Chapter Six

jorn LOWERED HIS axe when his little black dragon peeked its head around the tree ahead beneath a softly glowing orb that had begun drifting in the dark, snowy woodland. "What is it doing, Rune?"

They were journeying into the mountains chasing a mutual nightmare, so one never knew.

"Playing, I think." Rune turned a soft smile his way. "You were awful playful in our youth."

"Was I?" He kept his weapon in hand rather than sheath it as the little dragon hopped from rock to rock, enjoying the slippery snow.

"You were." Rune's gaze flickered between the little dragon and him. "If I recall correctly, you did it to cheer me up because I was facing so much responsibility at such a young age."

"You were," he agreed, remembering it well enough despite saying otherwise. He recalled how hard he had tried to put a smile on her face and make her laugh, only for both to fade over the years under the weight of her obligations. "Why do you think we see this now?" He gestured at his little dragon as it hopped from rock to rock and continued into the woodland. "What is the point other than to lead us somewhere daunting?"

"Mayhap so we remember the journey behind us before we look to the journey ahead." Her gentle, knowing gaze lingered on him. "Remember the things that led us to where we are today. To this very moment and how we feel about each other."

"Yet I recall every last moment," he said softly before he could stop himself, struggling to keep his distance. When he'd touched her soft cheek earlier and breathed in her sweet breath, moments away from finally, at last, kissing her, he'd been impacted so strongly it was a wonder he hadn't ravished her then and there.

It had taken everything not to pull her against him and taste her at long last. Feel her plush lips beneath his. Almost more than he had in him to keep from watching her give in to the intense feelings that had been building between them since the very beginning because he would ensure it happened. Then it had taken every last bit of willpower, not to keep her close when she stepped away. He'd longed to show her how good it could be between them because it would be. He would see her cries of pleasure never end if it was the last thing he did.

And he would gladly meet his end if he could.

Yet he felt her fear for his life and safety and understood it because he'd always felt the same way about her. Even so, he had gleaned much out of their exchange, even if he didn't get what he ultimately wanted. He now knew with certainty because she'd spoken it aloud that she wanted him just as strongly. Even better? Despite not saying it, he'd caught her thoughts and knew she had lain with no other.

The relief he'd felt at that was so strong it was a wonder he hadn't yanked her into his arms and claimed her before another could. His inner beast was that frantic, desperate to take her virginity and make her his. Yet he loved and respected her too deeply, so he held back. He would never force her to do anything, despite how easily he could take it because she wouldn't fight him in the end.

Never fight him when she loved and craved him just as much.

"If you recall our many childhood memories," Rune said, bringing him back to the present. "Then following your little dragon is but a means to refresh them...us."

Seeing no harm in that and sensing nothing dangerous about it, he sheathed his blade, and they followed his dragon. The snow had picked up, and the weather was bound to get worse, yet it mattered little. They had spent countless hours of their youth frolicking in far deeper snow and in far worse storms.

"We were never trailing little ghostly dragons and drifting orbs, though," Rune said, following his thoughts. She offered him a small, almost playful smile as they pressed against an increasing wind and made their way through the forest. "You have to admit it's interesting, if not a tad fun, all things considered."

"I would not call it fun." Yet he did enjoy seeing a small smile on her face, so he offered one in return. "Interesting? Ja. Fun?" He kept his grin in place but narrowed his eyes. "That's not something that feels part of this moment."

"Why not?" She smiled at the little dragon as it nearly fell off a slippery stone. When he tried to catch himself, he inadvertently scooped up a wad of snow with his wing and whipped it at a branch overhead, only for it to plop down on his head. "We always had great fun in this kind of weather, did we not?"

"We did," he granted, eyeing his little dragon as he roared a teensy bit of fire in defiance at the snowy bits that had so ruthlessly attacked him, seemingly satisfied when they vaporized into steam. "Back when we were—"

He sputtered when a wallop of balled-up snow hit the side of his head, just as it had many moons ago when he and Rune were children. At first, he thought it might have been affiliated with his little dragon, but when he looked Rune's way, she wore a teasing smile and shrugged, making clear she'd been the one to throw it.

