I "Assuming that later in the game means we lose."

Ikovos reproached himself immediately. "Shoot, I didn't mean it like that. We-"

I lifted my head to meet his eyes, they were strained and disconcerted and I knew we were thinking the same thing.

He swallowed hard and I put my hands on the ground beside me.

"That's why we have to fine the Gaeln," I said, and propelled myself up.

His gaze followed me. Then he stood straight and I was the one looking up. He wasn't smiling, but the face he held was, for me, just as reassuring. "Alright, let's hurry then."

We ate a quick breakfast of fruit and cheese, packed up, then started on into the trees. The morning was cold, very cold. I could tell it would be overcast again. It was dim enough that the air from our lips came out white and foggy. Ikovos once again lent me his coat.

Before too long we reached the base of the mountain. The summit at the top was our supposed destination. Why did it always have to work that way? We started up fervently anyways, doing a bit less talking today then yesterday. My mind was still on my dreams, on Sylvanus, but I didn't want to bring it up with Ikovos anymore.

The sky grew to a fairly bright silver, but there was nothing warming about it. When we'd gone up at least five miles, probably getting close to noon now, I asked for a break, shrugging the jacket off to set on a boulder along the path.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot," he said, nodding dumbly. "I should have had us do that sooner."

High pine trees surrounded us, allowing for a quite a cleared space below. A mix of rocks, shrubs, and uneven terrain.

"Of course you should have," I declared wryly as he sat across from me on a tall rock. "I'm a girl and couldn't possibly be expected to go on for more than a few hours without a break."

He smirked at my easy catch of his unintended insinuation. "They could be expected to, they just shouldn't be." His chest lifted, obviously somewhat exerted himself. He's stripped down to his white undershirt at this point. "Big difference."

My smile tightened. "Such a gentlemen.

He bowed playfully and we both looked up at the trees in unison, a heavy breeze rushing through them.

"How far do you think we are from the top?" I asked. It was impossible to tell from here.

"I don't know," he answered. Then he checked up and down either direction. "It might be a good idea to find out though."

"And how are we going to do that?"

He looked to a tall pine beside us. "Climb a tree." Then back at me, grinning. "You wanna do it?"

They were really tall, with hardly any branches. Even with magic I wasn't going to be able to get up there.

Plus, I was beat.

"You go for it," I said, then stood up. "I'm gonna run back to that spring we passed really quickly. I forgot I had Tanis, and he doesn't like bottled water."

Ikovos eyed down the path, sighed, then pursed his lips at me.

"I'll be fine," I smiled.

He nodded. "Be careful." Then he turned to the tree and I headed down with Tanis.

It was just about fifty feet back and a bit off the road. We'd seen it, but didn't stop as we already had our own drinks.

I hopped down briskly, wishing that I hadn't left my coat since my heart-rate was starting to slow again. Tanis was on my shoulder, unquestioningly feeling much better from his sickness. I kneeled at the base of the spring surrounded by a grove of rocks. The side to the left was an especially high wall. It reminded me of the glowing pool near the lodge.

I'd set Tanis down in front of the deep pool, rubbing my shoulders and glancing around the forest.

Because of the wind it was pretty loud, noises every direction. I wanted Tanis to hurry because now that I was away from Ikovos the irrational fears of my nightmare were beginning to take root. Unfortunately after a few sips Tanis jumped head-long into the spring, swimming about playfully. He looked like a mini sea otter.

I smiled at it, but tried to urge him out. "Okay, come on Tanis. We gotta get back."

He just ducked further until I furrowed.

"Alright, two minutes."

The wind flared up again and I looked out ahead. Then I rubbed my arms and stood up, turning around to stretch my legs a bit.

As soon as I did a body hit me.

It took me a second to realize who it was, but the scent . . . I didn't realize he had such a particular smell. It was rich, spicy, and it made my skin flush even before I consciously recognized it.

My head was pulled to his neck and his arms wrapped securely around my body, fingers barely grazing my lower back.

"Don't ever do that again," said Jaden. His hold tightened as he did, breath hitting my ear and causing a significant shudder.

I could barely retain a gasp of emotion.

"What are you doing here?"

I knew I should pull back, but the idea of letting him go now, when I'd thought I'd never see him again. I moaned, just slightly, then buried my face a little deeper into his neck. Neither were intentional.

He didn't back away. He only gripped me harder.

"That's a really stupid question." His lips were closer, another shiver ran down my neck and through to the base of my spine.

Please. Don't do this to me, Jaden.

I stiffened and pushed away from him till there was a good foot between us. Bad idea, now I could see his eyes. His eyes were worse, much worse.

"It's not a stupid question," I forced, defensively."How did you find out?"

This was good. Back away, no more touching, no more feeling.

