Easier said thandone.
With a deep breath, I grabbed his arms and tried to lift him from the ground. Only, he didn’t go anywhere. Kael was heavy. Much heavier than he looked. He must have approximately zero body fat, which meant I was trying to lift pounds and pounds of puremuscle.
As horrible as it was, I would just have to drag him there. He would likely get scratched and bruised, but at least he would bealive.
Snow began to drift from the sky as I jerked on Kael’s arms. He shifted slightly through the brush. It was only an inch or two, but it was something. Enough to solidify my determination. Grunting, I pulled and pulled. Each time, Kael barely budged, but I finally got him out of the brush where I plopped onto the ground, sweat streaming down myface.
The snow was coming down heavily now. I really needed to get Kael under some cover, or he was going to get soaked to the skin. And that would only make the feverworsen.
It was easier to slide him across the snow than drag him through thick branches, though my energy was fully spent by the time I got us into the cave. Once inside, I draped my cloak over his body and got to work on a fire. There were a few branches and old twigs scattered across the cave floor. Enough to get some flamesgoing.
I wasn’t entirely sure how I knew how to do this, but the motions came to me as if by second nature. Soon, a small fire began to take shape, and a soft warmth began to spread through thecave.
Sighing, I eased onto the ground next to Kael and felt his forehead. He was still impossibly warm. Truth was, there was nothing much I could do for him. We needed to get back to the Academy where the healing powers of the Summer fae could save him. Perhaps I could shift back to the grounds, like I’d donebefore.
It was worth ashot.
With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and focused my thoughts on the Academy. On the cold stone walls. On the soft glow of the fireplace in the dining hall. The familiar sounds and scents of my new home rose up around me, and for a moment, I thought I’d doneit.
But when I opened my eyes, the darkness met me instead. We were still very much inside that cave, miles and miles from the Academy’swalls.
Pressing my hands to Kael’s burning chest, I shook my head. “I’m so sorry, Kael. I don’t know what to do for you. If only I could get you home, the Summer fae could healyou...”
A strange thought took shape in my head, one that clearly made no logical sense in the least. I’d shifted before, when I’d been stranded on that cliff. Therefore, I was an Autumn or a Winter fae. But our Head Instructor had also said that it was easy to get it wrong in thebeginning.
And, truth was, I did feel drawn to the ways of the Summer Court. I liked the heat. I liked the sun. I loved the way I could hear the chirping crickets as I drifted off to sleep every night. I didn’t find the warmth stifling. Instead, it made me feelfree.
And then there was Liam, the hotheaded, passionate Summer fae who I had to admit made me feel something. There was a strange connection between us, one that was next to impossible toignore.
Maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t a Winter or an Autumn at all. Maybe I was a Summerfae.
Maybe I could healKael.
No, that doesn’t make any sense,Norah, a small, logical voice whispered into my ear.You’ve felt a connection with Finn, too. And you’re clearly not aSpring.
“Not to mention that weird attraction to Rourke,” I muttered to myself. As much as I hated to admit it, I’d felt a spark of something toward him,too.
And the fae before me. As I’d watched him face off against the creature, there’d been so much power flowing off his body that it was impossible not to notice. He was cold and distant, yes, but there was something more there, too. Something he kept hidden from everyone. Something I’d seen a hint ofbefore.
I shook my head at myself. So what if I was attracted to all of them? Everyone else at the Academy probably was, too. They were gorgeous fae males with glistening skin, muscular bodies, and blinding smiles. I couldn’t help it if I felt a connection with more than one of them. We weren’t mates. Notyet.
Which meant I still didn’t know the full truth about my powers. Perhaps we’d all been wrong. It was worth ashot.
I took a deep breath in through my nose to steady my nerves. After lifting Kael’s heavy cloak from his body, I slid my hands underneath his shirt. His skin was smooth and hot, and my fingertips played along the ridges of his abs. I swallowed hard and stared down at him. His fever must be catching because I’d never been hotter in mylife.
But now was not the time to get carried away by how strong and muscular his body felt underneath my hands. I closed my eyes and focused on the fever radiating off of his body. I had no idea how Liam had healed me, but I mimicked what I’d seen him do. He’d touched my skin and closed his eyes. Within moments, the pain hadgone.
Heal, I thought, directing all my thoughts and emotions to Kael’s slack body.Fight off the fever. You can do, itKael.
A strange sensation began to pool around my hands. Fire and light. The scent of frost fell away, replaced by a rush of wildflowers and summer rain. My entire body began to tremble, as if an unseen violent force was charging through me. Head spinning, I squeezed my eyes tighter, not certain if I should welcome the sensation or push itaway.
But this was Kael’s life. So, I dropped back my head and opened myself up to the strange power that was taking over mybody.
Pain exploded around my fingers, sharp and deep andraw.
And then it all vanished into nothing as unconsciousness consumedme.
* * *
