Chapter Five: Carys

"I don't think the boat is going to float on that," Carys said as they finally reached Lake Winnow.

"Pity." Varn nodded as they stared at the enormous expanse of water. That was frozen solid.

"But is it?" Carys grinned at him, and he grinned right back. "You didn't seem that onboard with the idea of rowboats."

Varn chuckled as they stepped closer to the small boats, all frozen in place next to the bank. "You didn't seem fond of the idea, either. I don't think I've ever been on such a small boat."

They certainly seemed to be on the same wavelength. Which was a good start.

Shame the same could not be said for their first date.

"I'm not saying a boat ride was the worst idea," Varn began.

"Oh, no, there are plenty of worse ideas," Carys agreed.

"Like trying to have a picnic on the beach in the middle of a hurricane," Varn said with a chuckle.

"Or going ice skating in the desert." Carys liked the sound of his laugh. It was deep and rumbling, like the low growl of some noble beast.

"Precisely." Varn grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that made Carys's heart skip a beat. Since they left the tavern, he'd become less guarded and more relaxed. Although she still suspected there was something he was not telling her. "But I have to admit, I was hoping for a more successful first date. Something perhaps more traditional, or even…simple."

"Well, the day's not over yet," Carys said, her voice filled with a playful optimism. "I'm sure we can come up with something else to do."

Varn raised an eyebrow, a questioning glint in his eye. "Oh? And what did you have in mind?"

Carys tapped her chin thoughtfully, looking around at the winter wonderland that surrounded them. The frozen lake stretched out before them, the ice gleaming in the pale evening sunlight that filtered through the clouds. Snow-laden trees lined the shore, their branches bowed under the weight of the fresh powder.

"Well, it seems a shame to let a good frozen lake go to waste." She stepped away from him and summoned her magic, her fingers tingling with warmth despite the frigid air. She reached down and touched the ice before slowly pulling her hand back. Thin slivers of ice followed her fingertips up, forming ice skate blades.

Varn's eyes widened in surprise, but his expression fell, and he looked unsure. "Ice skating? I can't say I've ever tried it before."

"Never?" Carys asked. "Then it's about time you learned. And trust me, ice skating on ice is a much more common date than in a desert."

"I don't know. Dragons are born of fire. Not ice." Varn looked around with only mild disdain. "Perhaps that desert isn't sounding too bad to me right about now."

Carys picked up the two pairs of blades and pointed one toward Varn's feet. "Come on, it'll be fun! I promise I won't let you fall."

"I'm not worried about falling. I'm more concerned about making a fool of myself in front of you," Varn admitted.

"Nonsense," Carys said, squeezing his hand reassuringly before she perched on the edge of a wall bordering the lake and, with a quick spell, attached the ice blades to the soles of her boots. "Everyone has to start somewhere."

However, Varn still didn't look convinced as he ran his thumb along the side of the blade. "It just seems too unnatural."

"Do you know I find a man who's willing to try new things incredibly attractive?" she asked, standing up and wobbling slightly on the blades.

"Oh, you are good," Varn said, cracking a wide smile before edging toward the lake and sitting down on the wall.

"I am," she admitted as he lifted his feet, and Carys repeated the spell to bind the blades of ice to the bottom of his shoes before she pushed herself up. "Come on, I'll help you." She skated toward him and held out her hand.

Varn hesitated for a moment before taking her outstretched hand and allowing her to help him to his feet and guide him onto the ice. His legs wobbled as soon as his skates touched the ice and he struggled to find his balance, gripping Carys's hand tightly.

It was kind of adorable. Not a word she'd ever thought she would use to describe a tall, broad-shouldered dragon shifter.

"Steady now," she said, encouraging him to glide forward. "Just take it slow, one foot at a time."

Varn nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration as he took a tentative step forward. His foot slid out from under him, and he lurched sideways, nearly pulling Carys down with him. But she held fast, using a touch of magic to keep them both upright.

"I've got you," she reassured him, a hint of laughter in her voice.

"I feel ridiculous," Varn grumbled, but there was a fierce determination in his eyes as he righted himself and tried again. This time, he managed a few gliding steps before his balance wavered.

"You're doing great," Carys encouraged. "Just let me guide you for now until you get your balance." Carys skated backward slowly, holding both his hands in hers as she pulled him across the ice. "That's it. Keep your knees a little bent and your feet facing forward. Don't worry about stepping for now."

Varn nodded and began to stop tensing so much as he got used to the sensation of skating.

"Okay, now for the hard part." Carys grinned as Varn shot her a dubious look.

"I guess this was all easy up until this point."

Carys nodded. "Yep, but luckily you've got an outstanding teacher."

"Then I'll surely be a master by the end of this date." Varn chuckled again. "What are my next instructions?"

"Well, if you ever want to ice skate without me towing you along, you'll have to learn to propel yourself forward." Carys brought them to a gentle stop and stepped away from him. She felt his reluctance to let her go, but he didn't hold her back. "Let me show you. You want to keep one foot straight, and with the other, you turn it out a bit like a penguin. That lets you grip the ice. Then, just push off." Carys glided forward, before spinning around to come toward him.

"And after that, just repeat?" Varn asked.

"You're a natural at this." Carys beamed up at him as she took his hand in hers again. "Now, let's skate."

It took Varn a couple of attempts to propel them forward, but before Carys knew it, they were slowly making their way around the lake, only having to help him balance now and again.

"You've got it!" Carys squeezed his hand. "Now, let's start picking up the pace."

Varn nodded, his grip on her hands loosening slightly as he gained confidence. Together, they made a slow circuit around the frozen lake, the crisp winter air turning their cheeks rosy and their breath into puffs of fog.

