“Go! Go!” Dor zoomed forward, his tone full of anxiety as he led us out a door into the snowy night. “PB, go get help! We can’t control it on our own. We’ve got to trap it.”
“But I get so hot there,” he whined. “And I don’t like running. Oh, and the sand gets in my fur…so hard to get out.”
“PB. Go!”
PB huffed and took off, loping away from us.
“Now, girlie! I hope you know how to run.” Dor burst over the snow, barely leaving prints. “Run, Rudolph, run!”
Running long distance at a steady pace? Easy. Running to save my life from some creature? Not so much. The chipmunks proved that.
But as another howl echoed into the air, telling me the creature was out of the castle, stalking the night…
I ran.
My heavy panting filled my ears, my boots smashing through the layers of snow, terror nipping at my heels, zigzagging me through the forest.
“Hey! No running,” a noble fir yelled at me.
“Get off my snow!” Another one chucked a snowball at me. “You two-legged thugs are nothing but trouble.”
“Shut up!” I hissed. Their booming voices would draw attention.
“How dare you tell us to shut up, twig. I could snap you in half.” A blue spruce shouted at me, spitting a ball of tree sap down at my feet. The honey-colored ball melted through the snow, snapping and popping at the ice like Rice Krispies, burning a hole in the side of my boot.
“Holy tinsel!” I screamed, jumping back, my mouth dropping. What the hell?
“Now, I’m not normally a violent tree, not like those southern trees, but you step on my roots here and I will shoot you with sap,” the spruce hollered, waving his branches around the base of his trunk.
In the distance, a howl I had never heard before echoed through the sky, chilling my bones. It was nothing like an animal or a person, the sound gripping my mind in hazy fear, triggering something deep in me. A terror that almost crippled me.
Reacting on reflex, I took off, darting through the trees away from the sound, my mind filled with too much terror to think.
“Hey!”
“Get off my land, twig!”
“Get her!”
The trees screamed at me, their branches tugging and yanking at my hair. Limbs swiped down at me, knocking into me. A cry bubbled up from my throat as I jumped and darted out of the way, the limbs slashing at my clothes and exposed skin as I snapped through them.
“Owww! You hateful termite!”
A ball of sap shot past me, forcing me to duck my head. I had no time to think as more hit the snow, sputtering and scorching through the ice, leaving burned holes. Weaving, I shoved through, seeing a break in the forest up ahead. My legs pumping, my shoulders checked boughs grabbing for me. Another orb of death fizzled by my leg, burning into my jeans.
A pained cry sprang from my body, but I tried to push forward, the clearing barely a dozen yards away. Grunting, I stretched my legs, driving all my will into reaching the finish line. Only feet away from the end of the forest, I heard a whistle by my head, my eyes noticing objects flying past me like bullets.
Holy shit! Are those nettles? The thought crossed my mind when I felt them pierce my backside. It felt as if a thousand burning hot needles stabbed through my clothes, sinking into my skin. Pain rushed up my throat at a dizzying pace, and a scream tore from my throat as I faltered forward. Vomit scalded the back of my throat, my stomach churning with queasiness.
Don’t stop, Dinah! You’re almost there, I ordered myself, blackness clouding my vision.
My boots crossed into the empty space, my legs wobbling, but I pushed myself until I was out of range. Air heaved in my chest as I came to a stop, my back on fire. Turning my head over my shoulder and peering at what I could see, another wave of nausea gurgled in my throat. My backside resembled a porcupine.
Shakily, I reached for one nettle in my shoulder, plucking it out like I was a dartboard, my blood coating the tip. I could feel the poison from the nettles pouring into my bloodstream. Stumbling, my legs trembled as I tried to fight against the toxins.
I was going to die here.
Death by Christmas tree.
I took a step and my foot plunged down, like the snow was hiding a large hole. The snow yanked my body, pulling me under like quicksand. I gasped, taking in a mouthful of snow, my muscles trying to fight, but darkness bled in, my body and mind too tired to struggle.
As I felt myself let go, sinking deeper, a bellow from what sounded like a monster reverberated into the night, its cry following me into the darkness, hunting for me there too.
