Zirel touched Lex’s forehead, and she fell limp in Garrin’s arms.
“Her fear is a problem,” Zirel said.
Garrin was as frustrated as his men, and fearful for the fragile female. “The only way to Dark Kingdom is through the Land of Ice.” He gently set Lex on the ground and searched for signs of New Kingdom soldiers who may have followed them.
The portal creator huddled not far away, his complexion gray, his chest rising and falling in exhaustion. “Amund?”
The burly Fae rubbed his face. “I need but a moment.”
In a moment, New Kingdom guards would track them. “Can you get us deep enough inside the Land of Ice?”
Amund nodded. “One more portal. That is all I have in me until I rest.”
Amund was in terrible shape. Should he be attacked in his condition, he would succumb to his injuries, unable to heal. But they were out of options. “It is enough.”
With Amund’s help, they soon passed into the great white abyss.
Inside the Land of Ice, mountains jutted toward the sky, craggy, in shades of gray, blue, and white, the peaks stretching farther than even Fae, with superior sensory perception, could see. There was no anchor in this land, and disorientation was a death sentence.
Exhausted, they huddled together and blocked the cold wind from Lex’s small form.
Zirel stared at the girl, who looked peaceful in sleep. “She will wake soon.”
“Yes,” Garrin said.
Zirel peered around. The wind blew so hard that it was difficult to stand, let alone walk. “She is terrified of this place—not that I fault her.”
“Nor I,” Garrin said, “but it will make the trip more difficult.”
Amund lay on his side, unmoving, his eyes closed. “If she was truly the prophesied one, she would be able to take us to Dark Kingdom.”
Garrin steeled his gaze. “It is unfortunate the girl shows no sign of her powers, but there is something about her… I am certain she is the one the elders spoke of. Our circumstances may have changed, but not our purpose. We will not fail our people. We will bring the girl with us.”
He grabbed the canvas bag that held their supplies and pulled out a heavy coat made of Fae material resistant to cold. He eased Lex’s arms through the sleeves and secured the front, tucking her head and long hair inside the hood. Next, he covered her hands with gloves.
His brow furrowed. She would remain warm for a time. But it wasn’t the cold that concerned Garrin. It was the strange fear of snow she carried with her.
He looked at Zirel. “You must keep the girl asleep while we travel.”
Zirel gave a quick nod. “Yes, Your Highness.”
* * *
Lex was lyingon frozen ground so cold it seeped straight to her bones. “Thirsty,” she said, and tried to open her eyes. When she finally managed it, she struggled to focus. “Cold.”
Rustling came from above, and a warm blanket covered her.
She rubbed her eyes, finally getting them to adjust, and looked down. At some point, someone had put her in a coat and gloves—not that it made a difference when lying in snow. Another coat now rested on top of her.
“Better?” Garrin leaned over in nothing but a sweater, while the other two Fae crouched nearby in coats like the one that covered her.
Garrin had given her his outerwear. In the middle of this awful, arctic place.
She closed her eyes against the images that flashed across her mind. The ones she’d had before she passed out. Given the temperature beneath her back and the clothing the men wore, she was still living her worst nightmare.
“It isn’t too late to return me.” Her teeth chattered, and it was difficult to swallow. All she wanted was to return to her uncle.
Was Jas really Fae like them? These men sounded like Jasper, with their English accent that held tinges of Germanic influence, but it was hard to imagine it being true. “I won’t tell anyone you took me. I promise.”