"Does it matter?" he asked, darkening, as if he were hurt. "I can't believe you didn't tell me."

"You wouldn't have let me go," I pointed out.

"With you I never seem to have much say in the matter, anyways," he scoffed, throwing out a hand. I couldn't tell whether he was kidding, or honestly irritated by the fact.

My chest lifted. It was getting cold again.

"So you're not going to make me go back?" I asked it carefully, moving backwards again and a bit to the right so I wouldn't end up falling into the pond.

He spread his arms out. "Does it look like I am?"

He was definitely irritated by this fact. More so than made sense me to me. I mean, I know Ikovos said he would be angry, but if he wasn't making us go back . . . what did he have to be mad about? My brow knit with another confused thought.

"Why are you here then?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, narrowing immediately. His face was incredulous, bewildered even.

My eyes tightened. What was I talking about? He was the one not making sense.

"I just don't understand," I started. "It's a two day trip, and you've, you've got the patrols and the fighting. I know that there are attacks all the time, things won't be as safe if you're not there . . . I just don't understand why you came all this way."

A good argument, I was making perfect sense.

"You think any of that matters in comparison?" he countered. Brows lifting above smoldering eyes.

My body rushed just at the way he said it, at the way he was looking at me. I swallowed hard, backing up till my feet hit the wall, hands flattening against it. "Compar-" I gulped "-comparison to what?"

He was five feet away. He hadn't moved forward since I'd begun backing up. He stood rigid and his eyes were slanted at me, shrouded as usual beneath the dark layers. They tightened just a fraction, as if they were searching my face for some missing piece of information.

"Are you really this dense?" he asked.

My head shook slightly, not-conceiving, hands still braced against the rock.

His gaze set fiercely, and he started moving towards me. I tried to form a question as to what he was doing. Soon he was so close I had to close my eyes.

And then kissed me.

My chest hurt and my blood rushed. I know my brow must have been dipping substantially in confusion.

Just when I thought I might die, he pressed even harder, wrapping one hand behind my back and pulling me against him. I couldn't help but sink into it this time, tingling all over, my toes doing an uncontrollable pointy thing.

When he finally released I still had my eyes closed. I could feel his heart pounding heavily past mine, which was a feat. Somehow my hand gotten up to his chest though.

"Do you understand why I came now?" The voice made my head swim. Clear and uninhibited. I knew I wouldn't survive opening my eyes.

My head bobbed. "Mm-hmm." Then shook because this still didn't feel possible to me. "Mnm-mm . . ." My fingers were absently tracing the grooves beneath his shirt.

I felt the breath of a smile then, maybe at the fact that I still hadn't opened my eyes.

"Need more convincing?" he asked wryly.

All I got out was a prohibiting moan. I wouldn't survive more convincing.

He laughed slightly again. "Well, if you just keep standing there with your eyes closed like that I'm not going to be able to resist myself."

The knots in my stomach tightened further.

Oh, dear, goodness. This isn't happening.

I tried to take a breath, then ducked my head back a bit and looked up fuzzily.

He was smirking, one brow raised. But his eyes. . . . I was sure they were the same ones that I was constantly trying to steal a glance at . . . but the way they were resting on me now made it hard to believe.

I stifled another gasp with a bite to my lip. This was followed by an immeasurable pause.

"Umm . . . did you just?"

"Kiss you." he finished.

I swallowed, lifting my free hand with a pointed finger. "Because . . ."

"I love you," he clarified, matter-of-factly.

Another shivering breath escaped me. "Oh . . ." Black spots blurred my vision. I pursed my lips, brow furrowed, gaze fixed to his chest. I would have thought that this would feel like a dream, but it didn't, not with him so close.

My eyes turned back up to him. "Aren't you going to ask me how I feel?"

His lips tightened immediately, as if he were trying very hard to hold back a smile. "I hate to tell you this honey, but you're a little obvious."

Honey, he called me honey. My eyes lulled with uncontrollable delight. Then I blinked them clear.

"Obvious?"

"Well, I'm also very perceptive if that makes you feel better," he allowed, mouth tipping. Then he brought a finger up to my face, tracing my bottom lip.

I could hardly breathe.

"You're perfect at everything," I managed.

He laughed at this, then continued with his finger till my skin, head to toe, was covered in goose bumps.

"You can't keep doing that," I breathed, reaching a hand up to stop him.

He simply readjusted his position unfazed, lacing his fingers through mine. "Okay." Then he smiled again, warmer this time.

I should have been wondering why he was . . . in love with me, but . . . Wait, why wasn't I wondering that?

I braved meeting his eyes. "I don't understand. . . ."

"What's that?" he asked, moving his gaze to my hand.

"Well . . ." I swallowed. "What. Why. How. When? . . . Why?"

He looked back at me with a smirk. "Umm-"

"You're so much better than me."