Chapter 1
Thesnowonthemountain glistened in the daylight as the chairlift brought me gradually upward. I breathed in the chilly air as I watched the skiers and snowboarders make their way down the slopes beneath me. A gust of wind blew, and I was thankful I’d used my magic on my coat to act as a mini heater that kept me from feeling the cold.
I’d come on this little getaway to clear my head. A lot had happened in the last few months. Murders and revelations and betrayals that left me reeling. But all of that would have been endurable, if it weren’t for my feelings for one woman that clung to me with all the tenacity of a rumor racing through a small town.
Elizabeth Bennet.Lizzy.
The chairlift lurched as it crossed a support tower. I tightened my grip on the safety bar. It was ridiculous, really—absurd that someone with her quick wit and sharp tongue took up so much space in my mind. Yet there she was, as present as the cold biting at my cheeks, as persistent as the snowflakes landing on mygloves. I’d come to our family cabin in Wyoming with my uncle and sister to forget, to let the clean air scrub my thoughts bare. But of course, memories weren’t so easily removed.
And I had to admit to myself that a person didn’t get over someone like Elizabeth Bennet.
Which was fine, other than the fact that I’d completely blown my chances with her. I couldn’t count the times I’d replayed in my head the fire in her flashing eyes when she said, “You are the last fae on earth I’d ever want to marry.”
It was harsh, but fair. I’d told myself at the time, when I disparaged her social standing and her family in the midst of my proposal, that I was being honest. But her candor had cut through that illusion. In that moment, I’d realized I wasn’t being honest—I was a rude idiot.
The chairlift neared the summit. The wind whipped harder now, carving lines of frost across the metal railings. I exhaled, watching my breath turn into fog and drift away. Perhaps this retreat wasn’t about forgetting. Perhaps it was about deciding what to do next.
Because the truth was undeniable. I missed her.
As my skis touched the unloading ramp, I steadied myself and slid off, heading toward the steep run that dropped away from the ridge. The world below was quiet, wrapped in winter. I pushed off, letting gravity take me.
I cut through the snow, descending the mountain. The speed filled me with adrenaline even while the question echoed within me. “What do I do now?”
It was a mocking question. One that didn’t have a direct answer. I didn’t wish to let Lizzy go, but I also didn’t want to turn into a stalker after she’d made it so clear she didn’t desire me.
My skis dug into the path, and I used my poles to move even faster.
I slid to a stop at the bottom, and still the answer eluded me. It was the same question I’d been asking for months. My life had come to a standstill without her.
In frustration, I unclipped my feet from the skis and picked them up, heading for the parking lot.
“Hey Darcy!” My sister Georgiana and her boyfriend Henry stood outside the lodge as I passed. “Enjoy your run?”
“I’m going to head to the cabin. I’ll walk and leave you the car.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, it’s not far.”
“Okay, yeah, we plan to do a few more runs.” Georgiana tapped her snowboard next to her.
“See you there,” Henry said with a wave.
“Be careful,” I said.
Georgiana rolled her eyes. She thought I was being an overprotective older brother, and I was, but over the past few months a surprising number of people close to us had turned out to be murderers.
Which was why I was here with just my family. I was grateful for having those I trusted nearby—Georgiana, my uncle, and even my childhood friend Wickham after our reconciliation. Enemies had become friends, and some former friends had become murderers.
As the heir to the throne, there were precious few I put my faith in.
I headed out to the snow-covered parking lot. The trail to the cabin was exactly beyond it.
My feet crunched, leaving a series of footprints as I hiked. I enjoyed the calm stillness of the forest. The light chirping of the birds and the white aspen treesdotting the area made it look like a winter wonderland.
Our cabin was a large structure composed of logs several stories high. A single rose popped out of the snow and bloomedin welcome. A smile crossed my lips. The cabin was filled with various spirits that had taken residence here.
I picked the flower and took in its gentle fragrance. “Thank you,” I said to the deer spirit that often lingered close to the entrance.
