by Jane Godman
* * *
Torque woke early. Easing carefully away from Hollie’s sleeping form, he pulled on his clothes and slipped quietly from the room. When he stepped outside the building into the chilly morning air, he wasn’t surprised to see Alban waiting for him. They walked in silence along a road that led them out of the town.
Alban spoke first. “There is no getting away from it.”
“No.” Torque gazed up at the mountain peaks.
“She is the only one who will know for sure if Teine is alive.”
“Yes.” The snow-covered mountains stood out against the gray skies. Càrn Eighe couldn’t be seen from where they were, but he could feel its presence. “She doesn’t welcome visitors.”
Alban snorted. “That’s an understatement.”
Torque sighed, digging his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. “I suppose there’s no other way?” Even as he asked the question, he knew the answer.
For thousands of years, Teine and her twin sister, Deigh, had ruled over the Highlands. Teine was the Scots Gaelic word for fire and Deigh meant ice. The two sisters lived up to their names. Teine ruled over a kingdom of heat and fury. Deigh was icy and unmoving. Unlike most twins, they had no love for each other. Even so, Alban was right. Deigh might be able to tell them what was going on with Teine. Most important of all, she would be able to discover where her sister was. If she chose to cooperate. Where Deigh was concerned, if was a very big word.
“You made this journey,” Alban said. “Do you want to leave wondering, or knowing?”
Torque nodded. Alban was right. He and Hollie had to leave that night. He wouldn’t get another chance like this until after the tour was over. If they didn’t approach Deigh now, he would be left in a constant state of speculation about what she knew. Even worse than that, if there were more fires—and more deaths—he would question whether he could have prevented them by speaking to her.
“Okay. Food first, crazy ice woman later. There’s only so much insanity a man can take before breakfast.”
They retraced their steps, pausing on an incline to watch the city as it came to life.
“So... Hollie?” Alban’s face was turned away, his voice expressing mild interest. Torque wasn’t fooled. They had been born from the same fire. Teine might have turned them against each other once, but the bonds that existed between them had been reestablished when she imprisoned them both and destroyed their families. Even though they were from different clans, they were as close as brothers.
Alban didn’t have to tell Torque what it would mean if he fell in love with a human. A human life span was the blink of an eye to an immortal dragon-shifter. If he was foolish enough to fall for a mortal...well, he would be storing up a pain-filled future for himself.
“Yes?” There was no fire in the word. Alban could see through him. He would have been aware of Torque’s feelings as soon as he first saw him with Hollie.
“We are the last of our kind. I wish with all my heart that wasn’t so.” When Alban turned to look at him, his expression was anguished. “We will never find one of our own kind, you and I. Teine saw to that. I can see you love Hollie, and I wish I could shake your hand and wish you well. But I have to say this.”
“No.” Torque’s throat tightened painfully, so the word came out as a croak. “No, you don’t. I already know.”
Alban’s hand on his shoulder felt like the heaviest weight in the world. “The Fates are supposed to guard against a dragon and a mortal falling in love. When it happens for other shifters, they can choose the difficult step of converting their mate with a bite. We don’t even have that.”
“Yeah. The Fates don’t let that sort of screwed-up madness happen. Do they?” Torque asked. “Except it has happened. And I can’t undo it. I can’t make these feelings go away.” They had reached Kirsty’s place and he looked up at the window of the room where he had left Hollie sleeping. “I don’t want to.”
“Then, when this madness is over, you, my friend, must find another way,” Alban said.
“You think there is one?” Torque was aware that he was clutching at possibilities...or maybe impossibilities.
“I don’t know.” Keeping his hand on Torque’s shoulder, Alban guided him inside the restaurant, where the aroma of bacon and coffee greeted them. “But there is someone who will have the answers you seek.”
Torque frowned, trying to follow what he meant. After a few moments, realization hit him. Of course. There was one person who was a walking reference book about shifters.
“Ged.” Torque said his friend’s name like it was a revelation. “What he doesn’t know about our history and legends isn’t worth knowing.”
“Will you tell Hollie about you and Deigh?” Alban’s voice acted like a bucket of cold water extinguishing the tiny flicker of hope he had just glimpsed.
Torque thought about it. Would he explain to Hollie that he had once been stupid enough to get involved with the frosty sorceress? It had lasted about as long as it took him to realize that, although she wasn’t as demented as her fiery sister, Deigh had a block of ice in place of a heart. He had no reason not to tell Hollie; it was just where to start. Of all the stupid things I’ve done in my life...
With perfect, or perhaps imperfect, timing, Hollie appeared in the doorway, cutting short any further conversation on the subject. Torque’s heart flipped over at the sight of her. There had to be a way for them to make this work. He couldn’t feel this way only to let her go. As she took a seat next to him, he turned that thought into a vow. He would find a way.
* * *
Càrn Eighe wasn’t a difficult climb, but Torque and Hollie didn’t have much time. They had to get back to Dallas in time to rejoin Beast for the next concert.
“One last flight?” he asked Alban.
“No.” Alban shook his head. “One more flight.”
“You’re right.” Torque nodded. “I haven’t come back only to stay away for good. We will fly together again. Many times.”
