“I agree with you,” Alec replies. “I have tried to stay neutral for as long as possible.”
“I’m working on the King and my brother,” I tell him. “Don’t decide until spring if you can. I will correct this.”
Alec hesitates for a moment, but then relents. “All right.”
“Thank you,” I say graciously.
“You’ve got that Valantis fire, I’ll give you that.” Alec chuckles. “I’m sure Lydia will be begging me to visit you as soon as she knows you’re alive and here in Khalessor.”
I smile. “I await the day we are reunited.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Dawn has yet to break,still nearly pitch-black out as I trudge through the deep snow, my boots soaked through. The air holds a biting cold, each exhale accompanied by billowing puffs of white as I traverse through the forest. I step forward, and the snow gives way beneath me, sliding down the small hill in a rush. My feet go out from under me, and I land with a muffled plop.
I groan.
The snow soaks my back within seconds, adding to my misery. I wish to be inside, sitting next to a warm fire with a steaming bowl of soup right now… but I chose this fate instead. Pulling myself upright, I see a glint of sunlight crest over the mountains, and a feeling of relief washes over me. There is nothing like this in the South—no forests teeming with wildlife or winding rivers with tall trees.
“Ready?” I hear a voice.
I startle, nearly tripping and falling again. My head snaps up, and I see Stanik approaching me with a longbow and a quiver full of arrows. He appears to be completely unfazed by the cold, dressed in a simple long-sleeve tunic and pants.
“Yes.” I breathe, brushing the snow off my clothing.
“Let’s go.”
We trek deeper into the thicket, weaving through dense bushes and ducking under low branches. I hear the sudden fluttering of wings overhead, then a loud thunk.
Stanik lowers his bow. “Find it,” he commands, notching another arrow into his bow as he waits for the next pigeon.
Turning, I search through the brush for the bird, trying to spot it among the snow. I follow it, circling a tree until I spot it. I bend down and see the king’s seal stamped into the wax, a serpent breathing fire. I quickly tuck it into my satchel before returning to Stanik.
“Was that it?” he asks me.
“No.” I shake my head.
Stanik lets loose another arrow, and a second bird falls. Blood brightly stains the snow where it lies in stillness. I quickly grab the letter and look at the seal. Stamped into the wax is a lion holding its paw up inside the outline of a shield. I don’t recognize the symbol, but take the letter anyway. Before I can ask Stanik what the seal is, another pigeon falls. As I walk to it, the bird flails in the snow, struggling to stay alive.
“Sorry, little one,” I whisper as I pull the scroll from its leg, unsure of how much longer I can handle watching these innocent animals die in front of me. I see Sebastian's seal—a broken sword emitting rays of light. This had to be it. I recognize the symbol from his cottage. “Got it,” I tell Stanik, tucking the letter away.
“Good.” He nods. “Don’t get spotted on your way back.”
“Thank you,” I reply, trudging back toward the edge of the forest. I skirt along the brush, doing my best to stay hidden as I take the long route back to the streets of Khalessor. Now that I no longer have the cover of darkness, taking a direct route is too risky.
I walk through the quiet streets as a few villagers begin their mornings in the bitter cold. Shopkeepers lift their shutters as the scent of fresh bread wafts faintly through the air, my stomach growling involuntarily. Frost clings to every surface, making the stone pathways slightly slippery as I stroll to the castle.
Entering the main hall, I stop in the kitchens for breakfast. Aurelia rushes over to me, eyes alight. She wears a newer-looking peach-colored gown, her hair braided in a crown across her head.
“Raelys, you’ve done it!” she whispers in excitement.
“Done what?”
“I am to marry Stanik!” Aurelia giggles.
I huff a laugh. “What happened to courting you?”
“We are! I mean… he is,” she replies quickly, stumbling over her words. “I accepted, though. Which means we will be wed in the spring. You’ll come to the ceremony, won’t you?”