“Dinah! What are you doing here?” Blaze’s voice had me jumping around, my long braids whipping against my puffy red jacket. Blaze’s slight form stomped through the snow to us, a frown creasing his freckled nose.
Jack huffed in annoyance at his brother’s appearance, returning to build our snowman.
“You scared me.” I watched Blaze walk up to us. He was bundled up, while Jack wore only a T-shirt and jeans. Blaze spent all his time at the beach. He hated the cold, even though it never felt really cold to me here.
“Why didn’t you come to the beach?” Blaze’s gaze darted to his brother. Looking at them, you’d never know they were brothers, let alone twins. Blaze was all light, warmth, and carefree, while Jack was dark, cold, and mysterious. Though they were both my friends, I tended to play with Blaze more. He was happy, simpler, and never could sit still. Jack was intense and could watch people without talking for hours, his eyes always taking everything in.
“Sorry, Jack and I started building a snowman.” I shrugged. Alice was with her friends, not that she would play with me anyway. Dad was at work, and my mom was downstairs busy with stuff. Feeling lonely, the temptation to visit Winterland was too strong. I loved coming here. If I could, I’d live here permanently.
“A snowman…boooorrrring.” Blaze exhaled, flopping his arms down at his sides, his jacket bouncing them back out again. “It’s cold here. Come to the beach. We can go swimming.” Blaze waved for me to follow.
“I promised I’d help Jack today. Come join us.” I turned back to the snowman, acting like everything was as peaceful as it was before Blaze showed up. The brothers didn’t get along very well, and I felt constantly pulled between them.
Blaze sighed dramatically again.
“You don’t have to stay. Go back to the beach then.” Jack stuck a branch into the side of the snowman, his lids lowered on Blaze.
Blaze glared back. “Actually, I have a better idea.” Blaze rubbed his mitted hands together, mischief glinting in his green eyes. “A fun idea.”
“What?” I knew that look, and it usually meant an adventure.
“The dungeon,” he whispered dramatically.
“Dungeon?” I straightened up. I had never heard of them having a dungeon in the fortress. Not that I went inside much, besides the room the mirror was in. “You have a dungeon?” Excitement tumbled around in my stomach.
“Mother says we can’t go in there.” Jack shook his head.
“You are sooooo boring,” Blaze whined.
“I wanna go.” I loved discovering new places, the thrill of an adventure.
“Mother will kill us.” Jack folded his arms. Blaze and Frost’s mom was strict and was always waving us outside, telling us to get out of her hair. She frowned every time I showed up, whispering it wasn’t right I was there, but Jack and Blaze always ignored her, dragging me out with them.
For some reason, even when I saw her, I could never recall what she looked like once I left. She was similar to every other older person, like a grandma, with short white hair. I knew she seemed sad and angry all the time, cold and distant. Though she always gave me peppermint candy to suck on.
“She’ll never know.” Blaze stuck his tongue at Jack. “Unless you tattle on us.”
Jack’s spine went stiff. “I don’t tattle.”
“Prove it.” Blaze folded his arms. “Dinah and I a
re going to find what’s in there.”
“Like treasure?” Eagerness popped me on my toes, bouncing.
“Maybe,” Blaze’s voice went low and creepy. “Whatever is down there is so dangerous we are forbidden to go near it.”
A shot of fear dropped me back on my heels, my eyes snapping to Jack. Maybe this was too dangerous.
As if Blaze could feel me changing my mind, he stepped up to me. “You gonna wuss out on me, Dinah?”
Wuss out? Never. “No way.” I held up my chin, sounding fiercer than I felt.
“Then come on!” Blaze waved me to follow, taking off jogging for the castle.
“Blaze…Dinah!” Jack called out after us, but we didn’t stop, running into their house and down the steps to the lower levels.
Jack was much taller, his legs quickly catching up with us.
“Guys, don’t!” Jack bellowed from behind us as we went down another corridor, deep underneath the fortress. “Mother and Aunty said not to go down there.”
