Page 26

A shiver ran through me as my mind replayed the thought of being trapped in that slurry of water.

Just beyond the woman standing behind Valentina, a stone tower rose from the snow, stark and solitary against the sky. It reminded me of a knight’s watchtower from some illustrated manuscript. Or one of the sketches I used to draw when I was younger. There was something unsettlingly familiar about it. It looked like it should have been guarded, alive with movement, but only the three of us stood there, making the world feel vast and desolate.

“I never actually said I could,” I muttered, a breath of laughter slipping out between coughs.

My bottom lip trembled as the cold settled into my bones, this wasn’t just winter. It was worse. It cut through flesh and aimed straight for my core.

Val’s gaze shifted from mine to the woman beside her, who had been rummaging through a large leather bag. She pulled out a bundle of heavy wool jackets and pants, tossed them onto my chest, and said, “Put these on.” Her voice was direct. No-nonsense.

She stood tall, maybe five-eleven, with beautiful mahogany skin and razor-sharp features. Her black eyes shimmered faintly with silvery flecks, and her hair was slicked back into a military-tight bun.

A shadowy haze hovered around her like a second skin. Looking at her too long made my stomach flip, but the aura she exuded didn’t feel threatening at its core. There was darkness there, yes, but it felt layered. Complex. Like something misunderstood rather than cruel.

Slowly, I sat up, teeth chattering, and pulled the shirt over my head. The cotton did little to help. It chilled against my chest before I could trap any warmth beneath it. Val moved to assist me, but I brushed her off with a weak shake of my head. I stood from the snow and slung the too-large slacks around my hips.

“Thanks,” I said hoarsely, tugging the jacket closed.

Yanking the heavy wool over my shoulders, I let the warmth envelope me. Relief was almost immediate against the chill clinging stubbornly to my curls.

Then the still air snapped to life. Snow lifted from the ground, twisting into a sudden, ghostly spiral around us. The breath I’d been struggling to steady pulled from my lungs as something unseen brushed along my arm, slow, deliberate, before rising to cradle my face. I froze. My heart was the only thing moving inside my chest.

Invisible eyes glided over me, assessing me.

Just as suddenly as it had come, the wind died. The snow fell still again, as if nothing had happened. For a second, I wondered if I’d imagined it. As if it sensed my denial, a lingering current passed through me before fading into a softer, colder breeze.

It unsettled me. That hadn’t felt like wind. It had felt like recognition. Like a welcome from something that had been waiting a very long time. It passed through me like I was smoke or was it the other way around? My hand flew to my chest to make sure I was still solid. I had to ground myself in my already shaky reality as I thought: The gust had just kissed my skin too hard after coming up from the water. That explanation made more sense than the idea of the breeze deliberately tracing my cheek.

I trembled as my breath came out ragged. Fatigue crept into my limbs, the aftershock buckling me forward. I braced my hands against my knees just to stay upright. “Whew,” I muttered. “That was… intense.”

Valentina returned to my side, rubbing slow circles along my back. “I know. It’s cold. You’ll get used to it soon. That’s normal here. The wind is rough.” She glanced toward the open stretch of snow. “They’re called vanderwhirls. Just sudden bursts that sweep through.”

The sensation grounded me. Her warm palm steadied my breathing, though it did little to combat the chill still burrowing into my bones. “That’s a relief,” I managed, stretching my sore limbs. Logic steadied me more than the wild theories trying to take root in my mind. My gaze shifted to the other woman. “Thank you for the clothes.”

There was something in her eyes I couldn’t quite decipher. It wasn’t welcoming—but it wasn’t hostile either. She studied me with a cool, deliberate curiosity. As I held her stare, the faint shadow around her seemed to pulse. “Don’t mention it,” she replied, offering a brief smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Alex, this is Arianna,” Val introduced. “She’s been a friend of mine for a long time.” There was admiration in her voice, something deeper than friendship. The way she looked at Arianna carried the kind of tenderness I only reserved for family.

“Nice to meet you.” I held out my hand.

Arianna didn’t take it. She crossed her arms instead. “I’m still trying to figure you out,” she said unapologetically. “You don’t look like anything special. Just an ordinary boy.”

Before I could respond, she circled me slowly in the snow, measuring me the way a soldier sizes up a weakness.

“I get it,” Val said, calm but firm. “But my father wouldn’t risk this much for someone ordinary. And Alexander is far from it.” Her gaze sharpened as it tracked Arianna’s movements.

Arianna stopped in front of me, studying my face. “You might be right,” she told Val quietly. “That doesn’t mean I don’t have reservations. You know what your father is doing is treason. Even if I’m not convinced this is the child who went missing, it’s still a risk.”

“I’m not claiming anything,” I cut in. “I’m Alexander Moore. That’s it. But if what she’s saying is true, if I’m really this King. I’ll do whatever it takes to be ready. I didn’t ride a mermaid through freezing water just to give up.” The words sounded stronger than I felt. The cold still gnawed at my bones, and the wind around us was beginning to rise again.

“You don’t look well,” Arianna said, ignoring my declaration entirely.

Val stepped forward, taking my hands in hers and rubbing warmth back into my skin. “We should go to your place first,” she told Arianna. “He needs heat. And food. We’ll go to my father once he’s stable.” She looked at her friend with a quiet plea in her eyes.

“I’m not an inn, Valentina. You’re lucky I even came. You weren’t expected back until next week.” Arianna’s gaze hardened as irritation sharpened her expression. The shadows around her seemed to tighten in response to her shifting mood.

“But you are my dearest friend,” Val pleaded, the warmth in her eyes softening as she reached for Arianna’s hand. “You know he won’t make it to the estate like this.” Valentina moved closer to her, still advocating on my behalf.

One cue after another, another violent tremor tore through my body. Even beneath the wool jacket, the cold gnawed at me. Goosebumps rippled along my skin, impossible to contain. “I just need a second,” I managed, my voice barely steady. “Please.”