Thunder clapped above me and my eyes shot open. I was back in my body, the cold damp earth beneath my back a jarring contrast to the blazing heat I'd felt in that vision. The once beautiful cherry blossom tree, now a blackened husk, rose into the sky like a charred skeleton. Tears pooled in my eyes, blurring my vision. What... what just happened? What was that?! I sat up slowly, my head splitting from a pounding headache. The weight of the vision pressed down on my heart. I clutched my head and stood on shaky legs.

A thick haze of fog had enveloped the village as I stumbled over rocks and decayed roots. Trying to get my bearings still reeling after the debilitating hallucination. The fog was so dense I nearly bumped into a statue—no, a person. The frozen fae. I blinked and my breath caught as I recognized his face.

The king!

My stomach dropped. The horrifying realization chilled my bones to the marrow. All those statues... were real! Real people with families. Friends. Everything I had just witnessed had been real! My heart twisted painfully in my chest. The queen—what happened to her and her child? Were they in Summer now? Could I find them?

I reached out, my hand brushing against the blackened bark. A jolt shot through me, and images flashed before my eyes. No—no, not again! I yanked my hand away, frightened of being pulled into another vision. But the tree hummed and a faint whisper cut through the silence.

Amelia...

It called my name. A plea on the wind. My heart raced. "What do you want? What could I possibly do?" My voice sounded small against the enormity of what I just learned. This tree—this thing—had drawn me here. Showed me visions of the past. Was it the same force that pulled me from my library into this cursed world? Why me? What could I possibly do to help?

No answer came.

I sighed and hesitantly reached out again, my hand trembling as it grazed the rough bark. This time, the images came slower, clearer. A gnarled root wrapped around a pink diamond. It shimmered like a soft rosy flame, locked behind a throne of ice. The next image—a giant evergreen, massive like the one I stood before, rising from the middle of a frozen lake. High in its branches, a glowing pinecone rested, pulsing with light.

I frowned, my brows furrowing as I tried to discern the meanings behind the images. Was it showing me something I was meant to find? I turned to retrieve my pack, but a bolt of energy shot through my arm. Pain—searing pain, like fire—raced across my back, flaring through the long, jagged scars. I gasped, biting back a cry as tears stung my eyes. The memories of that night surged forward, but I forced them down with trembling breaths.

After several deep breaths, the pain subsided to a dull throb, and I stared at the tree in shock. My body was still trembling as I reached behind me. Every nerve on edge, tingling bolts shot down my spine as my fingers lightly brushed the jagged lines.

My head swam, but I had to focus. I dug into my pack for the map. It only depicted Spring, but in the vision the king had spoken of Winter and Summer like they were kingdoms. Was the evergreen I saw in Winter? And the gem, hidden behind a throne of ice—was that in Winter's palace?

Did it want me to go find these items? The pinecone and the gem. And if I somehow managed that, what was I supposed to do? I was alone here. How am I to do anything? I was almost killed back at the castle! And what of my father? Where was he in all this mess? I needed to find him and get home. To Emily. She needed me. I looked back at the king. But these people also needed someone... Could I turn my back and walk away?

What am I supposed to do with all this? I glanced up at the towering tree again, my stomach twisting. "Anything else you'd like to impart on me, oh great omnipotent tree?" I muttered dryly, my lips curling into a wry smile. Silence. Of course. What was I thinking?! I threw my hands up, "I'm talking to a tree!" gods, if my sister saw me now. I shook my head.

I turned to leave this cursed place. Finding help—someone who could give me the answers I needed—was the first priority. I couldn't piece together this puzzle alone. My stomach growled, low and insistent, reminding me just how long it had been since I'd eaten. I sighed to myself. Right Food. That would help as well, wouldn't it?

I froze mid step as a strange sense washed over me, prickling at the back of my neck. Something was off. My brows furrowed as I saw the empty spot where my horse had been tethered. I blinked. Where had the mare gone? My lips pressed into a thin line. Well, that's just wonderful.

A low growl shattered the silence. The sound vibrated through the air and my breath caught in my throat. I wasn't alone.

More growls, mingling with strange chirping and clicking, circled around me. My heart raced as shadows moved in the fog and I squinted, trying to pinpoint the source. A beast emerged from the temple ruins. A creature made from shadows, but very much real. It's dark fur rippled and billowed like smoke, and its glowing yellow eyes narrowed as it stalked toward me.

The shadow took the shape of an enormous cat, its tail flicked angrily behind it. Fear lodged in my throat. Glass shattered, and another appeared beside it, jumping from the crumbling roof of a nearby building. A howl pierced the night, and a third emerged from a nearby alley, bigger than the other two. Its haunting howl echoed through the still air and it stalked forward, it's menacing eyes pinning me in place. Their maws gnashed, revealing three rows of sharp teeth. They were twice the size of a wolf and made of nightmares. Their bodies twitched and shifted as if they were corporal. I'd never seen anything like it. I shuffled back, my heart pounding in my head.

Run!

One of the creatures lunged at me and I dove out of its path. Another swiped, catching my leg. I winced, scrambled to my feet, and ran. My legs screamed in protest as I tore through the village. The beasts thundered after me, their snarls rang in my ears and their teeth snapped at my heels. My lungs burned and my vision blurred. Panic surged through me. I'm not going to make it—I'm not—.

