Human was a magic word around these parts, it seemed, capable of melting away the hostility of even the sexiest of fae. As it happened, it wasn’t me who fell to my knees at all. At Sage’s words, both guards had dropped to kneel in the snow at my feet, leaving me blushing furiously and trying not to imagine the things they might do while they were down there.
Before long, I was escorted down the hill at the head of my group, a guard at each side, and the witches hurrying along behind us, struggling to keep up on their little legs. A girl could get used to such power, but I checked my pace. They might all be using me for their own gain, but without the witches, I wouldn’t have made it this far. My new fae friends slowed their steps to match mine, and I fought a silent battle with my smirk.
When we reached the bottom of the hill, we came to a road of packed snow. There, the guards halted, and we all waited in a huddle, dithering. I tried stamping my feet to keep warm, but it was hopeless. The wrap the witches had given me was no match for the climate of Gaeaf. Hopefully, our stay would be short, and we’d arrive in Tir o Haf before long. Never mind that my life would be in danger from the second I set foot in the king’s territory, at least I’d die warm.
A faint jingle interrupted my thoughts, and I squinted through the haze of frosty air. Something was whizzing along the road in our direction. The guards showed no sign of worry, however, so I contented myself with watching the shape grow closer until…
I gasped, clapping my gloves to my mouth in delight.
It was a sleigh, pulled by a team of tiny, hairy ponies with bells attached to their harnesses. Beside me, Pansy let out a stifled squeal.
The sleigh whooshed to a halt before us in a wave of snow, and a guard offered his hand to help me aboard. I was quite sure I could manage it alone, but I wasn’t going to let a small matter like that ruin my fun. I smiled, accepting his offer, and clambered onto the fur-covered bench of the sleigh. Sage took a seat next to me, along with a guard, and three witches squashed themselves into the row behind.
“Another will be along shortly,” the guard told the remaining witches, who all sported matching grim faces. I couldn’t blame them, not as I arranged a thick, knitted blanket over my lap.
“Put your hood up,” Sage hissed in my ear as the sleigh began to move. “We don’t want to draw unnecessary attention, even here.”
I obeyed gladly. The rush of cold air as we sped past the lake made my ears feel like they might fall off, but I couldn’t resist peering around the edge of the fabric and admiring the thick layer of opaque ice. As we neared the city, I huddled in, tugging the fabric lower to hide my hair, but still I caught glimpses of grand townhouses, their frosted railings hung with icicles, and their marble pillars carved with intricate designs that I couldn’t quite catch. I spotted a tall, beautiful woman–female–who looked fresh from the runway, wrapped in fur, walking along with a little white fox trotting at her heels. She glanced at the sleigh as it passed, and I quickly lowered my head and kept it there for the remainder of our ride.
By the time the sleigh slowed to a stop, I was frozen solid and shivering violently. My hopes of warming up were quickly dashed when I lifted my eyes and saw that we’d arrived at an enormous set of double doors, made of the same dark ice as the lake. My gaze wandered, falling upon walls of glowing blue, towering high overhead. The same strange light shone through facets and windows, throwing a ghostly tinge over everything and everyone.
Beautiful. There was no doubt about it, the castle was breathtaking beyond belief, but how practical could it be? I’d have much preferred the squat, ugly walls of Nairsgarth. At least a roaring fire wouldn’t melt stone. Such a necessity would undoubtedly be denied in case I set the palace walls dripping and warping, but I wasn’t sure I’d survive the night without one.
Shivering and stewing over sleeping arrangements, I clambered from the sleigh on stiff legs. Sage followed, stepping slightly beyond me as she stared up at the palace, frosty breath clouding her face. We were at the head of a sweeping driveway. Blankets of snow covered what I presumed were lawns to either side, and tall evergreens stood like silent sentinels, spaced with precision beside the road. Between the trees, old-fashioned lamp posts burnt with a strange blue flame, lighting the way, but even with their eerie glow, the gate and walls were lost to the night.
Would the shades be able to find me here? I pressed closer to the light pooling around the palace, courtesy of its many frosted windows.
“This way,” the guard said, gesturing away from the main entrance.
We followed him as he passed into the shadow of the wall, leading us away from the glowing lights. A path along the base of the building had been cleared of snow, and my boots crunched in the grit scattered over the ground.
Where was this beautiful fae creature taking us? Were we to be ushered in through a secret side door, far from prying eyes? Or maybe we weren’t allowed in the palace at all. Maybe we were expected to sleep in the garden shed. As long as it wasn’t made of ice, I didn’t care.
