Brigid, still smiling, removed the crown and nestled it on my head, pointing at my dingy mirror hanging in the corner. “Go take a look.”
It’d been so long since I stared at my reflection. Seeing myself proudly displaying the points of my ears, my wings flared, made me choke on my own breath. I hadn’t seen myself that confident in such a long time, I’d forgotten what it looked like on me. I moved my gaze to the tiara, envisioning how a winter queen’s crown might appear—how I’d complement the throneandJack’s side.
Chelsea’s head appeared on my shoulder, her hands gripping my biceps. “What a queen you’ll be, Sylvie.”
The words hit me with a burst of sizzling electricity aimed at the base of my spine, surging up until they struck my mind. Jack had said those exact words to me.
I turned to look at her, confused as to whether her magic was somehow able to pull that from my memories, but her expression said the contrary.
Chelsea leaned back and eyed me like a tuskless orc. “Sylvie? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Jack said that to me once.” An overwhelming sense of relief, gratitude, and excitement hit me like an avalanche. “I’ve got to go.” Laughing, I tore off the tiara to hand back to Brigid and quickly untied my apron, tossing it wherever it landed. “There are a dozen pink and white cupcakes in the display case. You’re welcome to them because of the fritters. But be warned, they’re laced with extra happy dust, if you get my drift.”
“Point me at them,” Amara said, making grabby-hand gestures.
Chelsea rested her hands on her hips, watching me shimmy around the kitchen like someone who couldn’t keep their head straight. “I take it you made up your mind?”
“Yes,” I yelled, smiling so wide it made my cheeks hurt. “Will you give this to Aegean. He should be showing up for his night shift within the hour. I’m sorry. I just really need to go.”
“We understand. Go, go. Time is literally of the essence,” Chelsea encouraged, whisking her hands toward the door.
“Congratulations, Brigid,” was the last thing I said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek, before sprinting outside.
The snow fell in droves so thick they created a whiteout, and I could scarcely see where the tree line started. The wind blew so fiercely it caught my wings, pulling me backward, despite digging my heels into the ground. I’d never seen this depth of a storm in the Cove in the years I’d been here. Was it Jack’s doing? Was he upset?
The idea of Jack’s emotions causing a blizzard, hurt, and hope over if I’d return to him, if I’d accept him, had me pushing against it. My wings were only slowing me down, so I hid them, using my hand to shield my eyes from the snowflakes flying into them. Faint lights glowed through the falling snow from gas lamps lit in the plaza. I prayed no townspeople were caught inthe storm because, despite the wind fighting against me, the coldIcould handle.
“Fintan,” I shouted, squinting against the blinding, snowy wall surrounding me.
I left the bakery behind me, and now that too had disappeared from view. I was at winter’s mercy now, not knowing which direction I should head. Did being mates give us some form of connection? Would I be able to feel him? Smell him? Would I be able to let any of it guide me?
Nervously rubbing the tip of my ear, I turned in circles, slight panic rising. “Fintan,” I yelled again, my voice cracking.
When only the sounds of the whistling wind answered, I cupped my hands over my mouth and screamed, “Jack.”
It was so deadly quiet I could hear my own frantic gasps. A knot formed in my throat as I stifled sobs.
“Nanok,” I whispered, not bothering to yell it this time because I knew the wind would only swallow it, sacrificing it to the curtains of snow.
All I wanted to hear were hooves, paws, or feet crunching quickly through the snow. Winter could be as cruel as she was beautiful, blessing me with anything but what I wanted. Did it seek revenge for how long I’d ignored the magic it bestowed on me?
We were so close. I finally realized Jack’s words were out of relief and awe. He’d been searching for me for so long and had no trouble envisioning me as his queen, his mate, his forever.
I collapsed to my knees, sucking in a sobbing breath as I landed in a mound of snow up to my shoulders. The ground shook beneath me, and tears seized from the tremors vibrating my bones. I started to crawl away, but the snow gave way beneath me and I fell into an onyx abyss.
“Nanok,”I yelled, swirling my magic around myself to keep a barrier between me and this winter’s forsaken blizzard. “Stay close to me. You blend in too much.”
The snow had inexplicably come out of nowhere only moments ago, and it had nothing to do with me. Though the complexity and magnitude of it had me wishing it were. Nanok sprinted to my side, clinging to my hip, and I trickled my magic around him, shielding us in the same barrier.
My heart stopped. What if Sylvie had been caught in this? She should’ve still been in the bakery, but what if something called her away? I furiously rubbed my beard and paced in a circle, Nanok following at my side. I promised I’d give her until sunup tomorrow, and that’s precisely what I intended to do. The only comfort I had was that she could withstand the cold.
Hooves pounding against the ground echoed off surrounding trees, and I whirled to find Fintan scrambling toward us, hislarge brown eyes wide with fear. His black nose twitched, sniffing the air and scenting us, but he couldn’tseeus.
“Whoa, boy, whoa,” I shouted. “Follow my voice.”
Fintan’s ears flipped forward, and he ducked his head low, edging toward us. Once his head bumped into my shoulder, he let out an excited huff, his antlers shimmying. I gave calming strokes over his head and neck, securing the barrier around him as well.
“You’re fine, Fintan,” I soothed.
