“Not like you don’t want to,” Delmare shot back.
I couldn’t help turning pink. Kiara said, “Lay off, guys. They’re not even mates. Emma, do you want to come with us?”
“Where?” I asked. I got a sinking feeling when Kiara said that Ethan and I weren’t mated, but it was the truth— I belonged to someone else.
“My sister’s having a sale today atEnchanting Whispers,” Kiara said. “We should go and see what kind of cool things we can find.”
“Sure.” I wasn’t doing anything else today. I got my coat, hat and gloves and we headed out. I felt bad for leaving Ethan behind, but he needed rest— not me bothering him.
The skies dropped a light snowfall. The streets of Dolinska were filled with kids tossing snowballs and making forts. The town was decorated with garlands, red ribbons, strings of cranberries and white lights. Christmas trees adorned with dozens of ornaments were on every corner, along with carolers and elaborate light displays. The Arcanea really got into the winter holidays. It was like a competition to them to have the best decorations.
“So tell me how Christmas works around here,” I said. We passed a sleigh being pulled by an alicorn with a wreath around his neck. Santa… or, as people around here called him,Father Christmas… sat in the sleigh and waved as the alicorn pulled him through the snow. Children screamed and laughed as they ran after the sleigh.
“One rule. Don’t let Krampus catch you.” Kiara snickered.
“Our main holiday is the Winter Hunt, which is on the same day as the King’s Ball, then we celebrate Christmas after,” Odette explained. “Many Christmas traditions began as pagan Yuletide festivities, so we tie them into our holiday. Normally, most of Arcanea would participate in the Yule ceremonies for the Winter Hunt, but that’s being put off this year because of the Contest.”
“What’s the story on the Winter Hunt?” I asked.
“It’s an old legend,” Kiara began. “Droga, the Dark God, chased away the sun during the Autumn Equinox, but Tomir and his Eternal Hunt chase it back and bring light to the earth during the Winter Festival.”
Speaking of the gods… “Guys, I have something to tell you,” I began.
“Don’t tell us you’re expecting,” Delmare said.
“Not exactly.” I hesitated before I said, “I think I saw one of the gods. Her name was Milonna.”
All three of them screeched to a halt. Kiara reached out and grabbed my arm, whirling me around. “You what?”
I swallowed. “A couple of weeks ago, I was in the forest by myself and a doe came out of the woods, but she wasn’t just any deer. She told me she was a goddess.”
“Emma, you need to tell us everything,” Kiara said. She and Odette wore twin expressions of concern. Even Delmare had turned deathly serious.
I launched into the story of what had happened at the river with Milonna. As I continued, their faces got more and more scared. I was pretty sure Odette started to sweat.
“Then she told me I’d be her champion and she’d be with me always,” I finished. “What does that mean?”
“Emma, are yousureyou saw her?” Kiara asked. She’d asked the question a million times.
“Yes, I saw her! I’m pretty sure I didn’t imagine a giant talking deer in the middle of the woods,” I replied sourly.
“No, you don’t get it. This is really important. Are youabsolutely sure?” Delmare asked. She squeezed my arm so tight I felt like it was gonna fall off.
I hesitated before I said, “Yes. I wasn’t drunk or anything. She was definitely there. She touched me.”
Odette’s eyes began to water. She started to cry. Little sniffles came out of her. Kiara put an arm around the alicorn girl, looking grim.
“Odette, don’t cry. It’s nothing to be sad about,” I said, totally confused.
“It is!” Odette wailed. “It’s so horrible!”
“That I was contacted by a goddess?” I was totally bewildered. What were these girls getting at?
Delmare frowned. “Milonna… well, Emma, she only shows herself to Arcanea who are destined to die young.”
I think my heart stopped beating. “What?”
“She chooses her champions to go on great quests for her, but they never make it out alive,” Delmare explained quietly. “The quests are great and important, but her champions always die at the end. There are no exceptions.”
