Sarah looked up into the tree branches, quickly spotting the large owl who had spoken to them. Gwendolyn ruffled her feathers in the cold air, frost falling to the ground. Her large, intelligent eyes scanned their surroundings.

  “How?”

  “You will be the one to stop the witches,” she said.

  Sarah nearly fell over at the revelation. “How?” she asked again.

  “Your gifts are exactly what we need. I am aware of what you did to the blacksmith and the men Dolan and Quinton. I have no doubt you will be able to do what is needed to subdue these storm witches as well.”

  The blood drained from Sarah’s face, causing her to appear as white as the snow around her. Loravain stepped closer and offered his arm for support. She pushed it away and turned on him.

  “You knew this, didn’t you?” she asked. “You knew what I was going to be asked to do but didn’t tell me. Why?”

  “Because I know how you feel about using your abilities against other witches. You would not have agreed to come with me.”

  “And you thought that tricking me was the best option? You should have told me the truth. I know what is at stake here. If you want our relationship to evolve, you must start being honest with me. And I mean completely honest. It sickens me to think that you thought you needed to lie to me.”

  The expression that flooded Loravain’s face surprised her. At first, and only for a moment, grief and shame filled his eyes, but that was quickly replaced by determination. “You are right. I should have told you the truth in the first palace. I couldn’t take the chance that you would say no. The witches need you. I need you.”

  “The world needs you,” Gwendolyn added. “The threat we face is much bigger than Priama. While I can appreciate your anger, we have no time for it. Once the situation is handled, you two can return to your squabbling. For now, we must focus on the task at hand. The winter wall must be undone.”

  “Fine,” Sarah huffed, looking up at the owl. “I can be civil until we are done. But once we are, we will pick this up where we left off. I can promise you that, Loravain.”

  The owl spread her wings and dropped from the branches. Loravain and Sarah followed as quickly as they could. Every few steps, Loravain would break through the surface of the frozen snow and sink up to his thighs.

  “Serves you right,” Sarah said as she helped free him. She had no problem staying on top. It felt as solid as dry earth to her.

  “This will not do,” Loravain said as he trudged over to a dead tree. Gripping the bark with his fingertips, he pried off two large chunks then produced a sharp dagger from his coat and cut four holes in each. When he was done, he moved to another tree and sliced through the soft bark, removing long tendrils of stringy wood then dried them with the heat from his hands. When he was satisfied, he braided them together, creating a short length of rope, which he used to tie the bark to his feet.

  “Ingenious,” Gwendolyn said from above.

  “When you have been forced to survive in the wilds for as long as I have, you learn a thing or two.”

  With the bark now preventing him from sinking in the snow, they moved as fast as they could. The owl spent as little time as she could interacting with them, which did not bother Sarah who had been waiting for any excuse to be alone with Loravain. They had spent a fair amount of time together, but very little of it had actually been alone.

  “We might as well make use of the time that has been given to us,” she said as the sun set, bathing them in a bright orange glow.

  “What do you mean?” Loravain asked, who had been quiet all day other than a bit of small take here and there.

  “I’m talking about us. What is going on with our relationship? Are we moving, standing still, or going backwards?”

  Loravain glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her. “I would like to move forward, but the timing does not feel right.”

  Sarah grumbled under her breath and stomped on the frozen snow. Her foot broke through for the first time and she shivered as chunks of ice slipped into her boot. “With you, it will never be the right time. There are times where I feel like we could progress, but other times, like now, I feel like you want nothing to do with me. You have to make a choice, Loravain.”

  Silence fell over them as the mage marched forward. His clothes began to steam as his body heated up. Sarah smiled. At least she had elicited some kind of reaction from him.

  He pressed on, remaining silent for another hundred paces. Without warning, he stopped and faced her.

  “You are the first person I have loved since Camila,” he admitted.

  The pronouncement of love made Sarah's knees shake. “You love me?” she asked, her voice catching in her throat.

  “I do and it scares me. My first love was taken from me because I was not as vigilant as I should have been. I could have saved her had I tried harder. Now, we are doing all we can to anger the same creature that killed her. Forgive me if I am not willing to lose you too. My focus is on keeping you safe, so if that takes my attention away from our relationship, then moving forward will have to wait.”

  “I’m not afraid,” Sarah said as she reached for his hand. “The only thing that scares me is the thought of what might not happen if we don’t risk it.”

  Loravain backed away, keeping just out of her reach. “You should be afraid. I know firsthand what the Dark One is capable of. I do not wish that on anyone, especially you.”

  A tear slipped down Sarah’s cheek as she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. She took pleasure in the heat he produced. Pushing up onto her toes, she kissed him, fully expecting him to pull away, but he did not. His eyes remained open though as he stared at her. For a moment, she saw flames dancing across his irises. She closed her eyes as he pulled her tighter, eliciting a small sigh of longing from her lips. He kissed her deeper, playing with her desires. She was not sure if her heart was speeding up or stopping all together, but the moment was over before she could decide. He stepped back, a painful smile on his face.

  “Once I know you are safe, we will continue this. I don’t want you to think that there is no future for us.”

