He huffed and turned his head toward the saddlebag. “Fine.” I chuckled, and retrieved another apple.
We stopped just west of the fae realm in line with the north-south border between the Winter and Autumn Courts—if the map was to be trusted.
While I didn’t like being this close to the Winter Court, there wasnothing for it—I was exhausted and couldn’t risk Luca becoming lame. We’d traveled much farther than I had any right to ask from him. Besides, even if something from the Winter Court made its way to where we camped for the night, we were well into the human realm, so it wouldn’t have any powers—or, at least, I hoped that detail from the vision was accurate.
Dusk was still well off, and I’d have to accept that this was as far as we’d go today, despite wanting to use every bit of sunlight to our advantage.
Sweat poured from me at the effort of untacking Luca, who seemed grateful for it. I’d decided to make camp by a stream, and I walked Luca over. He drank in long and deep, then proceeded to walk into the stream, pulling me, and I released the reins before toppling in. Making his way to the middle, he heaved a deep sigh and laid down, just like that, in the center of the flowing water. I couldn’t even be mad—it was a great idea.
Shaking my head and chuckling, I retrieved my toiletries and canteen, then joined him.
I undressed and waded in just upstream of Luca, taking advantage of the water pooling against his large mass before it flowed over him and continued downstream. The river was pleasantly warm, and I took in a deep, releasing sigh as I lowered my body into the crystalline water. Resting my side against Luca’s back, I closed my eyes and floated there, taking a moment to breathe.
Luca stirred, startling me. Stars, I must have fallen asleep. I pulled myself away from him and knelt, grabbing the soap from the muslin bag strapped to my wrist. Lathering the bar between my hands, I washed my face, then arms, then torso.
I halted.
Nothing—there wasn’t a single mark on me.
Almost dropping the soap, I stood up, twisting to look myself over. My body no longer showed any evidence of what Thaddeus had done to me, or the journey back from the lake. Using Luca to balance,I lifted a foot from the water. It was completely healed. Surely, I should have a scar, even if it had healed.
With everything that’d happened since the vision, I’d completely forgotten I was injured. Was I healed because the tonic had knocked me out for too long, as it had the last time? No, it should have taken weeks to heal this well. Maybe it was whatever had whispered to me that day, shown me the truth of things, and provided me with supplies.
Whatever had healed me, I was speechless and profoundly grateful for the tender mercy.
It took some convincing to get Luca out of the water—a carrot, to be exact, turning his nose up the apple I’d tried to use as a bribe.
With both of us dried, fed, and watered, I turned in, dusk imminent as I nestled into my makeshift bed and gave in to exhaustion.
My shivering body shook me awake. Tugging Luca’s blanket in a little tighter, I peeked out to find my breaths transformed into billowing white mist.
Every part of me went taut—it had no right to be this cold.
I glanced toward Luca. He was calm, but his flickering tail told me he was agitated. Something wasn’t right.
My hands were met with a thick, cool layer of frost as I pulled Luca’s wrap off me. Everything glistened with hoarfrost, its tangible fresh scent holding whispers of leaves and soil blanketed beneath its crystalline structures—as if winter herself had blown lightly across the land.
I stood up slowly, armed with a blade in each hand. My bow and quiver were resting against a tree. They were only a pace away, but I didn’t dare reach for them.
Mindful of staying silent, I cross-stepped through the dense fog toward the menacing presence that rose the hair on the back of my neck.
I steadied my breath as I moved forward, blowing the mist to the side softly to keep it out of my vision. The tiny frozen spikes ofmoisture made a muffled crunching sound as the grass gave way to my feet.
A branch snapped to my right, and I pivoted, throwing a blade into the mist without hesitating, instantly pulling another from my bandolier. One heartbeat, there was nothing; the next, a black mass lunged toward me, its dark mist folding back into the hole where my blade had struck true.
It hissed in displeasure as it plunged forward.
Chapter 53
Crossing Over
Idodged the vile nightmare with a half-spin to the side, and sent a blade toward Luca, freeing him from the tethering branch. The leather reins hadn’t fully slackened before he whinnied, then bolted, swallowed by the mist that caved and swirled in his wake.
I did the same, sprinting in the opposite direction.
The air was thick, and my lungs burned in protest as they labored. Damn it, when had I become this unfit? While annoyed that I’d clearly let myself go, my footing stayed true as my feet flawlessly found their way despite my limited vision and unfamiliarity with these woods.
I risked a glance over my shoulder—nothing. Well, at least I’d gained some distance from the hell-conjured creature that had attacked me. Maybe it’d stopped followi?—
