The biting cold stung against my exposed skin, and my breaths slowly rose in billows of white mist. Still, I stood tall, holding my ground as that inner purr of mine rumbled. I soothed it back to sleep—awakening it would do me no favors, especially knowing that I wouldn’t survive should I reveal myself to a high lord.
I yearned to rub warmth back into my arms, but revealing any weakness was out of the question. If my heartbeat couldn’t betray my emotions, then I wasn’t inclined to offer him any information he could use against me, including my fear.
“What, exactly, is it that you want from me, High Lord?” I asked, crossing my arms.
“You know, I never did like it when humans were considered one of us, sharing our food and our celebrations. Do you knowwhythe humans don’t know about our kind, Nyleeria?” he sneered. “There was a great spell that wiped us—or shall I say, magic—from your weak minds.”
I didn’t so much as breathe.
“That spell is the only reason youhumanswere allowed to continue your pathetic existence.” He said the wordhumanswith so much vitriol that I had to fight the compulsion to step back.
Taking a step forward, Amos’ eyes narrowed as he stared me down. “Tell me why you’re here, Nyleeria,” he demanded, and italmost sounded as if his voice were inside my head. “Tell me now!” The ground rumbled, and wisps of fog came into the bubble, surrounding me. I would have moved, but there was no escaping what he had planned for me.
“Answer me, human,” he said, and as if he’d given a silent order, the mist banded around me and changed form.
I bit back a scream as searing pain ripped through me from a band tightened around my neck, emitting a sinister hiss as it connected with my flesh. Another ensnared my body, echoing the same chilling sound, pinning my arms to my sides. Before I could react to the onslaught, more wisps slid from the ground, winding tightly around my bare legs. It was everything I could do to deny him the pleasure of hearing my torment.
With every inch the high lord closed between us, the bands grew tighter and, if possible, colder until a wet, choking sound left me as I tried to take a breath. The side of his mouth quirked up in response and a tear rolled down my cheek.
“Now, now, Nyleeria,” he crooned. “None of that.” Amos gently blew on the rogue tear, freezing it in place.
I panicked, but the second I did, the power inside me screamed to be unleashed. I couldn’t give it what it wanted. There was no other choice but to yield fully to his power and allow myself to accept it. If I were to push, to fight, I would surely die and possibly doom my companions to the same fate. No, I had to stay strong—I couldn’t have more lives on my conscience.
Reaching for the part of me that was connected to Amos and relished Caius’ unbridled power, I allowed myself to caress, and love, and embrace winter’s beauty and every majestically wonderful thing she offered.
Glittering snow accentuated by a cloudless sky.
Quietude.
The joy of that first snowfall.
Awe at a single snowflake’s intricacies.
Cozying up bythe fire.
The tear thawed and continued to slide down my face until it hissed in protest when it reached the icy band around my neck.
Amos’ eyes widened, and the bonds tightened in response. Its grip hurt, but without the cold holding power over me, they were tolerable—for now.
In the same instant, we noticed my strained breaths no longer billowed, somehow becoming as invisible as the high lord’s.
Rage filled his piercing eyes, and he constricted the bands again, silently repeating,Tell me, human.
It was good, though…the tightening. Any further, and I would surely pass out. At least that way, this would stop, and I wouldn’t be forced to betray the truth. No doubt the high lord had forgotten over the centuries that human bodies were frail, that darkness would fall over me soon enough.
Amos did as expected, punishing me for my silence, and as blackness encroached on my vision, I saw a blinding light—then nothing.
My laborious attempts to gasp air into my lungs rang out in the silent celebration hall. Dark speckles danced in my vision as I pried myself off the ground, only making it to my elbows before collapsing again.
I felt the presence of someone close to me and flinched away as their shadow extended toward me.
“Don’t touch her.” The king’s order filled the room, and the shadow halted.
Within seconds, Thaddeus was at my side. “Nyleeria,” he said, his gentle, questioning voice filled with concern and horror. He placed a hand on my back, and a relieved sob escaped me—alive, I was alive.
In a swift movement, I was in his warm, steady arms, head resting against his chest, faintly aware of my surroundings and who stared at us.
“What did he do to her?” the king asked the high lord of the Summer Court in a cool, steady tone.