  Sarah stumbled forward, doing her best to keep pace with Loravain without falling over. He was determined to complete his task. Lifting a finger to her lips, she relived the kiss over and over until it was dark. That moment would have to sustain her now.

  THE WALK THROUGH THE inner city was the longest Maggie had ever taken. At least that was the way it felt. Her mind reeled with all the possible conversations she might have with Belle once she found her and all the things Belle would say to her. It was not going to be comfortable. Maggie understood that Belle knew what she was doing and that she would never fail her, however, in this instance, Maggie had to do what she felt was right. Belle was needed in Priama, not running through the frozen wilderness with nothing for protection. Sending Loravain was the only logical solution. With that thought in her mind, she lifted her head and quickened her pace.

  She pushed through a crowd of bustling bodies and returned to the assembly hall. Taking the steps two at a time, she pushed through the doors, finding the hall empty. Before the doors had time to close, she slipped back outside and bounded down the stairs towards the training grounds. That would be the second most likely place to find her, even with all the tents set up. Turning a corner, the makeshift tent city came into view. Half the tents had already been taken down and loaded into carts. Helena and Magenta were not wasting any time. However, there was no sign of Belle nor her warriors. Had they decided to attempt the winter wall anyway? Maggie stomped her foot and spun around. Yes, she was young and had a lot to learn but she was still the queen. She pushed her way past a busy family and hurried to her yurt.

  When she pulled open the door, she found Belle sitting on her bed. As the door clicked shut behind her, Belle looked up, a gentle softness on her face.

  “Highness,” she said as she stood. “I came to ask forgiveness for my outburst. It was not my place to question your decision.”

  “No,” Maggie said, raising a hand. “You had every place to question me. Belle, I am only sixteen. In most cases, I have no idea what I’m doing. I would love it if you could take over for me until I was older.”

  Belle smiled and stepped closer. “The mantle of leadership is something I have never wanted. I am an example at best. I will take orders and fulfill them. Can we finish our conversation now? I would like to know more about the plan that your friends have undertaken.”

  Maggie dropped into one of her chairs and breathed out a sigh of relief. “Loravain said he has the power to keep him and Sarah alive as they traverse the winter wall. Somewhere on the inside are the storm witches causing this. Their job is to find them and stop them.”

  “And if the mage cannot complete this mission?”

  “That’s what Sarah is for.”

  “You are hoping that she will be able to overpower their free will and agency?” Belle asked.

  “If need be, yes. We hope they are only prisoners. That way the task will be much easier.”

  “And what is our plan while they are stopping the winter wall?”

  Maggie's hands shook as she stared at them. She was terrified of the coming battle and it brought her no joy discussing it.

  “Our job is to protect Priama,” Maggie said. “I am not so naive as to think they will complete their mission before the wall arrives here. We must be prepared when it does.”

  “What more do you propose we do in addition to what has been done?” Belle asked.

  Maggie looked up at her. “I have some ideas but they are going to take a lot of work. I need your support right now. There is another reason I did not want you going into the winter wall with Loravain.”

  “What is that, Highness?”

  “I have grown to depend on you. Your friendship, council, and bluntness. You are a mother figure in my life right now whether you want to be or not.”

  In a surprise move, Belle threw her arms around Maggie, lifting her off the floor. They embraced for a moment before Belle quickly set her down and stepped back. “I am proud to call you my queen. I was nervous when your mother died. I did not know what this change would bring but watching you over this past winter, I have come to understand that you have the capacity to be an even greater queen than your mother. That is something I never thought possible. Now, let us put these emotions behind us and discuss what else needs to be done to protect our home.”

  Belle held open the door as Maggie stepped past her and they began their walkthrough of the city.

  “We will need fire pits every twenty paces,” she said. “And enough wood to keep them burning hot for a few days if needed. That is our first priority. When Loravain and I were in Lia’s village, he made sure that we had a hot fire. Heat keeps the dregsin at bay. We can use that to our advantage.”

  Belle nodded as she made a mental note.

  “Next, we need to reinforce the top of the wall. I don’t know if the spikes will be enough.”

  “What do you suggest?” Belle asked.

  “Can we line it with spears and swords? Anything with a sharp blade?”

  “I do not know if we have enough weapons for that but we have more than enough farming equipment that may work. We will need to keep a blacksmith in case any repairs are needed.”

  Maggie agreed. “Once the walls, fire pits, and wood reserves are ready, we must take an inventory of everything else we have. Weapons, armor, food, and supplies. How many witches do you think will stay and help?”

  “More than you think,” Belle said with a smile. “This is their home too and they are not likely to give it up without a fight.”

  “Will you see to those tasks?” Maggie asked. “I have a few other things to see to.”

  “It would be my honor,” Belle said. With a quick bow, she backed away and disappeared into the crowd.

  Maggie turned and headed towards the healer’s tent. She might be young but she was not so foolish as to believe that there would not be any wounded in the upcoming battle. She needed to recruit some healers and ensure that the tent would stay sufficiently warm. It would likely have to be used as a sanctuary when the winter wall arrived.

