Page 20 of A Bond of Ice and Glass (Crowned By Wings #2)

W e don’t stop moving through the dense—and too silent—forest for two days straight, and I don’t want to stop even if my body screams another story.

There is something unnerving about this forest, about how there are no animals or birds to be seen or heard.

How the air tastes like ice and dampness, like something old and not measured by time.

We only stop to take short sleeps around midday, but Erax doesn’t sleep once.

I keep watching him like he might fall over at any point from exhaustion.

He tells me he’s fine the few times I’ve asked if he wants to sleep, but he looks pale and he looks tired.

I’m not sure why I care so much about him.

I tell myself it’s because he is protecting me from this forest and what lies in it, but the logical side of my brain isn’t what makes me worry about him.

It’s my betraying heart that beats faster every time he looks my way.

I glance up at the cloudy, grey sky that hide the descending sun, only letting tiny rays of orange shine through for a second before they are smothered.

The relentless rain hasn’t stopped. It’s soaked through Erax’s cloak and into my clothes, and I haven’t stopped shivering.

The walking helps to keep my blood moving, to keep some warmth lingering in me, but not by much.

At least I have his cloak. Erax looks almost half-naked with his shirt stuck to his chest and back, revealing every one of his muscles.

My mouth feels dry, the only part of me that is, when I focus on him for too long.

He hasn’t complained about the cold, wet clothes he is stuck with, but he must feel it.

Between the clothes and the lack of sleep, he can’t be doing well.

Erax clears his throat and pauses. I move to his side, looking down at the path in front of us. It’s an old brick road, leading a straight line through the forest.

“This is good,” he says. “The path leads to the inn on the border. The one I told you about. We will stay there and get warm and have some food too before I call for Cyrsí in the morning. I’ve already made sure the inn’s protected.

They shouldn’t be able to find us there. Cyrsí will let me know if they do.”

His dragon… I remember her now. She burnt and ate all the nuns.

“My riders are close to here—close enough that Noble won’t attack us because he’d be outnumbered. You’ll be safe in the inn.”

“You killed the nuns,” I whisper. “You said ‘No one is ever going to hurt you and think they will get away with it. You’re my wife, Maelena. My queen.’ and I was shocked.

” He turns and looks back at me, almost like he is waiting for more memories to come back.

But nothing else does. “I remember it. After our wedding, you killed them all for me and hung their bodies in the street. Why did you do that?”

“Because they touched what was mine.” He cocks his head to the side, his eyes darkening.

“I trusted them with the most precious thing in existence. My wife. My queen . They hurt you in secret, for their own fucked up reasons. They hurt you , Maelena, and no one gets to live after laying a finger on you.” My heart races.

“I have kissed every one of those scars and wished to the gods that I knew so that I could’ve stopped them.

I will take that guilt with me to my grave, but them?

They deserved to burn for what they did. ”

I don’t know what to say to that, and I keep quiet, pushing my mind to remember more. “Did I tell you I loved you?”

“Yes. Now come on. You’re cold, and so am I.”

He turns and walks down the path, his eyes darting around for anyone hiding nearby.

I can barely make my legs move, but I force myself to follow him down the path, which is easier to walk on than the forest floor.

Memories are coming back to me, like waves crashing onto the shore, but so far all of the waves are small and shatter easily.

I remember more from when I arrived, when I got to the castle.

I remember us arguing, I remember my wedding day in parts, my uncle being there too.

“My uncle, where is he?” I question Erax, catching up to his side.

“He’s in my dungeons, along with his niece. She’s pissing me off.” I can’t say I’m upset about her being in there. “But he’s unharmed. I know you care for him.”

“You’ll let him out when we get back,” I say.

“We’ll discuss it later, my queen.” His tone is far too light for my liking. “Currently, he’s a traitor who helped Noble and Lochlan into the castle.” His jaw tightens, and the muscle in his cheek twitches.

“I don’t think he’s a traitor. I think he’s always just done what’s best for me. He loves Loch like a son… and he wouldn’t have known what they planned to do.” I shake my head. “He was always loyal to you and me.”

“He’s still a traitor. There’s proof, and when we are home, I will show you it.”

