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“They don’t. The Fae have always hated them, encroached on their lands, kicked them out of their homes, but they put that in the past long ago. They took me in, shielded me from attacks.”
“Attacks?”
“I left tracks that you would be able to follow, up the mountain. Some of my former tribespeople followed those tracks and tried to find me. If not for the giants, I would be dead by now.”
“They look like formidable fighters,” Valerian said. “They have impressive natural weaponry.”
“They are strong and powerful, but they aren’t warriors. They’re a gentle, spiritual people. Moon Children have a lot in common with them.”
“I’m glad they didn’t hurt you,” I said, “But I didn’t come all this way just to talk with you. I’m here to tell you how this all happened, and how I can fix it.”
“Fix it? I told you, it’s not possible.”
“But it is.”
“How do you know?”
“Because…” I paused, bit my lower lip, and shut my eyes. “I’m the one who caused all this.”
“I know you are.”
I looked up at him, frowning. “How do you know?”
“I woke up one day knowing that the woman who was then Princess of the Winter Kingdom was an impostor, knowing that my real sister was out there, somewhere, and that I had run her out of my village instead of keeping her safe. I knew two things in that instant. One, that you were at the center of all this, and two, that I was a fool for what I did.”
“It wasn’t your fault. You were under a spell.”
“That doesn’t matter. I’m your brother. I’m supposed to protect you, and instead I sent you out there, into the cold and the dark, alone.”
I took a deep breath and reached for his hand. “That wasnotyour fault, Radulf,” I said. “I will never hold it against you. Ever.”
He shook his head. “I still don’t know exactly what happened, or how it happened. I only know that Malys should not be here.”
“I’ll tell you everything. I will. But first, I need your help.”
“Help?”
“I have a plan, but we don’t have much time. Malys probably already knows where I am.”
Radulf stood upright. “She does?”
“She knows so many things,” I said, standing up with him. “Malys is a witch, a human witch, who has somehow stolen powers that don’t belong to her. She can shapeshift, she can kill people with a flick of her finger; she’s powerful, Radulf.”
“And she knows where you are—you led her here.”
“I did, and I know that. I don’t know what she’s planning, but she’s planning something, and we need to prepare while I bring you up to speed.”
“Amara… this isn’t a fortress. We don’t have soldiers, or an army to prepare. It’s just us.”
“I know, but you know this area better than she does, and maybe the Frost Giants—”
“—I can’t ask them to get involved in our conflicts, not after the hospitality they’ve shown me.”
“Okay… okay. How about I just tell you everything that’s happened to me? Then we can figure out a next step.”
“Windhelm is lost, Amara. It died long ago, along with my hope. The best thing we can do is get away from here, go far away, to a place where Malys can’t reach us.”
“It’s not lost. Mum and dad…” I paused, my eyes watering. “They’re not lost. Not unless we stop fighting. And Malys will never stop trying to find us… but Malys isn’t even the worst of our troubles.”
