“See you soon, Tempest,”he says, leaping from the bed and disappearing before his paws touch the floor. I busy myself and finish getting ready. The room warms within a few minutes of his absence, and while I should be comforted that my room’s back to normal, I’m already missing the chill.
20
JAX
Iignore the tug, not wanting to leave Jolie a moment sooner than I need to. When I arrive at the meeting hall, a handful of icy eyes glower in my direction. Even Dad and Pops seem less than pleased with my appearance, or lack thereof. From the looks of things, the meeting is already far over.
Shit.
“Where were you?” Aneira asks, pushing through a cluster of Blizzard players. They’re still in their hockey gear, metallic silver jerseys glistening in the dim light beaming between the stalactites above Nivea.
“Earthside.” I don’t say more than that, but from her expression, she knows what kept me there…or ratherwho. “What did I miss?”
A few of the hockey players snarl and mutter under their breaths from behind her. Probably because they already don’t like that I’ve opted to play for the Polar Bears instead of their team my next season off.
I’ve always had a natural inclination toward the sport. It’s one of the faint echoes left behind of my mortal life. I was young when I died, only fourteen when Fate claimed me. Manyseasons have come and gone since, and each one that passes I remember less and less. Every so often I’ll recall the silhouette of my mother stirring cocoa on the stove, my father carting me over his shoulder as a kid, making snow angels with my little brother.
I try not to dwell on the dimmed memories and be grateful for the ones I have. It brings me a strange sense of peace, despite the turmoil it’s caused, that Jolie has gotten so much more time than me. That she’ll have even more.
Aneira unleashes a snarl of annoyance that pulls me out of my head.
“You missed the whole meeting,” she tuts.
“Am I in trouble?” Not that I care. I’m so close to Jolie seeing me.
“I covered for you.” She elbows me and shakes her head, looping her arm through mine to guide us away from the crowd. “Told them I’d asked you to refreeze a few forests in New Hampshire.”
I rest my head on her shoulder as we skate somewhere quiet. “Thanks, Ani.”
“You’re welcome. Good thing everyone believes you’re a dutiful little Frost. They don’t know better, but I do. You went to see her, didn’t you?” I don’t respond, giving her all the answer she needs. Stopping at an ice-carved bench at the edge of the city center, we sit side by side. Aneira’s eyes dart around, her voice lowering with mirth. “I’ll tell you what you’ve missed, but in exchange you’re going to do something for me.”
“What’s that?” My gaze meets her piercing periwinkle irises.
“You’re going to tell me everything about her.” She breaks into a grin, voice giddy. “It’s not every day someone has a mortal mate, and I want all the juicy details.”
The fewer people who know about Jolie, the better. While I technically haven’t done anything outright to interfere, I’malso notnotinterfering. I trust Aneira, though. Other than my fathers, she’s the closest thing to family I’ve got.
“Someone’s nosey.”
She scoffs. “You bet your ass I am.”
She’s been so excited for me since I told her about the mate mark after finding Jolie this winter. I’m surprised she hasn’t followed me to get a closer look at her. Though maybe she has? It’s not like I’d notice. When I’m around Jolie, the world stops. Whether on a bustling city street or alone in her bedroom, she’s all I see.
I chuckle, then stand and head over to drop a few frosted coins on the flavored ice counter, pointing at the pictures on the board. Grabbing the two cups, I skate back to Aneira, handing hers off after I sit down. She spoons out a heap of black winterberry and peanut butter, humming in approval.
“Fine.” I inhale deeply, tapping the top of my red velvet treat, denting the icy flecks. “I’ll tell you. What did I miss?”
“No surprise, Phil was too lazy to notice his shadow,” Aneira says between spoonfuls. “Spring’s coming early. The Blooms are annoyingly excited, as usual.” She rolls her eyes.
“Of course they are.” More spring means more flourishes, their own version of frost marks. Phil’s been doing his gig for too damn long, not realizing that his simple decision surrounding his shadow is what can make or break harbinger careers. It only really affects the North American winter harbingers, though. It’s also why Aneira and I refuse to work this as our only season each year. Most take on one season earthside, the next season they hibernate and then relax in Nivea the other two, repeating the process over and over. Unlike some of the other Frosts, Ani and I both have goals. “So when do we have to start reducing our workload?”
I shovel some ice into my mouth, savoring its sweetness.
“A week to begin peeling back, and maybe an extra few days until our earthside access will be revoked.”
I choke on my flavored ice, nearly dropping the cup from my hands. “They can’t be serious. That’s not any time at all.”
“It’s a quick turnaround but nothing we haven’t been able to manage before,” Aneira continues, but I’m barely listening as she drones on about final preparations.
