Kai's chest was a wall of heat against my back, and I found myself leaning into him despite my irritation. The scarf helped block some of the wind, but nothing could fully stop the cold from finding every gap in my clothing. At least, the boots were doing their job, and my toes were still attached, which was more than I could say for my dignity after that mounting disaster.
The ride settled into a slow but punishing rhythm that worked its way straight through my bones as the caribou shoved their way through the snow path. Each step rolled my hips forward and back against the saddle. My breath steamed against the wool of the scarf with every exhale, and the deep ache in my ribs spread outward with a soreness that flared whenever the animal shifted.
Kai stayed silent behind me, but his arm remained firmly at my waist and became a steady restraint that kept me upright when fatigue made my spine want to sag. Heat bled through his coat into my back, just enough to make me painfully aware of where his body ended and mine began.
I adjusted once, trying to ease the pressure in my hips, and felt his grip tighten a fraction. He anchored me without comment and scooted back in the saddle a little, which helped me support myself so that I didn’t have to use as much of my own strength to hold myself up.
The wind rose and fell with gusts sliding under the edge of my hood and down my collar. My nose ached, then burned, then went numb again. I flexed my toes inside the oversized boots, grateful for the stuffed socks even as stiffness crept up my legs. Snow hissed under hooves, and the soldiers moved like shadows at the edges of my vision, their formation shifting subtly with the terrain.
Time stretched thin and brittle. The steady forward motion blurred into sensation after sensation, but at last, jagged and dark stone walls rose out of the white ahead of us. We were nearing the Eastern Wall Gate. The sight pulled a knot tight in my chest that loosened only when we drew closer, and the gates stood open like iron teeth parting to let us through.
Yesterday, I was desperate to get away, but today I just wanted to get inside somewhere and never experience snow again.
A rider broke from the group and surged ahead with his cloak snapping in the wind. The sound of hooves echoed off stone as we passed under the archway. Inside the city, the air felt different, and I shivered. The cold cut deep but steadier, and the snow was packed hard beneath us. Faces turned, and movement rippled along the inner wall. Calls went up, announcing that the king had returned.
Excitement bubbled inside me. Soon I’d be able to stretch and move, and maybe even have a bath. My chest tightened with hope for that, but then my thoughts turned to Olen and the others, including the mother and her son. With all this cold and snow, I hoped they had found shelter.
The damage from the attack was in the process of being repaired. Scaffolding clung to one stretch of road like a skeletal brace. It reminded me that Olen’s house had been thoroughly destroyed by the wyvern, and now Kai knew he had hidden me. Aflash of concern shot through me. It was one more thing Kai and I would need to talk about once we were alone together.
The caribou slowed as we entered the inner courtyard of the castle. My muscles protested the change, with stiffness flaring as the animal came to a halt. Kai’s arm tightened again, holding me upright. I sucked in a breath through clenched teeth and let it out slowly. Somehow, the air no longer seemed quite as cold.
Kai pushed his hood back and removed his scarf. The wind no longer blew hard against me, and something about the stillness in the yard made me wonder if perhaps this place had enchantments as well, to reduce the cold.
Ashren strode out from the far side, his gaze sweeping the group before landing on us. His coat was dusted with snow but open as if he had thrown it on over his robe and trousers.
Kai swung down in one smooth motion, his boots hitting stone with a solid thud. His hands came up for me without hesitation.
“I can do it.” I started to slide down as well, but my body was stiff from being in this position so long. My boot caught on the edge of the saddle as I tried to swing my leg over. The world tilted sideways, and a sharp gasp escaped as I pitched forward. “Fuck!”
“Whoa.” Kai lunged forward and caught me before I hit the ground. His hands clamped around my waist, and he lowered me the rest of the way. The impact jarred my sore muscles, but I stayed upright. The memory of his hands on me in the cabin shot through me, unwelcome.
“You need rest,” he said gruffly. His irises had turned completely violet, and his pupils were blown wide.
Electricity shot through my core, and I couldn’t tear my gaze from his. As much as I didn’t want my heart broken, I wanted that closeness and heat that I’d experienced with him. The tugging in my chest strengthened, becoming a deep andagonizing ache. Everyone always left or betrayed me. Why did I want to be with him so much? The thought of being apart from him hurt in a way that made no sense. "Thank you," I managed, my voice rough.
He didn't answer. His hand lingered at my waist, his fingers pressing through the layers of fabric with a warmth I could feel even through the cold. But then he shook his head and pressed his lips together, and his expression returned to unreadable. A muscle in his jaw ticked.
“Thank the Fates you’re back! The flare was a great help. Far better than sending out multiple search parties.” Ashren’s voice sliced through the courtyard.
Disappointment slashed through me as Kai released me and stepped back. He turned away from me to face Ashren. “The storm was fierce, but it passed swiftly. All is well?”
Ashren drew closer. Beneath his coat, he wore an elegant gray robe with velvet trim, silver embellishments, and a simple belt with a silver buckle. “No further attacks and no indication of what the Night King hoped to accomplish, aside from your death. The reconstruction has begun. Scouts haven’t found signs of any other breach. You have two more reports that will require your attention, including a request for aid from Silver City. There have been some disputes that will require your attention sooner rather than later.” He came to a halt a few feet away and clasped his arms behind his back. When his gaze fell on me, he offered a slight smile. “Hannah, I am pleased to see you survived.”
“Me too. Somehow it seemed better than dying.” I folded my arms over my chest and tucked my gloved hands against my torso.
Ashren’s slight smile grew a little. “May I assume she has not returned as a prisoner?” The way he asked the question made it clear he knew the answer.
Straightening his shoulders, Kai pressed his lips into a thinner line. “She is a guest, and she will be staying with us. She is to be placed in the guest room nearest mine, and whatever she needs will be provided. She is also to have full access to the library and the archives so that she may learn all she wishes about the Day and Aurora Fae.” He spoke in a clipped, clear tone as if I were an item on his to-do list.
“Of course.” Ashren tipped his head forward and looked at me with his warm charcoal eyes. “Whatever you require. Is it acceptable if Thea assists in her care at this time? We would not wish to overstep.”
I bit back the urge to grin. IknewI liked Ashren. Even if he kept his manners polite, there was an underlying expression and sincerity in them. He seemed like the quiet guy who wasn’t so much shy as he was contemplative, and who knew precisely how to get under his brother’s skin.
“Yes. Thea may assist.” Kai’s tone remained solemn. “As I said, see to it she has everything she requires.”
Ashren gestured toward the stairs, and we began walking as he continued speaking. “The wyvern is recovering well. He’s quite strong, and he appears untainted by the enchantment. Additionally, there is the matter of Olen. He is currently being held, but I do feel it important to note that he was aiding some of the vulnerable citizens at the time of his apprehension, even if he did assist in a prisoner’s escape.”
My heart tightened. Neither of them was looking at me, so I cleared my throat. “That isn’t accurate, at least, not if you’re talking about me.” I held my hands up as Kai looked at me, his brow furrowing.