Home. I didn’t know I had a home anymore. I never called the convent a home because it was my cage. But… was Erax’s castle my home? Did I ever feel like it was? I wish I could remember. I hate this.

We keep walking in silence again, and I find myself wanting to ask more questions.

“Tell me more about Freyren. Maybe it will trigger more memories to come back.”

“I like when you command me.” He smirks at me for a second, and my cheeks burn.

“She’s an ice dragon—daughter of a queen—all blue scales and frosty attitude.

Fire dragons are known for their bad tempers, but ice dragons are far worse, in my opinion.

They don’t like mortals or being commanded.

” Almost like me. I never liked anyone telling me what to do.

“Ice dragons are notably harder to ride, harder to control, but you made it look like it was easy. Your bond was natural and written by fate. It was the same for me when I first rode Cyrsí.”

He runs his hand through his hair. My heart skips a beat as I watch him do it.

“There hasn’t been a bonded ice dragon rider in recorded history,” he adds, “but she chose you, and she was distraught when you were taken. Whatever magic they were using was blocking her bond. Something nearly unheard of. To be able to break the bond between a rider and their dragon must have cost your precious Loch a part of his soul.”

He continues before I can ask him more about that.

“I think once you’re back to Freyren, your memories will come back. Do you remember the eggs? Do you remember what you did with your powers?”

I flinch and he notices. His eyes narrow. “What was that reaction?”

I keep walking and he keeps up with me. I almost don’t tell him, but he is a dragon rider.

He might understand it. All the gods know he has killed many.

“I killed one of your guards with my ice powers. I didn’t mean to, but I did.

I don’t want this magic.” I know telling him about Loch’s involvement is a bad idea.

I won’t let Erax hurt Loch. It was a mistake… he didn’t mean it.

Erax is silent for a long time. “Our power is ours, Maelena. The more you are frightened of it, the more you disconnect yourself with it and you risk being out of control. When you’re out of control, that’s when accidents happen.

When we get back home, I will train you.

I need to practice my own gifts too. They have changed since the dragons helped me. ”

“Loch told me?—”

“I don’t give a fuck about Loch or what he told you.

He’s a coward and liar,” Erax growls. “If I could erase his name from your memory, I would. Because I really fucking hate hearing it on your lips.” His voice softens, but the intense, burning look in his eyes remains.

“Your mind’s been messed with far too much already.

And I wouldn’t cross that line anyway. Anything he told you about magic is tainted and dangerous.

He is lost to it, and I will not let magic have you. ”

I huff, ignoring his warning, even if it sends chills down my spine.

Loch isn’t lost to magic, and he might be dangerous but not to me.

Loch is my best friend and he always will be, even if he thinks we could be more.

I don’t feel that way for him, so we have things to work out, but Loch wouldn’t hurt me.

The inn finally comes into view, and I’m glad for it.

It has a roof! At this point, there is nothing I wouldn’t do to get out of the rain and eat something other than berries and dried meat jerky that Erax had on him.

It’s at least three stories, all dark wood with narrow, spiked windows.

A few of the windows shine with a warm, yellow light pouring out. They have fire lit in there.

When we get closer, Erax lowers his voice and grabs my hand. “We don’t use our titles here, and you behave. They are not our people. Do you understand?”

I nod, yanking my hand from his. “I’ll keep quiet, but you’re not holding my hand.”

Erax swears under his breath as he pulls the giant door open to the inn, stepping inside.

The warmth slams into me as I step over the threshold, and I sigh in relief.

It’s warm in here. It’s pretty quiet, thankfully, with only a few hooded figures in the alcoves around the corners.

No more than twenty, from what I can see.

There is a big bar in the middle and two staircases on either side.

There are two square fireplaces in the middle of the room, and I rush over to sit by one, warming my hands up as Erax goes to the bar.

He leans against it as a woman behind the bar, a beautiful blonde with her huge breasts spilling out of her laced top, comes over to serve him with a smile that makes my stomach turn.

“Hello, handsome. Two rooms?” she questions. “And a drink, perhaps?”

“One room, one bed,” Erax demands, and I narrow my eyes at his back. “For me and my wife.”