20. CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY
PEM
We win the first game.
But as my team cheers, I push down the ice to get to Iseol. A massive form steps out, stopping me from going any further.
“Wanna tell me why the Goodfellows used Iseol’s moves?”
Fuck.
Fuck times a thousand.
“It was a mix-up. Please, let me through. I need to talk to my mate.”
The giant snorts. “I hope you have a better explanation than that to give to Iseol.”
“Well, maybe if I could get to her, I could tell her!”
“Might be difficult, considering that she’s gone.”
My knees threaten to give out. “G-gone? Where’d she go?”
The other center shrugs. “I’m not Iseol’s keeper. Just her friend.”
“And I’m her mate .”
“Then act like it.”
The softly spoken reprimand hurts worse than if the man yelled at me. It rips off the plaster keeping my emotions together until I can barely breathe.
I run a hand through my hair. “I’m going to fix this.”
It’s more of a promise to myself than to the giant, but he nods, seemingly satisfied with my vow as I spin and shift.
I transform into a fox before bounding forward, paws gliding over the frozen lake as I chase after the only thing that matters.
Iseol’s scent—vanilla and snowflakes—lingers in the air, a thread of warmth against the ice-crisp wind.
With a deep inhale, I latch onto the smell and run after it into the cold afternoon. I have no idea where I’m going.
All that matters is that I find my mate.
But Iceland is a vast labyrinth of jagged cliffs, rolling hills, and ice-slicked plains, all of which are unknown to me.
Luckily for me, Iseol shifted into her Gumiho form, making it easier to track her paw prints in the snow.
She’s fast—faster than me even—but I won’t give up. Ever. I push harder, my muscles burning as I race across the frozen landscape.
The terrain changes beneath my paws, turning rougher as the snow gives way to loose gravel and patches of ice.
I follow the slippery trail up a winding ridge, my heart slamming against my ribs as I catch another burst of Iseol’s scent, fresher now.
She’s close.
The ridge levels out, leading into a valley dotted with scattered boulders that’ve been carved by the wind. The tracks here are erratic, doubling back as if my mate was unsure if she wanted to come back.
I slow down, my nose low to the ground when I see it—a streak of white fur. It’s just a glimpse, but I know it’s her.
She’s darting through the valley now, and a surge of relief spikes through me at the sight of her until she turns, our gazes locking.
And then she bolts.
My chest tightens, a deep, clawing ache spreading through my ribs knowing that she’s running from me.
I yip at the pain lancing through my body, and I shift into a wolf. The yip turns into a howl, the forlorn sound ripping through the desolate valley.
It’s a perfect reflection of what I feel inside.
Broken.
No, Pem, you can fix this.
With this in mind, I scurry after Iseol, closing the distance between us. I’m almost to her, the tips of her tails flicking just beyond my reach, when a cloud of white obscures my vision.
The blizzard comes out of nowhere, surrounding me in a vortex of snow that feels like shards of ice against my pelt.
Then, it stops.
And my mate is gone again.
I turn in a frantic circle, looking for her, but she’s vanished. I sniff, trying to pick back up her scent, but like her, it’s disappeared.
The only explanation is that Iseol shifted into a bird again, carrying her too far above me to track, but two can play that game.
Above me, the sky stretches vast and endless as I envision an eryr euriad. The fur of my wolf transforms into feathers as I become more compact.
And then I unfurl my wings and zoom upward, determined to find my mate no matter what—because I refuse to lose her over a miscommunication.
The very thing my father and stepmother warned me against.
I cut through the sky with determination even though the wind fights me. It pushes against my body with a force that should slow me down, but I won’t let it.
My razor-sharp gaze scans the endless stretch of white above and below, searching for any sign of my mate.
The fjords stretch below in jagged lines, sharp cliffs cutting through the mist. Snow-slicked hills roll into valleys, dotted with shadows that stretch long under the setting sun.
I bank sharply, riding a current to gain altitude, my sharp eyes combing the landscape with renewed frustration.
Even as a bird, there are too many places for Iseol to hide. And although I know she shifted into an avian form, I have no idea as to what kind.
A falcon as before?
It would be fastest, but a white owl would be silent and nigh invisible in the terrain below. Or perhaps she chose a native bird from Korea as beautiful and elusive as she is.
I inhale deeply, searching for her scent, but it’s lost—scattered to the wind and too faint for me to pick up now.
The world blurs as I change trajectory with a sharp turn. If I can’t find my mate, then I know someone who can.
Armed with this new plan, I dive for the mountains, careful not to fly into the craggy peaks as they stretch up to meet me.
When I get to the opening of a familiar cavern, I shift back into my normal form, my hooves kicking up rocks as I march inside.
