“Couldn’t hurt. But free does have its appeal.”
He grinned. “That it does.”
She settled in against him, tipping her head back to rest on his shoulder while she looked at the sky. “You can really see the stars up here. Better than in town.”
“You can.” He wasn’t even sure if the words coming out of his mouth were making any sense. All he could think about was the beautiful woman cradled next to him. He kissed the top of her head. “I’m crazy about you, Jenna. You know that, right?”
She glanced at him. “I know…the spell is working on both of us. I feel that way about you. I just don’t know if it’s real.”
“Do you want it to be?”
A longing filled her eyes that surprised him. She nodded. “I do. So long as your feelings for me don’t change.”
“They won’t.”
Her smile was quick, then gone. “We’ll find out tomorrow.”
“Are you nervous about that?”
She couldn’t make out the thump of Titus’s heartbeat over the bubbling water, but she could feel it where her cheek lay against his shoulder. “I am. The same way I’d be if I were headed into battle. It’s more anticipation than nerves. Although there’s more riding on tomorrow than any battle I’ve been in.”
“And you trust that Ingvar still has the skill necessary to do what needs to be done? Even after being away from that work for years?”
“I do. Although…”
“Although what?”
Jenna didn’t want to speak ill of her friend, but maybe getting Titus’s opinion would help. “She looked thinner than I remember, but that doesn’t really mean anything. And she seemed tired to me too. Did she seem that way to you?”
“Does she always have such dark circles under her eyes?”
“No.” Jenna sighed. “She told me she’s been studying long hours, working at her craft with the kind of intensity she didn’t expect, but I felt worried for her. Still do. Especially now that she’s going to use more energy on my behalf.”
“You have every right to be concerned, but if she can’t do it or isn’t up to it, she’d tell you, right?”
Jenna twisted a little to look at him. “Valkyries don’t let little things like personal health get in the way of what needs to be done.”
He sighed. “So what’s the answer? You won’t let me call Alice. Do you know of any other seers who could help?”
“Yes, but the answer is Ingvar will do it. Whatever it takes, she’ll make it happen. I just have to put my concerns aside.”
“And if she doesn’t? Or if the wraith realizes we’re on to him?”
Jenna thought about that for a moment. “Then we tell Alice and the coven everything we know and get them involved for our next attempt.”
“You’re assuming we’ll get a next attempt. What if tomorrow night goes wrong? Really wrong?” He sat up a little. “Jenna, this wraith wants to kill you with your own sword.”
“I realize that. It’s not the first time in my life I’ve come up against an opponent who wants me dead. None of them has succeeded.”
“But this is no ordinary opponent. This one started out as a berserker.” Titus shook his head. “I don’t like this at all.”
“I’m not crazy about it, either, but you have to remember that I’ve faced down wraiths before. Granted, none of them was out to get me personally, but there’s a first time for everything, right?”
He didn’t seem amused by that. “How do you deal with one on the battlefield, then? Tell me how it goes.”
“A seer reads its energy to understand why it hasn’t crossed over, then one of us uses that information to talk it into coming along.”
“And that works?”
“Yes. Sometimes.” Actually, it worked only with the really confused ones.
“That doesn’t seem like the way you’re dealing with this one.”
“We’re not. We’re going straight to plan B.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the wraiths we encounter on the battlefield aren’t usually berserkers. That means we’re dealing with a warrior who’s already prone to entering an impenetrable trancelike state. There’s no talking to a berserker in that frame of mind. It’s doubtful this wraith has the ability to see beyond his goal of becoming mortal again.”
“Great.”
She settled in against him, enjoying his nearness. “It’s going to be fine. We know how to do this. And remember, the more he strengthens, the more vulnerable he becomes.”
“Explain that to me in simpler terms.”
She grinned. “Once he becomes solid, I can put a sword through him.”
He kissed her temple. “Fortunately, I have no doubt you’re very good at that.”
“I am.”
They sat for a while longer, talking, drinking their beers, and relaxing, but when her second beer bottle was empty, Jenna decided she needed to turn in. She said good night to Titus with a long, slow kiss that almost turned into more.
Finally, wrapped in a towel, she went back inside, changed into sleep clothes, and went to bed. The ice cream could wait. Titus was really all the dessert she’d needed.
The evening had been perfect. Titus had been perfect.
She just hoped that getting romantically involved with him was the right decision, all things considered.
Titus was surprised in the morning to find Jenna in the kitchen and coffee already made when he walked in. “You’ve been up for a while?”
She nodded and sipped her coffee. “Lots on my mind.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
There was a spoon in the sink. “Did you already eat your ice cream?”
“I had a few bites.”
He came over to get coffee but kissed her forehead before grabbing a cup. “Tonight’s going to be all right. Because there is no other option.”
“Exactly. No inspector today, huh?”
“No, but part of moving the visit to next week was me promising to get my reports in to him ahead of time. That’ll keep me busy for most of the day. Sorry. I’m sure you have things you’d rather do, but I’ll be neck-deep in paperwork.”
“That makes two of us. Birdie’s already texted to ask if she can bring me the paperwork
