Page 79 of Wings of Snow
The Fire Wolf’s gaze flicked to me again, and I knew it wasn’t lost on him that the crown prince had called me his mate.
“My fee is guaranteed,” the Fire Wolf replied easily. “If I can’t help, you get your money back, and we part ways.”
Money?I figured that was his term for rulibs.
Norivun grunted. “I will ask that we seal this with a bargain, simply to keep each male to his word.”
The Fire Wolf inclined his head. “I assumed as much.”
The two of them stood, and Bavar continued to munch on a cookie while Norivun and the Fire Wolf declared their terms of the bargain, determined how the rulibs would be transferred, and then sealed it all with magic.
Once they finished, the king’s nephew swallowed his last bite and clapped. “Excellent. Prince Norivun, again, it’s been a pleasure to see you, but for now, I shall leave you in the Fire Wolf’s capable hands. If the Nolus can help in any further way, I do hope to see you again.”
Prince Norivun brought his fist to his chest and bowed. “I won’t forget your kindness or willingness to assist us, Major Fieldstone. I am in your debt.”
Bavar smiled, revealing pointy teeth. “Of course, and as I said before, I do hope this is the beginning of a friendly alliance. Invasion on anyone’s continent is the last thing we need.” With that, he brought his fist to his chest and bowed in return.
Once the pleasantries were done, Norivun’s cool gaze returned to the Fire Wolf. “I’ll mistphase you to the field.”
The hunter extracted a portal key from his pocket. “No need. I can provide my own means of travel.”
Norivun eyed the key with a smirk. “I’m afraid your traveling keys will likely send you to the wrong location when the field we’re going to is so remote and hard to pinpoint. Please. Allow me to mistphase you.”
The prince held out his hand, and the Fire Wolf’s amber eyes burned with flames.
I swallowed a gasp, but the flames disappeared as the hunter took a slow step forward. “Mistphase?”
“It’s how we travel,” Nish said with a smirk.
“I’m trusting you,” the hunter said on a low growl just before he placed his hand in the crown prince’s.
“I know.” Norivun’s lips curved as he nodded toward me and his guards. “See you there?”
He didn’t wait for us to reply. In a wink of magic, the two disappeared.
CHAPTER 23 - NORIVUN
The magical male from theotherrealm reappeared with me in Isalee’s field. A blinding snowstorm raged as sharp wind cut into my skin. The Fire Wolf’s dark hair blew around him, but despite the skin on his arms being exposed, he didn’t shiver. In a blink, Ilara materialized beside me, followed by my guards.
“That was aninteresting way to travel.” The hunter scratched his jaw, yet his face stayed impassive as he assessed the area. “Do you use anything to channel your magic when you do that?”
I drew my eyebrows together. “No.”
“Impressive.” The Fire Wolf cocked an eyebrow as he continued looking around.
Regardless of his reluctant respect, I stayed between my mate and the male. While I wanted to believe I could trust him to do the job we’d hired him for, I wasn’t a fool. I didn’t trust the hunter with my mate, and I didn’t trust him to do anything that wouldn’t ultimately be in his best interests. The Fire Wolf smelled...different. I’d never scented any fae or creature like him, and the power I sensed in him made me cautiously wary.
The mate bond pulsed strongly inside me as Ilara’s apprehension and curiosity rumbled along our connection. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who’d reached that conclusion.
My mate lifted a hand, fanning it in a circle around her. A ring of fire erupted in a protective barrier about thirty feet in diameter, and my guards positioned themselves defensively near it.
The hunter’s eyebrows rose. “Are we expecting company?”
I shrugged. “You never know. We had a previous incident with a snowgum here, and it’s not something I care to repeat.”
His eyes narrowed. “What’s a snowgum?”
“An ice creature who you should hope you never encounter,” Ilara replied.