Chapter Seventeen
“We’ll go tonight,”Kael said after striding over to the window again. “The Redcap who attacked the other night will return, but it won’t be tonight. Our absence will not be noticed if we gonow.”
“Go where?” I asked as he grabbed his black cloak from the back of his chair, along with a long, slender sword he slung across hisback.
“We must go to the Winter Court, Norah. That’s where you’ll find the WinterStarlight.”
“Right...but won’t it take a long time to getthere?”
He let out a low chuckle. It was the first time I’d heard him make any kind of noise resembling laughter. “You’re forgetting that we can shift, Norah. Here. You’ll need to wearthis.”
He passed me a cloak similar to his own, and I slung it around my shoulders. It was heavier than the Autumn cloak had been, and much, much softer. There were two deep pockets that were lined with something resembling fleece, and the hood was layered with the same, only twice asthick.
“Ready?” he asked after I’d patted the various pockets and linings of the cloak. “Just wrap your arms around my neck and close youreyes.”
I blinked at him. “Do whatnow?”
“Don’t look so scandalized,” he said. “Until you’ve practiced shifting, this is the safest way to get youthere.”
But my feet felt frozen inplace.
“There are rules, Norah,” he said with a slight smile. “Instructors and recruits must have platonic relationships only, even if they know they’remates.”
It was my turn to give him a slight smile. “Yeah, but something tells me that the little no-romance rule is rarelyfollowed.”
“Hmm.” His smile faded. “It’s a rule that should be followed. Otherwise, serious problems can arise, and I would never want to do anything to cause you pain. It’s bad enough that you’re likely stuck with me anyway. I certainly wouldn’t want to be. So, you’ll have no advances fromme.”
I cocked my head and frowned. What was that all about? He might be closed off and cold at times, but it wasn’t like he was unappealing, just as long as he wasn’t talking. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t the nicest fae around, but that was his own damn fault. It was almost as if he was purposely trying to push peopleaway.
So, I stepped in close and wrapped my arms around his neck. His body was tense underneath mine, and he was clearly uncomfortable with our closeness. But why? It wasn’t just because of the rules. His strange little speech had told methat.
Darkness blurred around us, thick and heavy. Wind whooshed around my face. The temperature suddenly dropped, the thick heat of summer flickering away into a dying light. In its place, a bitter cold sunk into my bones, biting at my cheeks and myhands.
When I opened my eyes, I saw nothing but the heavy blanket of the night sky. Overhead, thousands of stars sparkled in the deep black. They were the only light for miles on every side, but they lit up the snowy mountainside, displaying a breathtaking view of towering pine trees that spread out on everyside.
We were high up. Very high up. There was a steep drop to our left, though the right side sloped gently down to the edge of the snow-covered pines where a cave was carved into the side of the mountain. Up ahead, a thicket of winding brambles created maze of bushes. Somewhere, deep within it, a small pale pink dot stood out from the blanket ofwhite.
I shivered and jammed my hands into the pockets of the cloak. “Let me guess. We need to get to that one pink flower in the middle of all of this. Why can’t we just shift overthere?”
“I’m afraid that this quest is yours alone from this point on, Norah.” Kael’s eyes were focused on something just behind me. He wouldn’t meet my gaze, no matter how hard I frowned athim.
“That’s not fair. You can’t do this to me again. It’s not right to just keep dumping me places when you haven’t even bothered to give me anytraining.”
His dark eyes flicked to my face, and then away again. “You’re perfectly capable of climbing through the thicket yourself. It may take you an hour or so, but it’s not particularly difficult or dangerous. I’ll stand watch in case something in the forest getscurious.”
I shivered, though this time, it wasn’t for the cold. “You’re actually going to make me go get the flower myself.” I laughed and shook my head. “Okay, fine. If that’s how you want to be, then so be it. It’s not like I actually wanted your helpanyway.”
The only evidence he heard me was the flicker of his clenchedjaw.
With a heavy sigh, I rolled my eyes and turned toward the thicket. The thick branches and waxy leaves weaved together like a net. This was going to take awhile. I ducked underneath the first branch, and leaves slapped me in the face for the effort. Gritting my teeth, I continued, ducking and twisting and shoving branches aside. My breath was heaving when I finally climbed over the last one. Before me, the sole pink flower fluttered in the winterbreeze.
For a moment, all I could do was stand and stare at it. This pretty little flower would either be Bree’s destruction or her savior. But I didn’t yet know whichone.
A lion-like roar ripped through the quiet night. I froze with my hand halfway toward the flower, shivers of dread coursing down my spine. Eyes wild, I searched the night. The roar had come from where I’d left Kael. When I twisted his way, I had to grasp onto a branch to hold myself steady. A strange, terrifying creature was lurking toward him with a mouth full of sharp, jaggedfangs.
My heart tumbled through my chest. The creature wasn’t a Redcap. No, it was a lot worse than that. It was bigger, for one. Almost as big as a house. It made Kael—strong, muscular Kael—look like an ant in comparison. An ant that was cowering before a creature that was almost part-lion, part-dinosaur.
Kael bent his knees and raised his sword. “Grab the flower, Norah.Now!”