Unsure of whether or not I was still supposed to be inconspicuous, I kept my head down, resisting the urge to gawk at my surroundings. My eyes stayed trained on my frozen toes as we rounded a corner and slipped through a narrow, metal gate cut into the ice. A small yard surrounded by tall walls greeted us. Crates stood in a precarious stack against one wall, and stone steps fell away to several basement doors. The guard made a beeline for one of those steep, narrow flights.
Perfect. The dank little side entrance it was, then. So much for being the chosen one.
We passed through a door of black metal, and at once, warmth poured over me, despite the corridor of ice stretching ahead. I stared around, searching for the source of the heat, but bar a few blue glowing lamps fitted to the walls, I found nothing. Our silent guard led us deeper into the castle before finally opening a door and spreading an arm in welcome.
Sage led the way, with me on her heels. The room we found ourselves in wasn’t small by any means, but it certainly wasn’t of palace proportions. The comfortable chairs lining the windowless walls gave it the distinct air of a waiting room, especially when the other three witches trooped in. Pansy shot me an excited smile from over her mother’s shoulder.
“Please, take a seat. Lady Celyn will be along shortly.” The guard departed without another word, and Sage lapped the room at a stroll, pausing to prod one of the chairs with an expression of immense distaste.
Not sharing her snobbery after days of walking, I sank into the nearest one with a sigh and tugged off my gloves. This room was warm too, and yet, the ice walls showed no signs of melting. I trailed a fingertip over the one behind my chair. Beneath a fine, powdery layer of frost, it was as smooth and hard as glass.
“Is it really made of ice?” I asked the room at large.
“Mother above,” Sage muttered, giving no further answer.
“Yes, Aliza, it is.” Hyacinth gave me a motherly smile. “Ignore Sister Sage, you will learn to trust your senses with practice.”
There was nothing wrong with my senses. It was this world I didn’t trust. “Then why is it warm?”
“There is fae magic at work here,” Hyacinth said simply, as though that was all the explanation anyone could ask for.
Reluctant to give Sage any more reasons to question my intelligence, I lapsed into silence. The witches muttered amongst themselves. After a few minutes, the rest of our party arrived, pink-cheeked, and filled the remaining seats.
Silent minutes trailed by, and to my awe, I began to sweat gently beneath my layers. It hurt my head, to have my body telling me one thing and my brain telling me the opposite. I was surrounded by ice, and yet, I was boiling. It made no sense, but then, nothing did anymore. Before long, I unbuckled the belt holding my wrap in place and tugged the garment free of my shoulders.
My aching foot began to jiggle. As much as I appreciated a chair after days of hiking and sitting on rocks and logs, I was bored. I wanted a meal and a proper bed with immediate effect.
Warmth and comfort combined to tug at my eyelids. I propped my head on my hand and gave in, letting my eyes drift shut. Just a short rest, while we waited…
“It’s true?”
The door burst open, and I startled awake with a jolt and an ungainly snort. A willowy fae female was silhouetted in the doorway, surrounded by a glossy mane of waist-length russet hair. Round eyes, as icy blue as the palace walls, fixed on me. Her pale, heart-shaped face broke into a smile, but her eyes flooded with emotion moments before a hand flew to her mouth, stifling a small sound that might have been a laugh or a sob.
“Forgive my outburst.” She lowered her hand, taking a deep breath as she continued to stare. “We thought you would never come.”
Lady Celyn’s quarters were far more luxurious than the room we’d originally been shown to. My sleep-heavy eyes widened in wonder as I examined every inch of the decadent, frozen sitting room. Frosty white icicles, large enough to skewer an elephant, hung from the high ceiling. Nestled amongst them was an enormous chandelier that looked like falling rain, casting a haunting light over the room. I couldn’t decide if it was hung with crystals, glass or yet more ice. Whatever it was, motes of light danced on the blue-white walls, drawing my attention from where I sat on a plush sofa scattered with cushions and blankets. Pansy sat beside me, her hands clasped tightly between her knees. I smirked. A plate crammed with delicate cakes rested on the nearby coffee table, but nobody had yet moved to take one.
Sage’s haughty voice washed over me as she relayed her plan to a grim-faced Lady Celyn. The fae’s impossibly smooth brow now bore a tiny crease between her perfect, upswept eyebrows as she listened to the witch.
I’d heard it all before, and my attention drifted.