  The heat from the tent nearly knocked her over as she pushed back the flap. It was a welcome relief from the biting cold but beads of sweat quickly formed on her brow. Three witches hurried to aid her.

  “My queen, is everything alright? Are you in need of treatment?” one of them asked.

  “No, I am fine,” Maggie said as she waved them off and shed her coat. “I have come seeking volunteers. We will need good healers to treat the wounded when the attack comes.”

  As one, each witch stepped forward, never breaking eye contact with her. Tears welled up in Maggie's eyes as emotions threatened to overtake her. She had not been expecting this reaction. She had assumed that two or three would volunteer, but this was overwhelming. These witches were healers, and as far as Maggie knew, they were not accustomed to the taste of battle. Heaven knew she was not. Staying in Priama while the dregsin fell on them was the last thing she wanted to do but these witches did not even think twice about staying. Now she felt guilt about the nights she had thought about sneaking out of the city and fleeing to Lakes Hollow. It would not happen again.

  With a nod, she embraced the witches, who hugged her back.

  “Thank you,” Maggie said. “This means everything to me.”

  “We will give our lives for you and Priama,” one of the witches said.

  Maggie bowed once more as she backed away to the tent flap with blurry eyes. With a smile, she exited the tent to find Thanatos.

  The emptiness surrounding the mage’s small camp depressed Maggie as she approached it. Sarah and Loravain had not even been gone for an hour but she missed their presence terribly. She did not feel safe anymore. Yes, Belle and the rest of the guard would protect her with their lives but it was not the same. The only saving grace was that they would not be gone long. Or at least that was the hope. They would deal with the storm witches and be back as soon as they could. If they were lucky, Priama might never face the dangers lurking behind the winter wall. Putting on a brave smile, Maggie sat outside Loravain’s tent and peered in. Thanatos lay on the floor, eyes closed but ears alert.

  “Care to go for a walk with me?” Maggie asked in a whisper. There were still too many people around for her to talk to the wolf naturally, though most were too afraid to approach him. The witches had heard a rumor that he was more than an animal and the humans thought he would eat them.

  At the question, Thanatos curled his lips and snorted but did not open his eyes.

  “I’ll be outside the northern gate.”

  Dark clouds had gathering above the mountains to the north and looked heavy with snow. It would be the latest attempt to trap the witches where they were. Instead of leaving the inner city, Maggie rushed to find Helena, who was easy to find. She was hard at work bossing people around, telling them to hurry, or to leave things behind. When their eyes met, Helena smiled but it was not out of happiness.

  “How is everything going?” Maggie asked.

  “Some of these witches do not want to leave. Once they get settled, it is nearly impossible to get them moving again. The humans, on the other hand, well, let’s just say that I have a new respect for them.”

  “If they do not wish to leave, that is fine,” Maggie said. “I am sure we can put them to work. But I’m afraid I don’t have news that will make your job any easier.”

  The fake smile slipped from Helena’s face. “What now?”

  Maggie pointed to the north. When Helena saw the building clouds, she huffed out a grunt of frustration and put on an extra burst of speed. Now the yelling began in earnest.

  “If you have what you need, leave now,” she shouted. “If we linger here any longer, we might not leave at all.”

  “What?” an angry voice cried from the crowd. “I thought we had until tomorrow.”

  “If you want to stay until tomorrow, be my guest. I am sure Queen Maggie would love the extra help. Another storm is approaching. If we want to stay ahead of it, we must leave now.”

  Maggie left Helena to her duties and exited the city through the northern gate and marched through the crusty snow. She was not worried about Thanatos finding her. He would be able to sniff her out in the middle of the night with a hurricane blowing at his back. She just needed to get far enough away from the walls so they could speak freely.

  A dry rock called out to her, the frail sun warming its surface. Maggie sighed when she sat down, wishing everything else felt as warm. Holding out her hand, she called to the ice inside her. Her outstretched fingers turned blue as ice formed around them, creating a stiff, cold glove. Bending them, the ice cracked at her joints then fell away in small chunks as she let her magic retreat back to her heart. There was too much else to focus on right now. She could not concentrate long enough to hold the ice together.

  She turned around on the rock and stared at the billowing storm clouds. A feeling of dread pushed the iciness from her heart. These clouds looked different. They held an air of finality to them as if this storm would be their last. Whether that was for good or bad, Maggie did not know. A familiar itch spread through her muscles. The urge to run, to give up on this life of being queen.

  “Enough,” she said. “These thoughts will do no good.”

  The first tears appeared in the corners of her eyes. There were few times she allowed herself to feel like the sixteen-year-old girl she was. Her birthday had come and gone without realizing it and no one else knew when it was. If they survived this ordeal, she would tell someone. Probably Sarah or Corina.

  Then the sobbing started. More tears streamed down her face as her emotions finally got the better of her.

  “Are you okay?”

  The voice startled her. Spinning around on the rock, she watched Thanatos pad closer.

  “What do you think?” she asked, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

  The wolf sat next to her and stared blankly at the trees. “I think you are about to turn tail and run.”

 

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