Page 62 of Omen of ice
“You’re, well, I hate to say it, but a bit…bland. You need someone exciting and energetic to balance that out. Someone who’s not afraid to throw caution to the wind. Someone with a sense of humor.” He winks. “It might rub off on you, and let’s face it. That could only be considered a win.”
“Oh, and let me guess—this someone would be a lot like you, right?”
“Well, Iamall of those things. And then some. But, no. Not me. You’d never be able to handleme.”
I laugh. “That’s the truth. Trust me, Valen—Heartbreaker or not, I would never fall in love with you.”
Valen opens his mouth—no doubt to inform me just how wrong I am—but a loud rumble and the thunderous sound of breaking rock fill the air.
A deep, booming voice says, “I could love you, little Fae…”
20
Valen
Two paces ahead of me, Tania freezes mid-step as two hulking forms swing out from beneath the bridge. She drops her hand to her belt, where it inconspicuously lingers by the hilt of her sword as two massive trolls climb onto the edge of the cliff and move to block the path across the bridge.
“It has been years since we’ve seen the likes of you, little Fae,” the first troll says, eyeing me. An expanse of well-muscled moss-green skin ripples as the creature stretches. The smell permeating the air is foul and reminds me of the swamp on the outer edges of the estate property.
The second troll lets out a mighty roar. It’s slightly taller than the first—both of them are much taller than me—though leaner, and its features are not quite as sharp. A female. “If you wish to cross our bridge, you must give us our due.”
Tania steps back and settles beside me. She studies the chasm that the bridge spans, thirty feet wide and extending as far as the eye can see in both directions. There’s no other way across. If we’re going to get to Ventin for her priestess to fix this thing between us, we need to get across this bridge. Preferably without a fight.
I pinch my nose and choke back a gag. Beady eyes hooded by puffy lids follow my every move. “Might I suggest several bricks of soap?”
The male leans forward. It sniffs me once, then turns to Tania and inhales deeply. “A human? With a Fae?” The creature lets out a horrible guffaw. The edges of the ancient bridge quake, several smaller pieces chipping off and falling soundlessly into the depths below.
“Longer has it been since a human stood at our bridge,” the female says. She closes her eyes and brings a meaty hand to her lips, slowly licking each finger with a loud slurp. “That shall be our price. Give us the human, and you may pass freely.”
“I’m afraid you’ll have to name another price.” Rage boils in my gut, and I’m not sure if it’s Tania’s or mine. “The human is not mine to give.”
More chortling. “Not yours to give? It is your slave, is it not? What other use could it possibly have?”
“Go ahead, Valen.The human,” Tania says, words sharply clipped, “will separate their heads from their shoulders and meet you farther down the path.” She takes a step forward and draws her sword. “It’ll just be a moment.”
I catch her wrist and meet her gaze with a subtle, silent plea.Don’t. Tania is a skilled fighter, but if she attacks, they’ll overpower her before she has a chance to swing twice. Trolls are smarter than most give them credit for, and the sheer strength they possess makes them more than formidable. As a rule, they guard their bridges in pairs, but it’s not unheard of for more to be lurking nearby. This situation could get away from us quickly if we don’t proceed carefully.
She backs down, sheathing her sword.
“There must be something else we can offer you,” I say calmly. Trolls are bound to the bridge they keep, unable to wander more than a few miles. “Some trinket you are unable to procure yourselves, perhaps?”
“Maybe we’ll just go around.” Tania nods to the east. “There must be another way across.”
The trolls laugh. It’s a harsh sound that lifts the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck to attention. “There’s no way around, foolish human,” the female says. “This is the Lavadak Chasm. It extends into the unpassable mountain range of Feldar in both directions.”
“We are willing to pay a reasonable price,” I say. “Name another toll.”
The pair glances at each other for a moment before the male says, “Daroose stole something from us. A small golden chest. Return it, and we will allow you to pass.”
“What is a Daroose?” Tania glances at me, brows raised. Her hand still rests against the hilt of her sword, but her posture has relaxed a bit.
The male troll snaps his considerable jaw. “Sonnet Lake lies several miles east of here, just before the chasm. The kelpie lives there.”
“Akelpie?” I take a step back. If there’s a kelpie involved, then we’ve just gone from bad to worse. “No. Ask something else. Anything else.”
“How bad could it be?” Tania asks.
“That is our final offer,” the male troll says with a sneer. His mate grunts in agreement.