“Santa’s elf! You are such a goody-goody. Bet you’re on top of Santa’s brownnoser list. You better not snitch on us.” Blaze groaned, pulling me tighter to his side, whispering in my ear. “Can’t believe he’s my twin. He’s so lame and boring. Right?”
I bit down on my lip. Actually, I didn’t think he was lame at all. Sometimes I preferred being around Jack. He was quiet and easy in a way Blaze wasn’t. Blaze was always on the move, relentless, appearing like he was the exciting one, but there was something about Jack. Being near him thrilled me, making me question everything, but I would never admit it. Ever.
“Right, Dinah?”
“Oh, right.” I nodded, rolling my eyes dramatically. “Totally lame.”
“It’s why you are my best friend. You’re fun.” He nudged my arm.
I blushed, feeling bashful.
“Guys, I’m serious.” Jack doubled his step to catch up. “They said it was really dangerous.”
“They always say that,” Blaze responded.
“Mine do too.” I nodded my head. “If they knew I was here, my mother would flip out.”
“That’s what makes it so fun, huh?” Blaze let go of my arm, turning to me. “I triple-reindeer dare you to look at it first.”
“Ohhhh, you’re not fair.” My mouth dropped open, my foot stomping. I could never back out of a triple-reindeer dare. Talk about lame. Totally sissy baby move.
“Too bad. I dared you first.” Blaze nudged me. “You gonna wimp out?”
“No.” I held up my chin defiantly. “I’m not gonna wimp out.” I wouldn’t either. It made me more determined.
“Good! Come on!” Blaze grabbed my hand, yanking me toward the stairs, leading us even deeper into the ground. It never seemed especially cold here, not compared to where I lived, but the moment we hit the stairs, I felt the temperature drop, my breath puffing from my lips. Dread sank like a stone in my belly, but I shoved off the fear, my shoes stomping down the spiral cement steps. Only dim lights every few feet lit the way.
“Blaze! Dinah!” Frost yelled from the top of the stairs. “Don’t.”
Both of us ignored him and rushed to the bottom, but his footsteps were not far behind as we got down to a passage. Metal doors lined both sides, barred with thick locks. It appeared to truly be a dungeon.
Fear and excitement moved me down the walkway, something I couldn’t describe tugging me to a random door in the middle. I stopped, facing it.
“If you don’t want to be here, go. Run to Mother and Aunty,” Blaze snapped at his brother.
“I’m not leaving her down here with you,” Jack barked back.
The boys continued to argue behind me, but as if I were in a trance, all my attention went to the door. I lifted the handle, and the door rattled, not budging. Locked.
“Try another one,” Blaze suggested.
“No.” I shook my head. “It’s here.”
“What? What’s there? How do you know?” Blaze looked from me to the door in wonder.
“I don’t know.” I didn’t. I had no clue, but a flutter in my stomach made me determined to open it, like it was calling to me.
Blaze leaned around me, his hand on the handle, shaking the door, as though it would suddenly open for him. “It’s locked.” He shrugged, moving down to the next one.
“Let me out…” a voice snarled in my ear, making me jump and look around. The boys were busy, not reacting to the voice. “I can feel your power, little one… Release me.”
Air stuck in my throat, my stomach somersaulting. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Jack peered at me, his blue eyes trying to tear through my head.
“No-nothing.” I shook my head, looking away from him.
“Free me…” The same snarly voice coiled in my ear. The need to help it pulled me back to the door, my hand reaching out. I felt hazy. Confused. The only thing I sensed was the need to help. To do as it said.
“Yessss, little one.”
My thumb slid over the lever.
Clank!
The lock rolled over, the door squeaking as it swung open, streaming light into a pitch-black room.
“Santa’s bag!” Blaze shouted, sounding far in the distance. “How did you do that? It was locked! I tried it.”
My feet stepped forward; a buzz in my head kept everything distant and muffled.
Help…I must help.
“You are different, little one,” the voice growled into my ear. “The one who can free me.”
“Dinah!” Jack’s call for me nipped at my mind, but I felt a coil of magic tighten around me.