As they skated, Carys marveled at the way Varn's large hand engulfed her own, at the strength she could feel in his grip even as he relied on her for balance. There was something incredibly endearing about this powerful dragon shifter allowing himself to be vulnerable with her, to put his trust in her.

"I think I'm getting the hang of it," Varn said as he loosened his grip on her hand. But he didn't let her go, and Carys wasn't sure if it was because he was still scared he might fall, or because he liked the sense of connection that holding hands gave them.

"You know, for someone who's never skated before, you're a quick learner," she said, smiling up at Varn as they glided farther out onto the lake.

"Remember, I have an excellent teacher," he replied, not taking his eyes off the frozen expanse before him.

As they skated farther out, the ice beneath their feet seemed to sparkle and shimmer, as if imbued with a touch of magic. Carys felt a thrill of exhilaration as they glided together, hand in hand, the icy wind whipping through her hair and bringing a flush to her cheeks.

Varn's initial trepidation had melted away, replaced by growing confidence as he matched her stride for stride. His eyes shone with a boyish delight that made Carys's heart happy.

"So, a good first date?" Carys asked. "So far, at least?"

"Yes. I never imagined I'd enjoy this so much," Varn admitted, his deep voice carrying a note of wonder.

"And I'm warming to the idea of a boat ride," Carys said. "The lake is beautiful. Maybe we could come back in the summer and drift lazily along while enjoying that picnic."

Varn lurched forward, and she tightened her hold on him. When he finally steadied himself, he let out a long breath that fogged in the crisp air. "A summer picnic on the lake sounds perfect," he said, his eyes locked with hers. "I look forward to making many more memories with you, Carys."

"You look as if you are afraid this is all a dream, that I am a figment of your imagination," she said, suddenly somber.

"Part of me is afraid that this is a dream. My dragon has pinched me more than once to check that I am awake," he admitted.

"Is it so hard to believe you have found your mate?" They made their way around the outside of the lake, the blades of their skates carving delicate patterns into the ice.

Varn was quiet for a moment, his expression unreadable. "I suppose a part of me had started to doubt that I would ever find you. And now that I have, I'm scared that you might disappear…again."

"Again?" Carys stopped dead, sending a flurry of ice into the air.

"Yes." Varn came to a wobbly stop and turned to face her. "Years ago. I sensed you on Cairnnor."

"You sensed me? I thought you said you couldn't sense me unless we are close, just like every other shifter I've met." Carys shook her head as confusion reigned.

"I can't sense you now. But back then…I'm certain of it. We were so very close."

"Really?" Cary asked. Sure, she had visited Cairnnor a few times during her career, but she would surely have remembered if a dragon shifter had told her she was his mate. And if Varn had known that they were so close to each other... "I don't understand. If we are mates, then why didn't you come to me?"

"I was...detained."

"Detained." Carys puffed a plume of vapor into the air. "By something more important than your mate?"

She was overreacting; she knew she was. And yet she seemed unable to stop the sense of betrayal building in her chest. Wasn't a shifter's mate supposed to be the most important thing in their lives?

Yet something had kept Varn from seeking her out.

"I was imprisoned." He hung his head, as if in shame, and her mood softened, her anger dissipating as she reached out and touched his arm. When he meant detained, he really meant it. He wasn't just caught up in something else. Until fairly recently, Cairnnor had been ruled by a harsh, ruthless leader. There were any number of reasons Varn could have been thrown in prison. "But I could sense you through the stone walls. Then you disappeared. I thought… I figured you got on a ship and sailed away because when I was finally released, you were not on Cairnnor, and I could no longer feel you, no matter how hard I tried."

His expression clouded, and he stared at her, his eyes out of focus.

"What is it?" Carys asked, feeling self-conscious, as if she had done something wrong.

"It's like you are cloaked from me," Varn finally said, his brow deep furrows. "And there are some…regrets I have from my past."

"If you are worried I might have been on the dragon isle all along while you searched, then I can set your mind at rest."

Set his mind at rest. Who was she kidding? She'd had enough dealings with shifters to know that there would be no rest for him after he'd sensed her.

"Tell me," Varn demanded.

"I have only visited Cairnnor a couple of times and never for more than two or three days at a time, and this was some time ago. I was actually expelled from the isle due to some…political disagreements some years ago. So, when you searched for me, I was more than likely hundreds of miles away across the ocean. So don't worry that I might have been right under your nose this whole time." She slipped her hand down his arm and threaded her fingers through his. "Why don't we go get something to eat?"

Varn nodded. "Yes."

He seemed numb as she held his hand, and they skated back across the ice to where they had left the picnic basket Liselle had prepared for them. A picnic always lifted people's spirits. At least in Carys's experience. But she hadn't had too many dealings with dragon shifters. Since, under the reign of the old dragon lord, the dragon shifters had been banned from leaving Cairnnor. She had not encountered many on her travels.

But Varn was also a man, and she had plenty of experience with them. Not in that kind of way... But a splendid feast, and excellent wine, had often changed the course of one of her diplomatic missions.

"I'm sorry," Varn mumbled as they reached the edge of the lake and they both sat down on the low wall to remove their skates.

"For what?" Carys asked. "I have had the best time. I don't recall the last time I had so much fun."

"For spoiling the mood," Varn replied.

Carys placed her ice skates down on the packed snow and half-turned to face him. "Our lives together are not going to be smooth. The road we travel will have bumps and hairpin corners, and we will have to make bridges over troubled waters. And through all of that, we will be there for each other. We will hold each other's hands, we will support each other every step. Isn't that what mates do?"

"It is," he answered solemnly.

"And the way we do that is by being honest with each other." She cupped her hand to his face, and he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. "Don't hide from me, Varn. I want to know the real you."

He smiled and nodded. And then his stomach grumbled so loudly, it was as if his dragon had roared in agreement.

And maybe he had.