He and Alban had engaged in a lengthy discussion about whether Hollie should go with them. Torque explained to her that the mountain was popular with walkers and climbers, but they weren’t taking any of the traditional routes. Once they reached the summit, they would be stepping into a mystical realm, one known only to those who were not mortal. Beyond the physical peak, the temperatures plummeted and the world became a hostile, icy kingdom ruled over by a ruthless sorceress. Torque hadn’t been sure he wanted to expose Hollie to either the weather conditions...or to Deigh.
Hollie was not about to be sidelined by a pair of alpha-male dragons who thought they knew best. She had listened to their arguments, then faced Torque with a stubborn expression. “I’m coming with you.”
“Deigh isn’t Teine, but she can be vicious.”
“You’ve seen me before I’ve had my morning coffee. I can match any evil sorceress.” Hollie slid her arms around his waist. “This is my investigation, Torque. Okay, it’s taking some unexpected turns, but you can’t shut me out of it.”
“Okay. But you do as I say.”
She opened her mouth to protest and he silenced her with a finger on her lips. “This is not about me being an arrogant dragon-shifter, Hollie. This is about facing a devious magician who will target you because you don’t have the same powers she does. Together, Alban and I can protect you from Deigh. We were defeated by Teine because she caught us unawares. I will never let that happen again. But you have to trust me to know how to handle this.”
“I do. I trust you completely.” She grinned at him. “I was going to ask if we have time to buy some warmer clothes before we set off.”
He laughed. “We’re in Scotland. The stores are full of warmer clothes.”
They went to one of the larger chains that catered to hikers and walkers. When they set off toward Càrn Eighe, Hollie wore thermal undergarments ben
eath her jeans and a sweater with waterproof outerwear over the top. Sturdy boots and thick gloves completed the look. Her movements felt slightly clumsy, but at least she was warm.
Once they reached the lower slopes of the mountain, the two men found an isolated place and prepared to shift.
“Shifting and flying in daylight is always risky, but at least we are in a remote part of the world and our camouflage hides us once we take to the skies,” Torque explained.
When they had removed their clothing, Hollie placed it in her backpack, since they would need it again once they shifted back on the mountaintop. She took a moment to consider how her day was going. She was halfway across the world from her home. No one from her former life knew where she was. The two naked men standing before her were about to transform themselves into dragons. She had been in some unusual situations as a fire investigator, but no one could call this an average working day.
When Torque and Alban had shifted, they unfurled their giant wings. Both dragons were a similar size, but Torque was more muscular. Alban’s scales were darker and more silvery than Torque’s and his eyes retained some of their blue sheen.
Torque crouched low so Hollie could climb onto his back, and once she was in place, he broke into a run and immediately took flight. Alban was right behind him. It was easier for Hollie to see how the dragons blended into their environment now that she could watch Alban. As he soared high, his scales changed to match the murky gray of the low cloud, but when he swooped lower, he became part of the brown and black of the mountainside.
The mountaintop was a horseshoe ridge, and the dragons followed its edge, dipping low into a snowy basin. Hollie gasped in surprise as they almost immediately left the bleak Highland scene behind and entered a whole new world. This was a land blanketed in ice and snow, a wonderland of white where even the air glistened and the icy gale cut through Hollie’s warm clothing as if it wasn’t there.
Torque and Alban landed on a snowy plateau and Hollie was shivering by the time they had shifted and quickly dressed.
“There.” Torque placed an arm around her shoulders and indicated a point just above them. Although it was difficult to see through the swirling snow, she could just make out the outline of a building.
As they moved forward, ice cracked beneath her feet and her breath frosted the air. The snow began falling more heavily and the wind howled out in fury.
“Is the weather getting worse because of us?” Hollie had to shout to be heard.
“Yes,” Torque yelled back at her.
It was almost impossible to keep going. The world had become a swirling mass of screaming white. Hollie raised a gloved hand to shield her eyes, but it had no effect against the onslaught. The wind was razor-sharp on her face, and the snow blinded her. All she could do was to bow her head until her chin was touching her chest and try to stay upright. Her feet were starting to freeze as they sank into the drifts with each stride, slowing her almost to a standstill.
Torque placed an arm around her waist, keeping her tight against his side and using his own strength to propel her forward with him. It helped, but it still felt like the weather was going to win the fight.
A high-pitched screech, like ice scraping over rock, claimed her attention. Without warning, the gusts died away and every snowflake hung in the air in perfect, frozen stillness. As her vision cleared, Hollie saw they were only a few feet from the building. With gleaming towers and turrets, it looked like a palace carved from ice.
The sound she had heard was a giant door opening. Pressing closer to Torque, she watched as it was pushed wider, shards of ice cracking and shattering all around it as it moved. When the opening was wide enough, a woman stepped into view.
“I do not wish for visitors.” Everything about her was white. From her ivory skin, to her silver hair, and her flowing, misty robes. The only hint of color was in her light blue eyes.
“We dinnae come expecting a dram and a tattie scone,” Alban said. “Although, if you’re offering...”
