Chapter 22

Lilia, Ragnar, Daella, and Rivelin were nowhere to be found. They knew all about dragons. In fact, the one lurking in the mine tunnels was likely one of Rivelin's friends. And if not, Daella was an orc who could approach the beast without getting burnt. But after searching every tavern in the area, it seemed they'd either left or gone on their own hunt.

"It couldn't be easy, could it?" I pulled a stool up to a table at The Wet Beard and pointed for Tormund to sit. No one was here to serve us ale, but that didn't mean we couldn't enjoy it.

Right now, I sorely needed to take the edge off with a delicious brew.

As I grabbed a keg and poured the drinks, Tormund leaned against the counter, far more at ease than he had any right to be. Didn't he understand the implications of this? He seemed content to let me find the Everstone and return it to its rightful place, but that meant he couldn't take it back to Azraak to save his friend.

"We've been to see the dragon once already. We'll figure it out," he said.

I pushed a tankard across the counter, then took a big gulp of mine. I downed the whole thing at once, slammed it onto the bar, and poured another.

His eyebrow arched skyward. "Thirsty?"

"You seem awfully calm." I took another drink—this time just one sip instead of the entire brew—and met his stare with one of my own. "I need you to answer something, and I need you to answer it honestly."

"What is it, Astrid?"

I tried not to shudder at the way he said my name. Gods, why did it always get to me like that?

"Once we found out where the gem went, you instantly relaxed. It's like you believe there's no reason to worry. You don't seem disappointed that you have to give it up for the dwarves to survive here, which means you must not plan on doing that. Tell me the truth, Tormund. Are you going to take the gem back to Azraak?"

He leaned forward and gazed at me with an intensity that made my toes curl. "No."

"Really," I said. Not a question, a statement. "You're not going to take the Everstone home?"

"There are thousands of you. I'd never take away the one thing that means you can survive in your mountain."

"But your dragon friend…"

He sighed. "I'll find another way."

"You said there was no other way," I argued.

"I said it needed to be a gemstone. Perhaps there's another than can do what must be done. Tahir can survive in the mountains until I find another way. Your villages and cities can't."

I blew out a breath. If it hadn't been for his reaction to our first kiss, I could have launched myself at him. He'd willingly give the dwarves the thing he wanted most in the world, and he didn't even seem upset about it. He hadn't complained as he'd helped me search for Lilia and Rivelin these past few hours. He'd been there every step of the way, encouraging me with concern written in every inch of his eyes.

"Thank you," I said, almost breathlessly.

"Do you know what I noticed, Astrid?" he asked.

"What's that?"

He quirked a smile. "You haven't mentioned your own damn self once."

"I…what do you mean?" I felt the urge to take another drink, if only so I could break the intensity of his stare. It felt like he could see into the very heart of me.

"Your curse. You've been so focused on helping everyone else that you seem to have forgotten it exists. You're not mad at Jostein for taking it from you. You don't seem at all bothered that putting it back in the mines means you'll never get to leave this place."

"Oh. Well, I didn't really think it was a question. I'd never choose my freedom over the future of Steingard and all the rest. Besides, you told me you'd find another way."

"You are a beautiful person, Astrid Balstad. And I've been a fool not to sweep you off your feet."

Tormund tugged me close and kissed me. My toes curled as his lips swept across mine, the delicious scent of his shadows pressing into me. Then he quite literally swept me off my feet. His hand slipped down the length of me and cupped my backside. Lifting me off the ground, he carried me to the wall and pressed me up against it, his tongue still exploring my mouth.

I moaned and slid my fingers into his air, relishing the silken strands.

He stiffened against me. "Gods. What I would give to feel you touch my horns."

Heat stormed through me, pulsing between my thighs. Answering his invitation, I dragged my hand across the top of his hair, then gently touched his left horn. It was smooth and almost silken, just like his shadows. Tormund shuddering, groaning in pleasure.

With a smile, I caressed the length of it. Tormund grabbed my right hand—the one not touching his horn—and trapped it against the wall. His shadows darted out, pulling at my tunic, at my trousers. Before I understood what was happening, they'd ripped my clothes right off my body and then did the same to his.

I gasped, the cool air sweeping across my peaked nipples.

His gaze dropped to my breasts. Hunger lit his eyes. "You are the most beautiful creature I've ever seen."

My heart pounded. I was all too aware of his bare skin against mine, the wetness coating my thighs, and his hard length pressing against my stomach. Tormund leaned in and nicked my skin with his teeth.

Still shuddering, he murmured into my ear. "I want to take my time with you. I want to caress every inch of your skin and memorize every curve. But you touching my horns has driven me to the brink of insanity. I need you now, Astrid." He pulled back and met my eyes. "May I take you?"

I swallowed and nodded. Without needing any further encouragement, Tormund groaned and slid inside me. My walls tightened around him, answering his need with my own. He pulled back and thrust hard, trembling as he moved, like he was barely holding on to his control.

"I want you," I murmured against his cheek, dragging my hand up the length of his horn.

"Fucking fates." He thrust into me harder, faster, gripping my thighs and my wrist. My backside hit the wall, the cool stone a contrast to the heat of Tormund's skin. I dragged my hand down his horn again.

He growled and thrust harder, building the pleasure in my core. When he loosened the grip on my wrist to hold my hip, I reached up and clung to his other horn. Now that I held on to both of them, he broke.

He pushed into me, harder and faster, growling with ferocious abandon. His cries of pleasure tore out of the tavern, echoing across the Endless Chasm, but I didn't care. Everything in me coiled tight, an explosion of delicious pleasure threatening to shake through me.

I was so close to release. I was almost there. Tormund pounded into me. His length hit just the right spot and—my core throbbed. Powerful quakes tore through me. Tormund groaned when he felt my own pleasure, and he thrust again—twice, then a third time—and his own release followed mine.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. We merely held on to each other, sweat glistening on our bare skin. Eventually, Tormund lowered me to the floor, but he snatched away my clothes when I went for them.

A wicked glint lit his eyes. "You can put these back on if you promise me I can take them off again when we get to your cottage."

"You want to stay with me in my cottage?" I asked, still breathless from the act.

"I would like nothing more." He slid his finger beneath my chin. "But only if you want the same."

Warmth bloomed inside me. "There are quite a lot of plants in my cottage. They might not want to share."

"I'm certain we can manage." He winked. "Besides, there are things I'd like to do, and I'd rather we not have an audience."

Already, my core tightened. Need burned through me, so overwhelming I was tempted to stroke his horns again, just to get him going. Now that I knew what he liked, I wanted to do it a million times.

"I quite like the sound of that," I said.

He slid his hand along my curving hips. "Only problem is, you are perfection, love. I'm not sure I can wait."

"I think I hear some drunk dwarves coming," I told him, pointing out the door when another round of singing reached my ears. They couldn't be more than a ledge or two away, which meant they might be coming here.

"Hmm, that would definitely get in the way of what I want to do."

Tormund held out a hand, and I took it. And then I led him back to my cottage, where I showed him my plants, my bed, and anything else he wanted to see. It turned out he wanted to see it all.