It’s peaceful here, even with the cold wind blowing, searching for every exposed inch of my skin. It’s one of the things I love about Battle Harbour. There may be a sameness to life in a small town, a lack of privacy and the annoyance of never having someone new to meet, but it’s home.
And then my home is disturbed by the roar of an engine.
I hear the shift of gears and a motor revving like a wild animal coming through the trees. The latest snowfall has clogged the sidewalks, and not been cleared yet, so I’ve been walking on the street—in the middle of the street, as one often does after dark because people don’t drive that fast and they always watch out for pedestrians. Also, because it is late, and as a rule, residents of the town have an early bedtime.
I cross to the other side of the street because street safely suggests I should walk against traffic, not have a racing car come up behind me.
Who could be driving like that when the roads are slick with ice? The roads are icy because it’s January in Landia and the roads will be icy until at least April, when the ice will be replaced by the grey-brown slushy mess that ruins many boots. Living this far north means snow and ice and frequent falls—
“Dammit,” I hiss as my foot goes out from under me and I go down in the middle of the street.
Painfully.
Like, extremely painfully. There’s a quicksnap-pop—so fast that I’m not sure if I actually heardit.
But Ifeela stab of pain that races up my leg.
Wouldn’t that be the perfect end to the night if I sprain my ankle?
Grunting in a most unladylike manner, I manage to get to my feet just as the twin headlights round the corner.
Bearing down on me like a monster in the forest. And me, standing in the middle of the street.
I take a step to hurry out of the way, but my foot isn’t working. I can’t put any weight on it, and ithurts—
A screech of tires and headlights are all around me.
4
Ashton
“Ireallythinkshe’sgoingto go out with me,” Basher says, as enthusiastic as always discussing his burgeoning relationship with Mabel Crow.
Not that I would call it burgeoning, since there’s been no advance but Basher mooning over her. Unrequited love might be a better description. Or, if I was being mean, a big, bad crush.
“Have you even asked her?” I demand, heading down the hill from the castle.
Once I had the keys to Fenella’s Charger in my hand, I lost all interest in Silas’s birthday party. And despite the big, bad crush he has on Mabel, Basher was right behind me to get his promised ride.
Basher’s really taking the sidekick role seriously. He says that because of me, he’s now fascinated by cars. Understandable, since my profession is that of a race car driver.
I refuse to use past tense.
We head back into town, the headlights on bright because there’s no other cars out this late, and it’s really black once you get past the few streetlights. I’ve been to Laandia enough times to navigate past the castle to the lighthouse, the area where Silas likes to stargaze and where his new observatory is being constructed.
The sky is bright though, as the green and purple of the Northern Lights flash in the distance.
Not too distant, because Laandia is almost in the Arctic.
It’s cold enough to be.
The heater pumps out warm air, but it’s not enough for me to strip off my gloves. Basheroohsandahsat the colours of the sky and the forests and the speed of the car.
He also wonders if we’ll see a moose. I guess it’s possible.
“Not yet,” Basher admits. “I’m warming her up to the idea that we’ll be the next power couple in Laandia.”
I think it’s more likely that we run into a moose tonight than Mabel warms up to anything. “Are you still scared of her?”
