AllFreeNovel
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I spot Jane sitting on the rickety porch swing, her braids sticking out beneath a green and red striped hat. She’s pretending not to watch the younger kids play in the snow, even though she wants to join them. Chatty Cat sits on her lap, looking like he might attack anyone who comes near. I can hear his weird purr-growl from here.
My stomach clenches at the sight of everything. The normalcy of it all. Even the old farmhouse tugs at me. With its sagging porch, the siding in desperate need of a good painting, the flickering porchlight.
I glance up at my bedroom window and immediately wish I hadn't. It’s dark, the curtains drawn.
It feels like a thousand years ago that I snuck out onto that sloping roof and changed my life forever.
Only the lawn wasn’t full of snow then. I frown. “I don’t think it’s ever snowed this early here.”
“How else could I get them out here?” he says, staring at the children playing. “You humans are so fragile when it comes to the cold.”
“You did this?”
“It was nothing.”
I wonder what’s going on inside his head. Does he think I’m silly for needing this? Needing to witness them alive and safe and okay?
“Would you like to see more snow, Princess?” he asks, watching me carefully.
“Yes.”
Snow begins to fall. I peer up at the sky and watch the fat snowflakes twirl down between the trees. In this moment, I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced a more beautiful sight. I feel like I’m staring into a recently shaken snow globe, only I’m on the outside of this magical world looking in.
Across the lawn, the kids whoop with joy. They’ve ignored Aunt Zinnia completely. Shocker.
I smile. She’ll come out two more times, then she’ll enlist the help of Aunt Vi.
A few minutes later, I watch Vi herd them inside. The sound of Christmas songs fills the night. Without looking, I know they’ll be gathered around the tree opening presents.
Aunt Zinnia will sing along with the holiday tunes, and Aunt Vi will roll her eyes, a steaming mug of hard cider spiked with moonshine in her hand. The twins will argue over their presents while Jane pouts in the corner. And they’ll all act incredibly surprised and grateful when they unwrap their gifts and see their hand-me-down clothes.
I let out a ragged breath. God I miss this. So very, very much.
“They’re nice,” the prince offers, his eyes squinted in the house’s direction. “For mortals.”
“They’re not nice, but . . . they’re mine.” Thinking about my family leads to a question. “Why aren’t you, you know, off doing stupid Faerie holiday traditions with your family?”
He pulls at a wavy strand of hair that’s fallen over his sharp ear. “My father remarried. For the fifth time. He’s spending the Winter Solstice with her.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, unsure how to weave this new layer into what I know about the prince. “I’m sure that’s tough.”
He chuckles, but it’s a raspy, bitter sound. “When you live as long as we do, you learn that disappointment is a way of life.”
“And how long have you lived, exactly?”
There’s a long pause. “Three-thousand-five-hundred years.”
He grins darkly, obviously enjoying the way my jaw drops. Then he reaches into his shirt and pulls out something—a necklace. The silver emblem is shaped like an owl’s head holding a sapphire in its beak. A soft blue glow emanates from the stone.
“My soulstone,” he says, his fingers reverently stroking the sapphire. “All Evermore get one for their renewal ceremony. It’s sacred.”
My hands twitch to go to the necklace around my neck. The one that’s almost exactly like the prince’s, right down to the delicate silver chain and infinity clasp. The only thing different is his is shaped into an owl and mine is a wolf. o;No,” I say, swiping at my cheeks. “You do not get to come in here and act concerned. It’s too confusing. You hate me. You like me. You want nothing to do with me. Then you come in here without a shirt looking concerned and—just enough. Enough. I can’t take it anymore.”
His nostrils flare, his jaw flexing as he just stares at me. Then he nods, reaches for the door handle, and leaves.
As soon as my door quietly shuts, I cry and cry until the flood of emotions washes me into my dreams.
“I killed her.” The words I wake up screaming echo off my bedroom walls. I thrash in my bed. Sheets tangled around my legs. Hair pasted with sweat to my forehead.
