“The frost did it. It likes to tell stories.”
“Your home is beautiful,” Zeren said. “I can understand why you want to keep it from Wryfell.”
“Even more so, now that you´re here,” he said stiffly and Freya looked up at him. He really thought that they would live here together. Freya knew that, that would never happen. And for some strange reason the thought made her a little sad.
She was just about to ask some more about the paintings when Wolf frowned and murmured something under his breath. He walked away from the window and seemed to be listening to something she couldn´t hear.
“What´s wrong?” she asked.
“The frost says that Wryfell is growing stronger.” He frowned. “We will have to hurry if we want to see the end of him.”
“But how? We don´t even know where Wryfell is located.” His fortress Throne of Three was invisible to other immortals, hidden somewhere in the Third Realm.
“We will find out,” Wolf said, sounding certain but then he frowned again. “Swarog is already here.”
“Here?” Freya shrieked panicky. “Raving river, we must hide.” Frantically she looked around, only to notice that Wolf was looking at her with disdain.
“I don´t hide from anyone and neither do you anymore,” he said. “Now, calm yourself. What I meant was that Swarog is in the First Realm.”
“But what is he doing here?” Freya asked, anxiously.
“The frost doesn´t know.”
“Well, isn´t that convenient,” Freya resonated. “It knows everything except for actual useful information.”
Wolf gave her a long look and she realized that she had just insulted him.
“I´m sorry, it´s not…”
“Why are you so worried about Swarog all of the sudden?” he asked. “Have you met him before?” A furious rage covered Wolf´s eyes. “Did he do something to you?”
“No,” Freya said quickly. “And I´m not worried. I was just thinking about how awful it would be if he came to this place and…uh, melted it.”
“Ice Falls is not that easily found and my frost doesn´t melt in the hands of some pathetic fire eater.”
Freya grinned involuntarily at that. She had never heard someone call Swarog a pathetic fire eater.
“You´re funny?” she giggled and he looked at her in surprise and then he smiled and Freya hid a gasp. He was always handsome but a smile did something to his face, made those hard eyes liquid and his features softened.
“No one has ever said that to me before.”
“You mean your frosty friends don´t appreciate your humor?” Freya teased and he scowled but not for long. He turned around, putting on his armor again and Freya was surprised.
“Are you going somewhere?”
“I need to go to the Third Realm.”
“What for?” Freya said, twirling her hands. Her heart sped up at the thought of him going to the Third Realm. Out of the three realms, the third one was the most dangerous with violence and death luring at every corner.
“It´s something I do frequently,” Wolf explained, sounding a lot more calm than Freya felt. “Battles are erupting there on a regular basis these days and I need to see if Dorian the Dark needs my help.”
Freya gulped. Now, this…this was a problem.
“Surely he can manage on his own? Isn´t Dorian a Draugar? I don´t really think he needs your help.”
“Didn´t know god´s were experts on warfare,” Wolf said, sounding amused. “You´ll have to tell me everything you know later, but now I must go.”
If Wolf left for the Third Realm then it was possible that he would get hurt, or maybe even killed. And if Wolf died before he executed Swarog…
“Wait,” Freya blurted. “You can´t just leave me on my own, what will I do without you?”
“It won´t take that long.” Wolf said, looking stunned at what he thought was her unwillingness to be alone. “Explore the castle while I´m gone, it takes five days to see everything. And there are more wall paintings.”
Sweet Titania, Freya didn´t care about the damn wall paintings. She needed Wolf here, needed him alive until he killed Swarog and she wanted him alive after too. The first wish was for selfish reasons, the second one wasn´t.
“I don´t want you to go,” Freya tried and his eyes turned gentle, making her feel guilty. “Stay.” With a sultry smiled she purred. “Show me your bed.”
He shuddered a little. “When I come back,” he said determined and Freya felt worry bubble up inside of her.
“But aren´t you afraid I´ll leave? What if when you come back, I´m no longer here?” She was hoping that if she made him concerned, he would stay.
He shot her a threatening look and she grew triumphant but then she realized what he was thinking. She should have known she would regret her words.
“Do not lock me in the tower. I really mean it this time.”
“I won´t,” Wolf said, clenching his jaw. Then he bent down and scooped her off her feet.
“You said you wouldn´t,” Freya protested, twirling in his grip to no use but then she noticed where he was going. He put her down on the seat by the harp, grabbed some frost of the wall that he turned into cuffs of ice. Before Freya knew it, he cuffed her one hand to the seat.
“There,” he said, content with his quick thinking. “Entertain yourself with the harp, while I´m gone.”
Freya tried to grab him with her other hand but he only snatched it and kissed her palm, before releasing it and went to stand in the middle of the room. In his armor he looked invincible but still… this was risky.
“I can´t even play like this,” Freya shouted after him but he only chuckled and disappeared, leaving frost behind him on the floor. Freya cursed to herself and in her anger she tried to break the ice but it was too thick. Her heart was beating fast. Wolf had to come back…she needed him to but she realized it was both for selfish reason and because she really did care about him…As a mortal she had bit her nails, when nervous. She tried doing
