Page 99 of Winter Gods & Serpents

I shook my head short of an answer that wasn’t a lie, and headed toward the corridor.

“Snow, wait,” Nia called in a half voice, but I did not respond.

I had to go see them before I could convince myself this was all a cruel nightmare.

“Snow,” she repeated but I did not halt. She then dug her heel. “Snowlin!” Her shout piercing the silent air of the winter garden.

I knew she was worried, but I did not wish to explain myself in front of the silver eyed snake behind me. “All is fine Nia, just let me be, please.”

Before I reached the last turn on the nonending maze, I turned to them. Kilian threw a pair of boots down to the ground and signalled his head for me to wear, I had not noticed I had come without them.

“Both of you wait here, no one comes beyond this point,” I ordered firmly, putting the boots on and then pointed towards Kilian. “Especially you.”

They both obeyed since their footsteps halted behind me.

* * *

I awoke stiff as a log, a pile of snow atop me and my body half frozen. I gently pulled my body up, aching at the slightest movement, my feet and fingers completely numb. I rolled the blanket and tucked it under my cloak.

Kilian still leaned by a frosted wall and Nia sat on the floor, hands on her knees half frozen.

It was then I startled completely awake to my senses. I had forgotten them here all night. Guilt and shame coursed through me. Nia should have dispersed him, and she should have headed for her chambers knowing I would be fine, and that my father’s guards already knew when I came out here and none even dared step in the maze. This whole area was forbidden to be stepped on. I was the only one who ever came here.

“Nia!” I hissed.

She stood unsteady, a hand on her forehead, looking tired and cold. “He would not budge from here and I would most certainly not leave you alone with him,” she exclaimed in anger towards Kilian who casually stretched his neck.

“I am under orders not to leave your side. I would have not moved whatever way your friend found to dismiss me.”

My features flared in heat. “So if I jumped off a cliff, you would come chasing after me, right? How about we put that to test, shall we?” I spat in anger.

“I have not come to fan you but to guard your twisted head.” He grabbed my arm pulling me to him. “This is not a game, Princess, like it or not right now you are precious and greatly hunted, I will not let you run in anyone’s trap for the fun of it.”

A shudder of pain shot up my spine and limbs, my knees wavered, and I toppled to fall. He wrapped an arm around my waist pulling me up and close to him, tracing the other hand down my arm as if searching for grave wounds.

Nia unsheathed a dagger. “Let her go.”

“Are you hurt, where?” he queried calmly without paying mind to my friend. His voice never raised a tone higher than usual. He was annoyingly calm, all the time.

I shook away from his touch and grabbed Nia’s arm whose deadly stare was piercing holes in Kilian’s head.

“I’d think it would at least made you smile.”

He dropped his head back as if to hold onto his calm. “I will make sure to smile next time. For now get inside before you make the agreement fall apart along with the rest of you.”

Snow fell briskly mantling our vision, but I could see the resembling look Kilian wore, the same my father had once given me. I was meant to serve a purpose; my whole existence was to fulfil a purpose. The only value my life had was that the others gave it. I’d grown used to getting that look, from him it seemed so unacceptable.

The warmth of my room felt prickling rather than comforting, my skin almost searing and melting. Kilian nudged the fading fireplace, feeding it kindling while stealing glances at Nia’s actions when she peeled my clothes to reveal the greyed flesh of my arm.

He came forward, his eyes on my arm. “I thought Isjordians didn’t get affected by the cold?”

“Well, I am not exactly Isjordian.”

He took my words in some surprise. He was so quick to remind me of my place, yet he was forgetting.

“Get her warmed salt and a cloth,” he ordered Nia, taking off his gloves and then jacket.

All muscle and strength, intimidating in all his might, yet Nia rose face to face with him, arms wide shielding me. “You are not touching her, she needs a medi-healer.”