Ignoring him, the woman turned her attention to Torque. Her expression didn’t change, but the ice in the air glimmered brighter. “Cumhachdach.”
“Deigh.” He bowed his head. “We come in peace.”
“Mine is a land of ice.” She swept a hand around her, and fresh snow fell in a shimmering arc. “There is no place here for fire-breathers. You mistake me for my sister.” She turned to go back inside.
“Wait.” Torque spoke urgently and Deigh paused. “How can we mistake you for Teine? She is dead.”
A slight smile touched her colorless lips. “Of course. How foolish of me to forget.”
Torque took a step forward. “Deigh, you have no more love for Teine than we do. If she is alive, you can help us by sharing what you know.”
Hollie watched the sorceress in fascination. She was like a china doll, beautiful, but unblinking. It was almost as if her thought processes had been slowed down by the cold.
After a few minutes, Deigh sighed. “You should come inside.” For the first time, her eyes flitted over to Hollie. “Humans don’t last long in the cold.”
“It doesn’t look much warmer inside,” Hollie whispered as they approached the building.
“Stay close to me. I’ll give off enough heat for both of us.” Torque kept his own voice low.
The interior of the palace was jaw-dropping. Everything about it was elegant and fit for a fairy princess...except it was all carved from ice. Hollie was reminded of movies she had watched and fairy tales she had read as a child. This was the enchanted castle that existed in the frozen wastelands. This was the place the characters sang about.
Except the reality was she couldn’t feel her feet and she didn’t like the way Deigh was looking at Torque. It was like she had been waiting her whole life for a dragon-shifter to adorn her home. Hollie cast a sidelong glance in Torque’s direction. Could he feel it? Did he know Teine wasn’t the only sorceress who had a massive crush on him? It was a reminder of the chasm that existed between them. All those centuries of his life about which Hollie knew nothing.
“Is that why you came here after all this time? To ask me if Teine is still alive?” There was no escaping the look in Deigh’s eyes as she fixed her gaze on Torque’s face. It was raw longing. “No other reason?”
Hollie felt almost embarrassed for her. For an instant, she was gripped by an insane desire to tell Deigh to have a little dignity. Don’t make it so obvious. Try for a little subtlety. It was probably a bad idea to offer relationship advice to a magical being on account of that whole possibility of violent death thing. Plus, he’s my dragon-shifter.
“Deigh, I have to leave Scotland soon. People are dying. I need to know if there is a chance Teine survived.” Torque’s manner reminded Hollie of an adult talking to a child. Patient, but firm.
Deigh laughed and the sound made Hollie think of ice tinkling in a glass. “Anything is possible.”
“There is a problem within the Highland paranormal community,” Alban said. “We seem to be under a spell that leaves us unable to sleep. Do you know anything about that?”
With an obvious effort, Deigh dragged her gaze away from Torque and turned to Alban. “The spell is Teine’s.”
“That was what I thought,” Torque said. “But if she cast it, where is she? Teine enjoys watching her victims suffer.”
For the first time, Deigh really smiled and Hollie glimpsed how stunning she could be if she let the icy persona drop. “Don’t we all?”
“Is she alive, Deigh?” Torque seemed to be losing patience.
Her eyes rested on Hollie’s face. For an instant, something flickered in their depths, rocking Hollie backward. Despite the subzero temperatures, the ice sorceress had scorched her. Before they settled back into a neutral expression, pure venom was overlaid on the porcelain features.
“She may be.”
“How do you know?” Torque asked.
“You came onto my mountain uninvited. You asked me a question. I answered it. You don’t get to demand proof.”
Hollie could sense Torque battling to maintain control of his temper. “It would help us if we knew how she survived and where she is now,” she explained.
There it was again. That flash of otherness as Deigh looked her way. But she was at the top of the sorcery hierarchy. It was hardly surprising that she gave off unexpected vibes. “I don’t deal with mortals.”
“Just tell us, Deigh.” Torque spoke through gritted teeth.
“It’s a twin thing.” The sorceress lifted one slender shoulder. “As for where she is...” The pause went on a little too long. There was the hint of a sly smile. You know, but you’re not telling. “We were never that close.”
“Well, that was helpful,” Alban said. “I don’t suppose you know a way to counteract the insomnia spell?”
She cast a look of dislike in his direction. “Tell your witch friend to make an infusion from the leaves of lavender and chamomile. It must be used when the moon is full and the songbirds are silent. Do not drink the liquid. Inhale the steam through the fronds of a fresh young fern. Once you remember how to sleep, the spell will be broken.” The air around Deigh glittered brighter as her mood changed and she took a half step toward Torque. “Are you back for good? As you know, there are circumstances that can tempt me down from my mountain.”
There are? Hollie cast a sidelong glance in Torque’s direction, but his expression was closed.
“No.” He took Hollie’s hand. “We have to leave.” If looks could kill, Hollie would be dead on the spot with a shard of ice through her heart. “Thank you for your help.”
Hollie was inclined to agree with Alban. Apart from a grudging suggestion of how to break the insomnia spell, she couldn’t see that Deigh had been of any use. A vague hint that Teine might be alive? It didn’t move their investigation on a single step.