“They do not matter, little one. You are the special one.”
I strode deeper into the cell, the light from the passage letting my eyes adjust to the shadows. My gaze caught on an object against the wall.
A box.
Nearing it, I saw it was a present, but instead of ribbons and bows, it was wrapped in chains. A black tag was tied to the top, silver writing looping over it that read: Do not open until the 25th of never.
“Help me, little one.”
“But…” Doubt gripped my mind like it was trying to clear it.
“I am not to be feared; what locked me up should be. Let me free…”
I squatted, my fingers reaching out, running over the chains wrapped around it. They pulsed as if they were alive, moving and uncoiling like snakes at my touch.
Chains clanked to floor, slipping off the box.
“Yesssss…”
“Dinah! How did you do that? What are you doing?” Blaze’s voice buzzed behind me like an annoying fly. The confident, cocky boy was gone, his tone full of fear. “Don’t touch it!”
“Ignore him, little one. He is nothing.”
“I’m gonna go get Mother,” Blaze yelled in panic, sounding so far away.
“Little one…” The inhuman voice called for me. My fingers stretched out, reaching for the lid, energy swirling around me.
“Dinah, no!” Jack’s tried to grab my arms, pull me away, but it was too late.
I flipped open the box.
Boom!
A surge of power slammed us both back onto the floor, my head smacking the stone, bolting clarity through me, making me feel I had just woken up from a dream.
The space crackled with orbs of light, spinning around the room like when my dog got the zoomies. A deep sinking dread filled my stomach, fear prickling at my skin.
What did I do?
“Dinah!” Jack yelled my name, his hands grasping for me, trying to get me up. “Come on!” My legs shook, I stumbled getting up, falling back down. I could feel his panic as he shoved at me to get up. “Go! Go!”
“Dinah!” Blaze’s cry came from outside the door. He was waving frantically for me to move.
The orbs collided, spinning in a funnel, absorbing into a larger ball. I could feel the magic intensify, the energy crackling and popping at my eardrums like when I flew with my family to Disney World.
“Thank you, li
ttle one.” A horrendous mocking laugh crawled into my head, making me cry out.
“Come on! Hurry!” Blaze screamed.
Lurching to my feet, Jack shoved me toward his brother. “Run!”
Blaze clutched my hand, tugging me with him, my little legs barely able to keep up.
“Wait, where’s Jack?” I looked back as Blaze rushed us back toward the stairs. “We can’t leave Jack.”
“He’s right behind. Come on!” Blaze yanked harder, stomping us up the stairs.
Halfway up, a scream shredded through the walls of the fortress, walloping my chest with utter terror. The agony and pain in it burrowed into my bones, almost making me pass out. Fear. It comes in all shades and degrees.
“Jack!” I screamed back. The guttural horror I felt in every molecule of my body marked me with invisible wounds.
“Dinah!” Blaze only pulled me harder as another cry of pain and agony shrieked from the depths. The cry turned into a roar, the sound like nothing I had heard before.
Oxygen sucked out of my lungs, my heart trying to jump out of my chest.
Another eerie howl burst through the castle, sounding incredibly close behind us.
Blaze and I darted down the passages, the labyrinth twisting us up in places, the monster behind us getting closer.
“Come on! Hurry.” Blaze finally found stairs to the tower, our panicked heaving nothing more than loud squeaks. He beelined for the room with the mirror. “Go!”
“What about Jack? What about you?” Tears rolled down my face.
“I’ll be fine. Just go!” Blaze shoved me toward the mirror. I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to leave my friends. “Go!” Blaze pushed me, and I slipped into the mirror, screaming his name.
But instead of going home to safety, my worry for them turned me back around. When I popped through the mirror again, the room was empty.
“Blaze?” I whispered his name, but I knew he was gone already. I took a few steps from the mirror, wanting to peek out of the room.
A snarl vibrated from outside the door, heavy footsteps hitting the stone floor. Sucking in, I slammed against the wall next to the open door, hoping it would pass me.
Beauty In Her Madness (Winterland Tale Book 3) Page 22