I was alone.
I had thought when the dragons came…
Hoped…
But I was wrong.
I was alone.
Frozen but my blood was singing with adrenalin.
This was it.
My last adventure.
And I was ending it alone. At least Mom and Dad had each other.
But I was alone and terrified.
I couldn’t even close my eyes.
Shit.
“I’m coming to you, baby,” I whispered to Frey but it came out naturally, my lips moved with my words and I blinked.
I blinked.
Actually blinked, my eyelids moving and everything.
Holy moly!
“No, my love, I’ve come to you,” I heard a beautiful, sweet, achingly familiar voice behind me and, in control of my body, I whirled and stared, mouth open, eyes wide, belly plummeting, heart in my throat at my husband who was standing three feet away.
Then he lifted an arm and the dragons let loose, their massive bodies bulged, necks extended, their fanged mouths opened and flames erupted, shot forward and I stared as we were surrounded by an inferno over our heads, at our sides, my gown blowing with the force of it, the heat enveloping me, the bloody snow melting to a river rushing over my boots but Frey’s body, to my shock, was impervious and acted as a shield against the flames.
Then he dropped his arm and the flames immediately stopped.
I knew everything behind me was gone, reduced to ash. But in front of me stood Frey backed by a line of fierce, colossal, terrifyingly beautiful dragons.
It couldn’t be real.
“Are you a dream?” I whispered and his lips tipped up.
“No,” he answered.
“A ghost?” I was still whispering.
“No, my wee one.”
My wee one.
My wee one.
My heart squeezed.
“You’re alive,” I breathed.
“Yes,” he stated the obvious for there he was, tall, broad, strong, powerful, beautiful and best of all… breathing.
“You’re alive,” I repeated on a whisper, my nose stinging, my eyes blinking against the wet because I didn’t want him hazy, I wanted him clear, I wanted to see him clear.
“Yes,” he repeated.
“Alive,” I breathed.
His handsome head tilted slightly to the side, his heavy brows drew together and he asked, “Are you still frozen by the elfin magic, my Finnie, is that why you don’t come to me?”
I stared at him.
Then I sprang from my feet, jumping into his arms and they closed around me, strong, safe, tight and definitely, definitely real.
I held on tight to his shoulders, shoved my face in his neck and burst out crying.
“They… they… the… the… they,” I stammered into his neck, my arms convulsing, trying to hold him closer, “they told me you were dead.”
“I am not,” Frey’s voice rumbled and his arms squeezed.
I jerked my head back and glared at him before I shrieked, “Where have you been?”
He looked down at me and one of his hands came to my face, his thumb gliding through the wetness that was still coming and he said gently, “I was injured, gravely, close to death. I convinced my men to leave me to my passing and see to business, something we had all agreed, should such occur, we would do. The elves sensed my injuries and the extent of them luckily before the adela burned and, as I had arranged with them prior, they sought Kell and brought him to me. Kell had the adela branch, we used it and he and I both went to the elfin realm where they healed me.”
I blinked and then stared.
Then I asked, “What?”
Frey’s eyes went soft and slightly amused at my blink and he explained, “The adelas are gone but the magic of that bough and the reason it is so important is that it can be used by The Frey to move to the elfin realm and to bring the elves to our realm, say, should something happen to the adelas or he needs them urgently and cannot get to a tree.”
“Wow,” I whispered and he grinned. “So they healed you?” I asked quietly.
“Their magic is strong but my injuries were severe so it took some time but yes, my wee Finnie, they healed me.”
“They healed you?” I repeated.
“Yes, my love.”
“Like, good as new?”
He grinned and answered gently, “I’m clearly not a babe so, no, but fit as when you last saw me.”
I closed my eyes at the memory, my head jerking at the power of it and Frey’s hand at my cheek moved to cup my jaw and his arm gave me a squeeze before I heard him amend on a murmur, “Or moments before the moment you last saw me.”
I kept my eyes closed and dropped my forehead to his chest. “I thought you were dead.”
“I’m sorry, my love, there was nothing I could do about that. I was in no state and Kell nor the elves could move between realms without me.” Frey whispered into my hair but I shook my head as my body started shaking with new tears and I repeated, “I thought you were dead.”
“Finnie,” he muttered as I held him tighter, my body pressing into his like I wanted him to absorb me.
“I said things –” I started, my voice hoarse, my throat clogged with tears.
“We will not discuss this now,” he said quietly but firmly. “I wronged you, my love, but I will explain –”
My head shot back and I whispered fervently, “You did but it was me… me who said unforgiveable things and –”
I stopped when his thumb came to my lips and pressed as his face got close.
“It is for me to forgive or not to forgive and you said no less than I deserved,” he stated, again soft but firm. “But I have an enemy to vanquish, Apollo and my men are standing behind you getting more and more impatient by the second having ceased being touched by lovers reunited about five minutes ago and now wishing my ear. So, we will discuss it later.”
I stared in his beautiful, beautiful olive green eyes with their thick, lush lashes.
Then I whispered, “Okay.”
He grinned.
My eyes dropped to his mouth.
God, I loved his grin. I loved his eyes. I loved the feel of his arms around me.
And I loved him.
Therefore, I blurted, “I love you, Frey Drakkar.”
He closed his eyes, dropped his forehead to mine and whispered, “And I you, Finnie Drakkar.”
I closed my eyes too and sighed, my body relaxing into my husband’s.
But my husband’s body didn’t relax against mine. His head tilted, his lips found mine, they opened, mine reciprocated and he kissed me. He took his time, he did it right and it was the best kiss I ever had.
Save one.
The one he gave me at our wedding.
That would always be at the top of the list.
Even if, with this one, cool-as-shit dragons were watching.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The Aftermath
One and a half weeks later…
Mother and I stood, both of us wearing black suede cloaks, black leather gloves, our hair free around our shoulders, our crowns in place, our booted feet on the rocky shore and we watched the boat with its square sail patterned in red and gold diamonds catching the wind, making it drift into the Winter Sea.
It was lined in red and gold silk and in its middle, on a platform, my father’s remains were shrouded in dark red and surrounded by flickering candles protected from the wind by red tinted glass.
Just behind me to my left Frey stood so close I felt his chest brush my shoulder even through the cloak.
A vast gathering of silent Lunwynians stood behind the three of us, along the sweeping hill that met the icy sea, its glaciers drifting in the distance.
I stared at the boat and kept my shoulders straight, my head high and endured the burn in my chest as the boat and its precious cargo floated out to sea.