A firm hand grabbed my arm and yanked me sideways. Before I could react, I was pulled into the shadows of a nearby building. A firm chest pressed against my back and I opened my mouth to scream, but a cold hand silenced me. An icy shimmer passed over us, warping the space around us like a veil of snowflakes blurring reality. The beasts darted into the building. Their yellow gaze sweeping over us. I whimpered

"Quiet!" the man hissed, his grip tightening around me. My eyes widened. That voice! It was the same one I'd heard at the castle. My heart pounded frantically in my chest. I felt faint. One creature stalked closer. So close I could reach out and touch it. It growled low and deep. The man's grip shifted, and a coldness pressed against my side. I could hear the crystalline chime of ice forming.

His breath was warm against my ear. "I need you to listen carefully, human. I'm going to draw them away. Stay. Right. Here. You will be safe. The illusion will hold until I get back," he whispered. Illusion? Was that why the beast hadn't caught us yet? Was he hiding us with magic?

I nodded, too terrified to go against him. His grip loosened, and he slipped from behind me. I finally got to see this mysterious man. My breath caught in my throat. The shimmering magic danced across his dark blue skin and his warm golden eyes followed the creatures as they moved. His long white hair was braided down his back, but some strands fell loosely around his face. In his hand was a dagger made of cold, biting ice.

He crouched and shuffled, his movement so slow but fluid, like the beasts he was hunting. The fae slipped out of the broken doorway on the other side of the room from where we had come in. I held my breath, my back pressed up against the wall. The creatures sniffed the air, brushing past me every so often. Could they hear my heart racing? Could they sense my fear?

How was I to get out of this? There were a dozen of those monsters in the room, possibly dozens more outside. Could I believe this winter fae? If I moved, would the illusion break? I didn't want to find out. All I could do was pray that he would be quick and not get caught by the creatures.

A loud crash echoed in the distance and the beasts perked up. Their ears twitched as another howl pierced the air, their glowing eyes narrowing before they turned, one by one, and darted toward the sound. I let out my breath slowly, not daring to move a single inch. Were they all gone? Was the fae okay? The illusion still wrapped around me like a veil, its magic cool and tingling against my skin.

Silence stretched out, broken only by the distant rumble of thunder. Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the burnt wooden beams and broken furniture scattered around the building.my fingers twitched at my sides. I wanted to move, to peer through the cracks in the wall and see if the danger had truly passed, but my limbs felt frozen, not by magic this time, but fear.

Something clattered nearby, followed by a faint shuffling. My heart lurched in my chest, and I clenched every muscle. My breath caught in my throat. Please don't be those creatures! The sound of padded footsteps grew louder, closer. Oh no. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the worst. Then, from the shadows, the fae slipped back into the building, his movements soundless and fluid.

Relief rushed through me, but I was still on edge, adrenaline still coursing through my body. His sharp golden eyes locked onto mine as he moved closer, hand outstretched toward me. His expression was calm but intense, one finger pressed firmly to his lips. I felt the urge to take his hand, but I hesitated. Could I trust him? I didn't know this man or his motivations for saving me. What if this was all part of some greater manipulation?

His brows furrowed when I didn't move. Without warning, he closed the distance between us in a single fluid motion, nearly pinning me to the wall. The heat of his body contrasted with the cold magic that lingered around him. My face flushed. His golden stare watched me as if I were about to bolt. Which wouldn't be far from the truth.

"Either you take my hand, reinforce the illusion, and follow me out of this blighted place, or I will leave you here. My illusion will fade and you will be at the mercy of those beasts." his eyes bored into mine, unblinking. His tone was hard, almost indifferent, as if this was just another problem to solve.

The illusion flickered around me and my stomach twisted. I had little choice, didn't I? At least he didn't turn me into a popsicle. I swallowed hard and nodded. His fingers were icy as I took his hand. The world became a blur as we ran through buildings and alleyways. I tried to keep up, but I wasn't as agile as the fae. The gash on my thigh and calf wasn't helping much, either. Despite me tripping over nearly every fallen beam, he never once let go of my hand.

We stopped at the end of an alleyway. I could see the twisted iron entrance and a pair of horses just outside the village. My mare. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least she had made it out unscathed. We darted across the blackened grass of the courtyard and when we passed under the archway, I felt as though I could finally breathe again.

As soon as we reached the horses, he let go of my hand, and I staggered, catching my breath. Without a word, he stripped the other horse of its bags and fastened them on the mare I had stolen. Before I could ask what he was doing, he slapped the horse's rear, sending it bolting back toward the castle.

"Why did you send the horse away?" I asked, through gasping breaths.

One white brow arched as he glanced back at me and fastened the belts of the saddle. "You didn't think I was going to let you keep my silvurn. Did you?"

His what?

I opened my mouth, indignant, but his gaze remained calm, unbothered. He mounted the horse and reached a hand down to me. "It's best we not linger. It's not safe for a human to travel these cursed roads alone. I will drop you off at the nearest settlement."

I scoffed, but accepted his hand. "Why couldn't I have ridden the other one?" The heat of his chest against my back only sharpened my frustration. How had I ended up here?

"I couldn't leave my men without enough silvurn to travel and I only intended to get mine back," he replied, amusement flickering in his voice. "And I never would have thought the human who stole her would venture so deep into the blight."

I stiffened at his words. He only chuckled—a low, rich sound. "Surprised?" he asked, as if reading my thoughts. "A thief like you was hardly subtle."

"I'm not a thief. I was scared." I said, a bitter edge to my tone.

"Then you have my apologies." he nudged the horse forward, guiding us away from the shadowed village. I clenched my jaw, the ache of my wounds becoming harder to ignore. I did not know where he was taking me or why he'd chosen to save me at all—but I wasn't about to let my guard down.

© Copr. 2024. Jessica Powell. All Rights Reserved.