As if Fate were mocking me, the storm howled louder, but my caribou didn’t slow down or lose its footing. There was over two feet of snow, and it was still coming down.
The wind battered my back, sliding through every seam of my cloak. Thick snow drove sideways across the ridge, stinging any exposed skin, while ice formed on my lashes. The caribou lowered its head and grunted, shoulders heaving as it forced its way forward, its hooves striking packed layers of snow that cracked under our weight.
Time ceased to exist as Hannah began to move even less. My magic, more than my sight, guided us to the last ridge where the safe house was. Fate, we had to get there in time. The thought of Hannah not surviving had me pushing the caribou harder and clutching her even closer to my chest.
Something snapped and tightened around us, changing the pressure, and then the small cabin appeared. Its dark stone and treated timber form crouched low against the slope, sheltered by ragged rocks. The slanted roof was heavy with snow that hadn’tfully drifted over to block the entrance, thanks to ancient magic woven into the protective foundation of this structure.
My lungs filled fully for the first time since before Hannah had dropped into my world. Thank Fate. There was a chance I could save her.
As the wind died, the stinging eased. The caribou angled toward the cabin door, and its hooves struck packed ground instead of loose powder. It slowed to a controlled stop.
Keeping my hold on Hannah, I swung down and bent my knees to absorb the impact. When my boots were planted, I adjusted her in my grip.
She didn’t stir. The joints of her fingers were stiff and curled tight against her chest.
My entire body stilled. I had to get her inside. I gritted my teeth, and my legs burned as I charged to the door.
The thick wooden door opened on iron hinges that groaned. Inside, the sound of the storm reduced to a low, distant roar. The air inside was still and cold, smelling of old ash, animal, and dried resin. I needed to warm the place as soon as possible.
The caribou entered too, its hooves striking the packed earth floor with a familiar hollow thud. As soon as it was in, I shoved the door closed. Darkness engulfed us, but my eyes quickly adjusted. It was much easier to see without the snow obscuring my vision, and I would’ve breathed a sigh of relief if not for Hannah barely hanging on to life.
I glanced around. Eight narrow beds lined each of two walls. I lay Hannah on the nearest one, its white linen sheets nearly the color of her skin. After making sure her head didn’t hit the wooden frame, I removed the wet scarf and brushed my fingers over her reddened cheeks.
I hissed under my breath. Her skin felt like ice, but she was breathing and shivering. There was still hope. Heat was the next priority.
I strode past benches arranged by a wide firepit circled by gray stone. The last occupants had followed proper procedure when they’d left and stocked the firepit with kindling and wood on the central grate. Of all the woods available to us, they had used ironwood, which was some of the best for heat. I owed a favor to whoever had followed protocol. Maybe Fate was showing us some mercy tonight, though part of me feared that mercy would serve only to make it hurt more when Hannah was taken from me. My chest clenched.
No.
Nothing would take my mate from me. Certainly not the cold.
I seized the flint from the metal caddy that held the hearth tools and struck it against the steel. Bright sparks snapped, and soon, smoke curled up from the wood, reaching the peaked ceiling where special vents had been placed. The fire caught, and heat crept outward in slow waves, pushing back the chill. But it wasn’t enough.
Looking over my shoulder, I confirmed there was plenty of wood stacked along the wall nearest the door. Racks above the wood pile held tack and blankets meant for the animals since the space had been designed for caribou to also stay in and settle without panic. A trough stocked with hay and winter grass occupied the corner by the tack wall and the wall with the door. Of course, the caribou had headed straight there, its reins dangling down its side.
I hurried back to Hannah’s bed and pulled it as close to the firepit as possible, making sure to angle it so that her entire side was exposed to the heat and not just her feet.
Then I went to the caribou and removed the packs. I brought one of the medical supply bags to the bed and knelt beside her. Her lips were pale beneath the cracks and blood, and cuts along her cheek looked as if they’d been made by metal and worsened by the cold. I took her pulse as I watched her uneven breaths.The enchantments in the coat and gloves weren’t intended for temperatures this low or in garments that were wet from melting snow. Before I gave her any medicine, I had to get her stabilized and assess her injuries.
“Hannah.” I leaned closer, one hand resting on her shoulder, and softened my voice. “Wake up. I need to take these wet clothes off you, and I’d rather do that with your permission than surprise you.” My heart ached, watching her. This was my mate. I’d do anything to protect her, but she didn’t know that, or that we were mates crafted from Fate’s own design.
If she knew, I doubted she’d have acted as she had. She’d dropped into this realm without knowing anything about it. That much was clear.
A dark huff escaped. We hadn’t even been aware of one another’s existence yesterday, and here I was, determined not to let her die. I knew so little about her, except that she was a fighter. And that, as my mate, she would be treated with respect even if we couldn’t be together. “Wake now. You’ll have an opinion, I’m sure.”
I moved to her feet and pulled off her strange pink and white shoes. They were soaked through but with some faint stains from the pale ash, and her strange white stockings were dripping wet. Her toes and heels were gray-blue and frigid to my touch. “These half boots of yours are entirely foolish. The color suits you, but they’re impractical. There is no structural support or insulation. I’ll get you better footwear when we’re back at the castle.”
Holding my hand toward the fire, I felt the heat rising. Good. It was steadily warming, but it wasn’t so hot as to be dangerous. Most of the smoke spiraled up through the vent, but a haze was settling through the room. The warm smoky scent filled my lungs with a soft aroma of magnolia and apricot.
Hannah’s body jerked, and a rattling inhale tore through her. Her eyes fluttered open and stared, unfocused, and her hands twitched against the furs. Her fingers were still curled, and she shivered hard. Her teeth started chattering.
I would’ve felt relief, but she wasn’t safe yet. I needed to try to get her talking. “There you are. Good to see you awake. Don’t sit up. You need to rest.” I stripped her gloves off and placed her arms at her sides. Then I started to undo her coat, unlatching each of the fasteners with care.
“S-so cold. It burns,” she gasped. Her hands balled into clumsy fists. “Where—” Her voice broke off as she trembled.
“Easy. You have hypothermia. We need to get the wet clothes off you so we can get you warm. Once your temperature rises, I have clean and dry clothes for you to wear.” I opened her coat, revealing the pale shirt that announced she was with Stupid. The irony hit me. It felt fitting, as she made me feel foolish and undone simply by existing. Which I hated!
The soaked shirt outlined her body with perfect clarity. A traitorous surge of interest pulsed through me, and shame poured after it. I focused on the task.
