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Garrick slowed his steps enough that I was able to match his strides, coming alongside him. He shot me a furtive glance, his expression neutral, yet not cold. My absurd heart twinged in response. “Yes, we are venturing outside, to the capital city. The people are eager to meet you, and the king and queen have agreed you should.”
Nerves danced in my stomach. Somehow I didn’t believe that they were truly happy about my surviving their arena and tricks. Maybe they planned to murder me in some other public way beyond the castle walls.
I shoved it aside and searched Garrick’s face. “You saved me.”
Something like fear darted across his expression. “It was the least I could do.”
I swallowed. “Did you do it for them?”
He stepped closer, his eyes desperate, and opened his mouth.
But whatever he’d meant to say wasn’t meant to be. At the end of the hall, a pair of guards opened a set of carved double doors leading into a great hall. Garrick jerked away from me. “Come,” he said, striding toward the hall’s entrance.
Heart throbbing with a confusing mixture of hope and hurt, I obeyed. The hall was full of warm hearths burning brightly and countless tables and chairs where fae were deep in conversation. Servants—both fae and glamoured humans—strolled back and forth, carrying trays or relaying messages. Heavily armed guards lined the walls.
At the far end was a dais with two exquisitely carved thrones of white birchwood, but both sat empty.
“Miss Cantwell.” King Preston’s voice caused a feeling to skitter down my spine akin to the sensation of ice melting along skin. “Or perhaps I should say...Miss Silverfrost?”
I turned to find him and his sister behind us, clothed in lavish fur robes, their crowns sparkling in their dark hair. A longsword was strapped to Preston’s back, while Nerissa bore no weapons that I could see. She was in another sweeping gown, though this one was pinned up on one side, revealing heavy boots that indicated she, too, was ready for travel.
Meeting King Preston’s bloody gaze, I dipped my head in silent respect. “I have always been Miss Cantwell, and that is the name I am comfortable answering to,” I said diplomatically.
Queen Nerissa laughed, the sound rich yet haunting. She studied me like one would eye a bug pinned beneath them. “It’s true we aren’t entirely convinced of your bloodline just yet, though your magical display in the arena was impressive.”
King Preston shrugged and extended his arm toward me.
I bit back the urge to grimace as I took it and let him sweep me close to his side. Dipping his head, he whispered in my ear, the unwelcome sensation of his tickling breath making me flinch. “Try anything, and we’ll set our wolf on you. It’s your blood that makes you important, mortal, and that is all. Don’t grow too comfortable.”
Revulsion swept through me as Preston tugged me down the hall toward another set of doors, which a pair of guards pulledinward with a heavy groan. Icy wind bit my cheeks and deposited snowflakes in my hair as we descended a set of stone stairs leading into a courtyard. Already, servants stood beside a cluster of horses that were stomping their hooves and snorting in the cold air. While Queen Nerissa and an assortment of servants and attendants mounted their own steeds—including, I noted, Isolde, who must have hurriedly dressed after preparing me—King Preston released my arm and gestured toward a horse.
“Am I to have my own mount then?” I asked, trying to keep my tone even and disinterested as Preston approached a fine black stallion.
He laughed as he swung effortlessly into the saddle, his gaze cutting into me like a knife. “Not at all.” He nodded to Garrick.
“My faithful dog will be watching you,” Queen Nerissa supplied, tossing her long hair over one shoulder. In the soft winter light, her pale skin and sharp cheekbones were even more harshly beautiful. “That way if you have any unfortunate ideas of abandoning your people,Your Majesty, you’ll have a hunter on your trail.”
Garrick’s expression was stony as he approached the dappled gelding. It bore no saddle, only a thick blanket draped over its back. When he glanced down at me, offering his hand, my heart lodged in my throat.
“I’ve never ridden without a saddle,” I protested weakly, but the human servant had already reached for my dress, lifting it to the side and expertly pinning it up. Unfortunately, that left far more of my leg bare than I was comfortable with, leaving my skin exposed to the frigid air.
“A little cold, but that’s what your furs are for,” Queen Nerissa said when she saw me cringe.
Swallowing, I turned to Garrick, who set his hands on my waist. A gasp lodged in my throat at the sudden touch, and I was thankful for the gloves he wore that provided an extralayer between us. Still, the warmth of his body seeped into me immediately, and I couldn’t ignore the jolt of awareness that spread over me. As he set me on the horse’s back, he leapt easily behind me and accepted the reins from the servant. I tried to move forward, fighting to put distance between Garrick and me.
But that was impossible. There was only enough room for me to sit flush against him, my back pressed to his chest. His warmth enveloped me, chasing away the chill as his arms wrapped around me to secure the reins and lead the gelding. I was effectively in his embrace, all too aware of his every heartbeat and every breath as his chest rose and fell behind me.
As the gates creaked open, our horses cantered out of the courtyard, their hooves clattering against the cobblestones.
Embarrassed, I leaned away, trying to let the winter breeze cool the flush in my cheeks. Hoping to distract myself, I tried to focus on my surroundings rather than the man seated far too close to me.
Beyond the iron gates was a twisting stone road made precarious with its slick layers of ice and snow, especially when it dipped downward, toward the foot of the mountain. But as we slowed to a leisurely pace, I found the view was stunning, affording glimpses of nearby snow-capped peaks. Pine trees added jolts of bright green color to the landscape and filled the air with their fresh scent. Far below, our destination crouched beside the lake I’d spotted my first day here, just a smooth sheet of ice dusted with snow. Chimney smoke curled up from the rows of snow-powdered homes, looking inviting in a way I hoped wasn’t deceptive.
As we rounded our first bend, I tried to shuffle away from Garrick even more.
“Trying to fall off the horse?” Garrick teased, his voice rumbling in his chest until I could feel it against my back. He tightened his arms, pulling me against him.
I squirmed, failing to get away and only sliding backward. I hadn’t thought I could fall any closer to Garrick, and yet I did, until I was nearly in his lap.
