AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I rushed up to him and pressed my cheek against his. The last time I saw him, he was chasing me out of his village. I had never seen him so angry before, so violent. Now, though, he was my brother again, and that was enough to make my heart soar.
“I have so much to tell you,” I said.
“So do I,” he said. “Come. Let’s head to my camp.”
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Up in the mountains, in one of the most dangerous areas known to my kind, my brother had made his home for the past year. It was modest, and quaint, but homely. He had built a collection of tents made from the hides of the animals he had hunted down for food. A fire pit, protected from the elements, provided light and warmth for the entire camp. He had even planted a patch ofClaire de Lune—Fae grapes that grow year-round in the snow.
I couldn’t stand that blue alcoholic stuff, but when he offered me a cup, I gladly accepted it and sat with him—Valerian, too. Colbolt seemed a little nervous, which made sense given where we were and in whose company we were in, but he settled when my brother offered him an entire pot of fresh, frozen grapes.
Gullie’s reunion with my brother, however, was much more frantic. She fluttered over to him and bombarded him with questions about his wellbeing while she checked his face for signs of damage.How are you keeping? Are you eating? Why are you up here? Why didn’t you come and find me? You had me worried sick! Do you have any idea how many sleepless nights I’ve had because of you?
My brother did his best to reassure her that he was okay, that he was sleeping and eating. He also apologized for not going to find her, but he was worried the Moon Children would follow him right to them. He couldn’t risk them being discovered and hurt by his former tribe. Gullie seemed to accept this, and then sat down with a thimble full of Claire de Lune all for herself.
“To the Winter Kingdom,” said my brother, raising his cup. “May it rest in peace.”
Valerian and I exchanged glances, raising our cups a moment after, then the four of us took a drink. Claire de Lune was ice cold and incredibly sweet. I couldn’t stomach more than a sip or two before I had to set the cup down. It wasn’t that I didn’t like sweet things, I had just discovered that I preferred my sugar warm, and preferably in a pastry… with cinnamon on it.
“Rest in peace?” I asked, after we drank.
“It’s gone to the hells in a hand basket,” said Radulf. “At this point, I don’t think it’s coming back.”
I glanced at Valerian again, then looked over at my brother. “Well… that’s why I’m here.”
“I had a feeling.” His eyes moved from me to Valerian. “I don’t recognize your scent.”
“We’ve never met,” said Valerian. He extended a hand, only his fist was closed and balled up. My brother stared at Valerian’s fist, dumbfounded. I was, too. “I saw the humans do this…” Valerian said, awkwardly pausing and examining his hand. “You’re supposed to bump your fist to mine.”
My brother tapped his fist against Valerian’s. “Like… this?” he asked.
“I think so.”
“What does it mean that we’ve done this?”
“As far as I can tell, it’s a greeting. Nothing more.”
“Good…”
I shook my head and took another drink, hoping the cup would somehow swallow me instead.
“That wasn’t awkward at all,” said Gullie between sips from her thimble of Fae wine. “It’s good wine, Radulf. Well squeezed.”
“I’m glad you like it,” said Radulf. He looked at me, then. “I don’t want to disappoint you.”
“Disappoint me?”
“I know why you’ve come.”
“I came here to find you.”
“You’re here because you need me to help fix whatever’s happened to our family, to our world. I’m going to save you the trouble right now and tell you, it’s not possible.”
“It isn’t?”
“I’ve tried. I’ve spent this entire year searching, trying to commune with the spirits of this place, searching for answers, for insight. I’ve even tried speaking with the Frost Giants, hoping they could impart me with some wisdom I otherwise couldn’t see for myself. It turns out they are… quite simple, and happy to stay out of the conflicts of the Fae.”
“I’m not surprised. They hate us.”
