you and I.

A drage without a reirhold is only partially whole.

Wehavea reirhold,I argued, stifling the resentment that bubbled up inside me in response. They were just all in the capital doing the important work while we stayed put and made sure all the paperwork was handled.They’ll be back soon.

You could have requested to be made reirleder of your own reirhold,Kindra pointed out as we swooped downtoward the dark fissure in the skin of the earth.Arik would have agreed, as would Baldur. Asger is not stronger than I.

Viggo and Asger’s appointment have nothing to do with strength.I had said as much several times, but she still clung to the idea out of stubbornness. She felt hurt that Arik had asked Viggo to lead one of the new reirholds before us.

I would have said no, of course. Not only did I have no desire to lead my own reirhold, but I knew Arik trusted me to lead in his stead. He was my friend, and it was an honor. And a far more important task.

It is also far more lonely,Kindra added irritably.The old reirhold would have flown with us today, had you thought to ask.

I know they would, you meddlesome creature,I snapped.Stop fussing over me.

You are lonely. It is only natural to be when our mate is still so far from us.

I rolled my eyes.We don’t need a mate. We need our godsdamned reirhold to get back here where they belong.

Kindra twitched a brow ridge as she landed on the ice with a crack. Her elegant golden wings blew the loose snow that had fallen that morning out in great white gusts.Speak for yourself. I have needs.

I grimaced at the insinuation.Needs can be fulfilled by anyone.

Kindra snorted so vehemently, the snow melted beneath us.Not just anyone. It must be the right someone.

I wouldn’t know, since you’ve rejected anyone who offered,I pointed out.Let’s focus on the Scar, shall we?

Arik had asked me to monitor the part of the Rift that Eisa and Idunn had somehow sealed—a jagged black line that snaked out from the Rift’s deep blue toward the northern coast of the Odemark.

The break in the ice seemed to be the same as it had been the night Baldur had killed Ragnar, but I dutifully made a mental note of its size and shape to add to the records Arik had been keeping before he left.