“That is… Not what I expected you to say,” she replied, skeptical despite her wanting hope.
Ivor shrugged. “I would be lying if I did not share your admiration for elves. They can be quite charming—”
“Seela, you mean?”
Ivor spun a lock of silver hair around a black nail. “Aye, we’ve spent a lot of time together recently, especially after you decided to court Vali. She speaks to me like I’m a person, not a… not an abomination. Not something to hide away like the wolven I am.”
Ailsa’s heart snagged in her throat, a rush of guilt flooding her chest. “I’m sorry, Ivor. I didn’t even know you felt that way. I’ve been so consumed with my own life, and I’ve been negligent to my best friend. My family.”
“True friends don’t fault the other when they are busyliving.”
“Well, I hope you keep that thought in mind, because I need to tell you something.” Ailsa had been holding her palm over her right hand, hiding her secret engagement under the guise of a casual stride.
Ivor straightened, sensing her unease like it was spilling from her scent. “What is it?”
Ailsa hesitated, biting her lip, and decided it was best just to rip the scab off the sore spot and let it bleed a fresh wound. She held up her hand and wiggled her fingers, showing off the intricate rune with a proud smile.
“We areFraendi.”
Ivor’s eyes widened, locked on her hand. She stumbled away, retreating from the rune like it was causing her personal pain. Her face transformed from shock, to confusion, to a head shaking denial. Ailsa had expected her reaction, prepared herself for the lashing she would receive and the wrath of her wolven. But she didn’t expect the murderous glare Ivor delivered like a weapon. Her icy gaze struck her cold in the heart.
“What have you done?” But the words were accusatory, not a question. Ailsa clutched her marked hand to her chest.
“I love him.” She wielded the truth as her only defense.
Ivor’s chest heaved like a sea in a storm. “You didn’t have tomatewith him! Do you even understand what it means to be hisFraendi?”
“Aye, of course,” she murmured. Though, Ivor could tell she was lying from the weakness in her assertion.
The wolven responded with a joyless laugh. “Seriously, Ailsa? What do you think it means? IfHjartablódscan sense each other and heal their bonded with their blood, what do you think the bond of aFraendiwould do? The fae’s deepest and most sacred bond!”
Ailsa’s heart pounded like it was trying to escape the cage of her chest. Perhaps she should have asked more questions about this bond before she jumped into it, but she was so consumed by his words, how he wanted her, and she chose to be selfish for once in her life and take something that shouldn’t belong to her. But by the way Ivor was pacing, she judged she had made a very rash decision without having all the facts.
The wolven paced in front of the statue and raked through her silver hair with clawed fingers. She had kept up the practice of filing them since they left Drakame, keeping them sharp. And Ailsa had never questioned why. But the anger seeping out of Ivor made her hold on her shift loosen, distracted by her frustration. It had been nearly two months since she had let her wolf out, and Ailsa feared she couldn’t hold it inside any longer.
“Ivor, you need to calm down!” She approached her with an extended hand, but when Ailsa skimmed her shoulder, the wolven reared back and clawed her face. A blur of gray hair and umber skin and visceral growls.
Ailsa fell back across the pavers lining the path through the maze of shrubbery, holding the soft part of her cheek where her claws shredded the skin. A burning pain lanced into her bones, feeling the poison of a wolven’s claws sink deep into her flesh. Blood trickled between her fingers from the grazing wound. Her sister’s betrayal stung worse than her assault.
“Ailsa,” Ivor whispered. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean…” But Ailsa’s shock dissolved into fury, and she stood to her feet without listening to another word.
“I understand you are angry, that this must seem like I’m being reckless and foolish. I knew you wouldn’t supportus,but I thought you would always supportme.” Ailsa turned to leave, unable to look at the woman she once knew or the stranger she had become.
“You don’t understand what you’ve done!”
“Then explain to me the crimes I have committed!” she shouted. “I am sotiredof everyone keeping secrets from me!”
“Do not act so blameless, Ailsa,” she spat. “I know you lied to Vali about what the Crow told you. We both know you are keeping the truth from all of us—”
“How do you know what the Crow told me?” she asked.
“It doesn’t matter! Nothing matters anymore, you’ve ruined everything!”
“Ivor!”
“You bound your threads together becoming hisFraendi!” Ivor hissed at her. Ailsa stiffened, her heart speeding impossibly faster until it felt like it would burst.
“What?”