“I don´t have any secrets,” she lied and Wolf let out a bitter laugh.
“Even as you say that, the frost still doesn´t believe you.” His eyes traced from side to side and then he said in a stiff voice. “Is there something that you lack in your life with me? Do I not take good care of you?”
“Stop,” Freya interrupted him, her heart compressing in her chest. “It´s not you.”
Wolf´s eyes narrowed as if it dawned on him. “I see,” he said hoarsely. “It is him, isn´t it? That mortal lover that you used to have, you still have feelings for him?”
Freya decided to tell him a half truth.
“I just feel guilty,” she began saying, but stopped when he pulled her so close that she stood on her toes.
“Do not give your guilt to him,” he said bitterly. “And know that everything that you have and everything that you are, is mine.”
He pushed down the fur, baring her shoulders, kissing her neck and it felt like he was branding her. And a part of her wanted it, wanted to be marked by him because maybe then she truly never could leave. He continued murmuring something that she couldn´t quite hear and when she bit his lower lip he groaned and exposed her breasts for him to kiss. Her head fell to the side and her thoughts started to race. How was she ever going to leave him? She couldn´t!
No, wait she had to. This was what she had been waiting for. She tried to imagine that it was Philip who was holding her, Philip who was kissing her but it didn´t work. He had been careful and shy and his kisses soft and they had made her happy but he hadn´t made her feel as if she would die if he never touched her again. He hadn´t made her feel like ...
Freya choked on a scream. There was a face amongst the trees. It was looking at them with lips pulled back over the teeth and eyes that promised pain.
Swarog!
Quickly she jerked up, pulling the fur to her throat and surprising Wolf who frowned. Frantically she looked around but the face was now missing.
“What alarmed you?” Wolf asked. He pressed his cheek against hers. “Your pulse is quickening.”
“Is…is Ice Falls really safe?” Freya said. “I mean as safe as you say that it is?”
“You have nothing to fear.”
Freya wasn´t as sure of that.
“But if someone came here, someone who was trespassing would you be able to sense them.” Her fingers pressed into Wolf´s upper arms and the strength felt comforting.
“Yes. Unless they transport here and transport out again within seconds. But it’s a rare occurrence, it has happened only twice in centuries.”
“By…by who?” Freya asked, dearly hoping he wouldn´t say Swarog. He caught the trembling in her voice and shot her a shrewd glance.
“Once by Elessia of the Grey Veil and another time by Cross the Storm Keeper. Both by accident, before they could control their powers. Why this sudden interest?”
“I just thought I saw something,” she said. “Between the trees.” Wolf´s head quickly turned around, his eyes sharp when he scanned the area.
“There is nothing there now. Did you see what it was? Did it look like a Ogres?”
“Yes, maybe it was a Ogres,” Freya nodded. She must have imagined seeing Swarog´s face and she couldn´t bear to think what would´ve happened if it really had been him. They had been so vulnerable out here, practically inviting an attack.
With a shudder she realized that it was going to happen anyway. There would need to be a fight between Wolf and Swarog. It had always been a part of the plan, regardless so why was it suddenly her worst dread?
“Are you all right?” Wolf said, brushing his lips over hers. Freya nodded. “I´ll take you to the castle and then I´ll go search the grounds. To see if someone was here.”
“No, that won´t be necessary,” Freya said quickly, her grip still tight around Wolf.
“I don´t like seeing you distressed,” Wolf insisted, but she shook her head, changing her story and telling him that it had just been an illusion.
“Can´t we go back in? Maybe we should try opening the portal again.”
“Opening the portal?” Wolf said with raised eyebrows. “You don´t have to ask me twice.”
Ever since she had told him that she cared about him, he had stopped shoving her into the portal to sing. He had stopped pressuring her but she knew that this was important to him. In some ways she saw it as a gift to Wolf, a thank you for what he was going to do for. Although, she also suspected that Wolf wouldn´t see it that way. Freya wondered if he would ever forgive her.
He transported them to the tower and Freya took a deep breath. What if it didn´t work?
“Just relax,” Wolf said. “You are a natural.” Freya smiled at him unsurely, touched how convinced he was that she would manage. When he noticed how nervous she was, she said.
“I just need to warm up.”
“Take your time,” Wolf said, crossing his arms by the wall like the first time when they´d been in here. He had been much less accepting then.
“So patient all of the sudden,” she asked. “What´s changed?”
“I don´t want you to think that you have to do this. If the portal opens, it opens. If not, we will have to find another way.” His jaw clenched. “Someone else must have more information on Wryfell.”
Only an enemy could have that information. And that would be too dangerous; simply even going to the Third Realm was a death wish on its own. That portal needed to be open now.
After warming up, Freya started to sing. But after some time the portal still remained closed and Freya had gone hoarse.
“It´s not working,” Freya said hiding her face in her hands. “I don´t know
