Page 111 of Cursed Crowns

Tor shot her an admonishing look. “He was in mourning.”

“There are better ways to mourn.”

“Such as?”

Wren shrugged. “I don’t know. Repressing your emotions, withdrawing from life, and taking up sword-fighting with the eventual goal of revenge.”

Tor chuckled. “You have quite a way with words.”

“So do you, soldier. Do go on.”

He obliged. “After that, the beasts bowed to Fredegast, and he became the first king of Gevra. At his coronation, he wore Bernhard’s skin as his ceremonial cloak.”

“Wait.What?” Wren spluttered. “That’sawful!”

Tor’s eyes crinkled as he broke into laughter. “It was a mark of honor!”

“Tor!”

He raised his hands. “I’m being serious.”

“So if I die in this icy hell, someone’s going to go around wearing me like a hat?”

“No one will wear you like a hat,” said Tor through a grin that nearly knocked Wren sideways. “We only do it with the beasts.”

“Do you promise?”

That laugh again, as beautiful as a winter sunset. “Yes, Wren. I promise.”

She folded her arms as she flopped against the wall. “Because after today, there’s a very good chance Iwilldie here, and I willnothave Alarik Felsing wearing me like a bloody cloak.”

“Wren,” said Tor, leaning in until she could see the storm settling in his gaze, “I’m not going to let you die. I’m afraid I like you too much.”

Wren jutted her chin out, closing the sliver of space between them. “Prove it.”

He cupped her cheek, his gaze falling to her lips. “You once told me you’d never kiss me in front of my wolf.”

“I’m prepared to make an exception,” she whispered, as she leaned in. “And the wolf is asleep.” She smiled as she nipped his earlobe.

Tor hissed through his teeth. He groaned as he kissed her, his tongue sliding into her mouth. Wren kissed him back, gasping, hungry. He fisted his hands in her hair, pulling her to him until there was nothing but heat between them. And still it wasn’t close enough. Wren hiked up her skirts, swinging her leg over his to straddle him. Tor stiffened beneath her, holding her so tightly, Wren thought she might shatter. The kiss deepened, her moans drowning out the blizzard as she moved against him.

Wren could have stayed inside that little hut forever, kissing Toruntil they both forgot their own names, but the blizzard grew stronger, angrier, and when the fire eventually blew out and Elske woke from her slumber with a howl, they broke apart.

“You should get back inside,” said Tor, catching his breath. “And I should check on the animals.”

“I have a newfound appreciation for snowstorms,” said Wren, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She lingered a moment, tempted to steal another one, but Tor was right. They both had places to be. She reluctantly clambered off the soldier, and with one last longing glance over her shoulder, Wren returned to the palace to face the hopelessness of her situation. She wasn’t surprised when Elske padded inside after her, though Wren suspected it was her master’s order and not her loyalty to Wren that made her escort her back to safety.

Wren was on her way up the stairs when she heard jaunty music wafting down the hallway. She followed the sound to a drawing room on the first floor, where she found Anika and Celeste dancing barefoot around a trio of fiddlers. They were laughing raucously as they hoisted their skirts and kicked their legs up. Celeste knocked over a vase, which made Anika howl with glee. The princess was laughing so hard she careened toward the fireplace and singed the bottom of her skirts. Celeste grabbed a pitcher and doused her with water, both girls collapsing onto a couch in a fit of giggles.

The musicians fell out of their melody and looked at each other in alarm.

“Keep playing!” cried Anika, between hiccups. “I don’t want to hear that damn blizzard!” She glanced around. “Diamond! Where are you, darling?” Her white fox leaped up onto her lap and licked her cheek.

Celeste reached for a bottle of frostfizz on a nearby table and nearlydrained it in one gulp. There were three more empty bottles rolling around on the carpet.

Celeste went to fling the empty bottle across the room and noticed Wren standing in the doorway. “Dance on, Anika!” she said as she scrabbled to her feet. “I’ll be right back!” Anika stood and swayed back and forth, dancing with her fox.

Celeste rushed across the room, shooing Wren out into the hallway. “There you are!” she said, half breathless. “Where did you disappear to earlier?”