Again, I search for Iseol’s scent, but the magic of the Huldufólk tickles my nostrils, concealing anything else.
Rapping twice on the door where my sister stays, I wait. Sweat prickles the back of my neck, sliding down to mingle with my fur.
I’m a mess—and less than presentable—but time is of the essence. My only hope is that Ramani already has returned from the game.
As if hearing my unspoken plea, the door creaks open to reveal my sister, still decked out in her Goodfellow’s cheer attire.
“Bhaae! You made it!”
This makes me pause.
Was I supposed to meet her and forgot?
“Erm, hey Ramani, I came to ask you a favor, actually.”
“I know. Come inside—I have something for you.”
My sister steps aside so I can enter, and it takes a moment for me to propel myself forward and inside as I stare at Ramani.
Usually, she doesn’t act this cryptic, but my brain also isn’t running at full capacity to unravel any hidden meanings.
It’s too consumed with figuring out what happened to Iseol.
“This way!” Ramani calls, all but skipping down a glittering hallway.
She leads me to a door that I’ve never seen and knocks. My breath catches when it opens to reveal my mate.
“Iseol!”
The Gumiho flinches at my shout, and Ramani elbows my side.
“Smooth, Romeo,” she mutters as Iseol just stares at me, every emotion flitting across her face. “Ok, there’s something else I clearly need to do, so you two talk until I come back—and this time, bhaee, tell her everything .”
It's not quite a reprimand, but it’s close, and I try not to wince, knowing how badly I’ve fucked everything up.
“Right. Er, may I please come in, Iseol?”
Behind me, Ramani mutters under her breath as she walks away. “At least he still has his manners.”
To this, Iseol’s lips quirk—not quite a smile, but close enough to ease some of the tension balling up inside of me.
“Come in.”
My mate steps back, allowing me to enter what looks to be an extravagant bedroom. It’s three times the size of the one I stayed in, and brightly lit with sparkling gems in a rainbow of colors.
“Wow.”
“I know. Gorgeous, isn’t it?” Iseol whispers.
“Not as gorgeous as you, fynuhmar. Can I please explain?”
Iseol bites her lip, and I try not to moan. Although her heat is practically over, I still feel the tug between our bodies that cries out for us to be together.
“I’m listening, Pem.”
Again, my stomach settles at her acceptance. “Thank you. I was terrified you wouldn’t want to talk to me.”
“At first, I didn’t. I wanted—needed some space—but I also realize that I’m not being fair to you. I can assume the worst, but that only hurts both of us. So I want to hear your side.”
“How did you end up with my sister?”
“Erm, she was waiting for me. I went to the highest, most isolated peak, and there was this woman—in a Goodfellows jersey—waving to me like she was expecting me. Turns out—she was.”
“Ramani has the Sight.”
“So she said, but she also told me that she wasn’t going to tell me anything. That I needed to ask you.”
“Annoying, isn’t it?”
Iseol laughs, tucking back a stray piece of hair that’s escaped her braid. “She do this to you a lot?”
“ All the time.”
We both chuckle, and this time, I don’t hesitate. I walk over to Iseol and wrap her up in my arms like I wanted to the moment I saw her on the ice.
I suck in a deep breath, her scent finally clogging my nose like I wanted when I was searching for it.
It comforts me in ways nothing else can, and I could drown in my mate’s sweet aroma. It smells like memories and happiness.
It smells like home.
“Are you going to squeeze me to death or tell me what happened?”
“Can I do both?”
“Pem! Or should I say Cromlech ?”
I blanch. “Just Pem, please. No one…no one calls me by my first name. It’s special when you do.”
Iseol nods, and I know she can sense my sadness through our bond.
“Ok, Just Pem.”
We share another tentative smile before I dive in. “I’m so sorry, Iseol, but you have to believe I never meant to hurt—ever.”
“I know. I can feel it, but I still want to know what happened.”
A snort escapes me that I can’t tamp back. “ You happened.”
“Me?!”
“Yeah, you .”
“Are you seriously trying to pin this on me ?”
“Not at all. I had every intention of telling you who I was, but every time I wanted to, I got distracted—by your smile, your playfulness, your heat.
It’s not an excuse, but I truly wasn’t trying to keep my identity a secret from you. Maybe at first, but never after that second day.”
“And why at first?”
“Because it felt so good for someone to see me— just me —not the star hockey center.”
Iseol’s gaze softens. “I see you, Pem, and I’m not going anywhere. I’m sorry I ran, but I was so confused and hurt. Thank you for not giving up on me—on us.”
“Never,” I vow. “You’re my everything .”
“And you’re mine.”
Finally, the knot tangled deep within unties, and I take a deep, shuddering breath of relief. There’s more to explain, but I’m too overcome with joy.
Thank the gods, I didn’t lose my mate.