"You dare ?" he exclaimed, as astounded now as he'd been when they were children, and she'd done the same thing. Like then, he refused to smile in return but scowled to get his point across that no dragon, be they child or man, liked being hit with a ball of snow.

"It seems I did dare." Her teasing smile dropped just as it had when they were young, and her eyes rounded in mock horror. "How terribly painful it must have been for such a mighty beast."

He couldn't help offering a small smile in return, just as he had so long ago, remembering the moment like it was yesterday. "Not painful but annoying as only icy frozen water can be to a fire-breathing beast."

"Without a doubt." Though Rune didn't laugh, she did chuckle, sending his heart soaring yet again because he'd missed the sound so much. Then, just as she had once upon a time, she trudged on through the snow in the direction of a little dragon who had vanished.

Not about to let her get away with her ruthless attack any more today than he had years ago, be she a powerful seer or not, he balled a wad of snow and whipped it at her shoulder.

"You dare ," she admonished, her eyes round when she stopped and looked over her shoulder at him, repeating her past words. "Do you remember who I am ? What I'm capable of, dragon?"

For a moment in time, he saw the girl she had once been. A little seer with the weight of the world on her shoulders, yet always lighthearted when she was with him. Always the best part of his day. Every single one since they had bonded as babies, and he loved her all that much more for it. So, despite these trying times, he would give her this moment and memory. Not a hard thing to do because her smile was infectious, and the memory a truly good one.

"I remember who you are, yet it seems I did dare." He grinned and rounded his eyes just as she had, repeating what he'd said long ago. "How terribly painful that must be for such a high and mighty demi-goddess seer."

She met his grin in return, and that was it. They were right back in that moment, no longer bearing the weight of responsibility and division but happy and playful, when Rune balled up snow and whipped it at him before taking off. Grateful for the numerous glowing orbs that manifested and kept her in his line of sight, he balled up snow and chased after her.

After that, keeping true to what his little dragon had incited, it was all great fun as they went after each other, laughing as they whipped snowball after snowball in each other's direction. Most missed because she was as limber on her feet as he and a warrior in her own right, so she could duck and avoid easily without using magic.

Some landed, though—one against her chest and another smack dab in the middle of his face. That one, as it had when they were young, made her toss back her head and laugh. In turn, he laughed, and it felt glorious and yet again infectious because Rune's laughter was like nothing else—pure joy to those around her.

Eventually, the wind and snow became too harsh, and the orbs slowly dimmed, and with them, her laughter, as if the darkness beyond spoke to her in ways no one understood but her.

"We should rest for the night." Rune closed her eyes and tilted her face up to the snow and wind. "It will get worse before it gets better."

"Then I will hunt and—"

"There's no reason to hunt when we can manifest what we need." Her gaze fell to his face. "Though I do appreciate it."

"Outside of rushing to your side as I did this morn, I always catch fresh game for you." He frowned. "Since I was old enough to understand how to do it because you felt magically manifested food was not as pure as it could be. Not of the Midgardian process of giving a life to sustain a life, as is the natural order of things."

"And it is not, but I won't have you out in this." Her gaze drifted to the creaking pines overhead, then the darkness beyond. "Not here, for we have entered the Forest of Memories, and it's not safe."

"Yet it was plenty safe when we frolicked here as children." More than familiar with the forest and its haunting ways, he frowned. "It frightens me no more now than it did then."

The Forest of Memories tended to replay memories for those who dared step foot in it. Some were good, prophetic, and natural, and others more unsettling. Some were even born of another life.

"Yet mayhap it should frighten you," she said softly, manifesting a tent against a thick ash tree nearby. "Let us settle for the night, and I will tell you why." Her sad gaze drifted to his face. "Let me remind you of things we forgot...things that only just came to me now within the power of this place."