Chuckling, I drummed my hands on the wood and opened the window farther. “Is that what you call it?”
Sylvie made a hard swallow and turned to face the counter, leaning her palms on it.
“Sylvie?” A peculiar concern tore at my gut. The sensation inconveniently traveled its way up to my frozen heart, cracking it. “Wecanexplore this if you’re willing to open up to me.”
Sylvie’s wings spread wide before fanning slowly—in and out like a soothing trance. “It’s just—” Her words cut short, eyes bulging from her skull. She stared at the window above the kitchen counter, where a giant white bear head poked its nosy black snout through the crack in the fucking window. “Oh my—is that a—” She backed away, trembling and tripping over a chair.
“Nanok,” I barked. “I told you tostay.” Sprinting to the front of the house, Nanok backed away and slumped on his butt, his back legs kicking out to the sides.
The cottage’s door creaked open, and Sylvie’s head appeared. “Is that a polar bear, Jack?”
Sylvie’s stag curiously trotted to Nanok, his antlers poised ready so that the bear wouldn’t get ideas that he was his next meal.
“Yes, this is Nanok. And he doesn’t have stag on his dinner menu. Isn’t that right, boy?” I furrowed my brow at my furry white friend.
Nanok yawned, baring his ridiculously huge teeth that looked far more intimidating than he was to those who threatened him.
Sylvie gave a brightened smile. The sight of it made my chest swell.Iput that there.
Nanok shoved his head into my back as if he could hear my thoughts.
Fine. Nanok put it there, but he wasmypolar bear.
“You’re very handsome, Nanok,” Sylvie cooed, stroking a hesitant hand over Nanok’s back. “This is Fintan,” she added, referring to the stag.
Fintan snorted and scraped his hoof on the ground like he didn’t trust us yet. That would make two of them, I reckoned.
Sylvie used her nails to scratch behind Nanok’s ear, which sent his back paw into a vibrating frenzy. “Is that the spot?” She grinned again, her striking violet eyes sparking to life from the glistening white snow surrounding us.
Petting Nanok with her, I edged closer. “Sylvie, why are you afraid?” When she immediately went on the defensive, I held a palm up. “I’m not asking to pressure you, I’m simply trying to understand.”
Nanok’s eyes practically rolled into the back of his head, and he curled into a ball before lying on his back and sprawling for her to reach his stomach.
With Nanok’s fur keeping her relaxed, Sylvie smiled warmly and sank to her knees to scratch over his ribs. With a deep sigh, she panned her gaze to me. “I’m different from others of my kind. There are no other winter faeries in existence, which is why I hadn’t known what to call myself for the longest time.”
Nodding, I knelt beside her, tickling between Nanok’s toes because I knew he hated that. He couldn’t haveallthe fun. “And fae with wings are also rare.”
Faeries.
“Yes. My power scared my people. I lived in the mountains with them in Norway. They tolerated me through my adolescence, but when I accidentally caused an avalanche,nearly destroying half our village, they cast me out. It was an accident. My magic reacted to my emotions.” Sylvie turned her face away from me, concentrating on running her fingers through Nanok’s fur.
Fintan appeared at her side, nuzzling his head against her shoulder, feeling her discomfort.
“You’ve been holding back,” I gruffly whispered.
Curiosity for what she could really do brightened my very being.
Sylvie licked her lips and settled back on her haunches. “I’ve been doing it for so long, I’m not even sure what my powers are anymore. Something tells me that my connection with you—” Her gorgeous eyes lifted to mine again. “—it’dunleashit.”
“Why is that something to fear, Sylvie? That sounds, what did you call my power? Extraordinary?”
She furiously shook her head. “Because I hurt people, Jack. I accidentallykilledsome of them. I don’t want to risk that again.”
It all made perfect sense now.
Taking one of her hands between both of mine, I pulsed my magic through her skin. “You’d have me to help you navigate it. I wouldn’t let that happen.”
Sylvie’s shoulder had relaxed to my touch, her body going damn near boneless before she snatched her hand away. “There’s more.”
