by Danielle Monsch, Cate Rowan, Jennifer Lewis, Jeannie Lin, Nadia Lee, Dee Carney
“I thought it was you.”
Tarek raised his head, sweat dripping off the ends of his dark hair. “It is. But Hilde has another, because she doesn’t trust me.”
“Why?” He closed his eyes, and Snow gripped his chin. “Why, Tarek?”
“Because she knows how I feel about you.” His voice was so low she almost didn’t hear him.
“I thought—” She cleared her throat, tears she had held back for months now threatening. “I thought I lost you to her.”
“You needed to, for me to save you.”
Snow had already put her life in the hands of a group of thieves. She would trust her instinct again. “I want you to take me home.”
“Absolutely not.” The horror on his face almost swayed her.
“It is past time I stood up for myself.” She glanced over at Dak. “For my people.”
“Snow.” Tarek lifted his left hand, covering hers with the familiar, calloused fingers. “Hilde is determined to see you dead. She will not stop until that goal is accomplished.”
“Then I am fortunate. I have you to protect me.”
“Not so—fortunate.” He clenched his jaw. “I dislocated my right shoulder avoiding you.”
“We can help with that.” Dak stood behind Tarek, his sword still drawn, blood on the side of his face. “And we were already headed back to the castle—”
“No, Dak.” Snow rose and moved to him. “If there is another assassin, I will not place any of you in their path.”
“No choice, princess.” Nathan stepped next to Dak, his short staff in both hands. “Dak showed us the parchment. We recognized the writin’, even if some of us can’t read it. We understand now it was the queen forcin’ us to such desperate means to survive, and you had nothin’ to do with it.”
Tarek tensed under her hand. “What parchment?”
Before Snow could object, Dak held it out. Tarek’s curses threatened to blister her ears.
He struggled to stand; Dak and Nathan stepped in, helping him to his feet.
“Stay still, huntsman,” Dak said. “I need to repair that shoulder before we make any more plans. Jessie—come hold him for me.”
Jessie limped over, frowning at Tarek. “You sure on this, Dak? He was bent on killin’ us all.”
“My thinking is he saw us as threats to the princess.” Dak glanced over at Tarek, who nodded. “I’m willing to overlook an honest mistake.”
“Right.” Jessie stepped to Tarek’s right side. Inches taller than the six foot huntsman, he had to bend over to wrap his arms around Tarek’s waist.
“What are you—”
“I need to you relax, huntsman.” Dak closed one hand around Tarek’s wrist, running his other hand up Tarek’s arm. “This will hurt. I dislocated my shoulder as a boy, falling out of a tree.” He smiled. “A fond memory, even with the pain. I landed in front of my beautiful wife.”
Snow returned his smile, imagining a younger version of Dak, falling out of the sky. If the same happened to her as a young girl, she would have been intrigued, and smitten.
“Now,” Dak continued, his fingers gentle as they probed Tarek’s shoulder. Tarek still flinched, let out a shuddering breath. “Look at me, huntsman. Keep all your focus on me. This won’t take more than a moment. It may seem like the longest moment of your life, but once it’s over,” he rotated Tarek’s arm. Snow covered her mouth as her friend shouted with pain. “The relief is immediate.”
Dak let go of him and stepped back, gesturing for Jessie to do the same. Still cursing, Tarek grabbed his arm, the curses fading as he moved his shoulder.
“It is tender, but the burning pain is gone.” He glanced at Dak, nodding. “Thank you.”
“Dak. And the rest of my motley band of thieves, in order.” He pointed to each one, and Snow was finally able to put names with faces. “Nathan, Jessie, Mort, Alan, David, and Rory. They have been true friends, and I trust all of them with my life.” He turned to Snow and bowed deeply, the others joining him. “We would be honored to take you home, your highness.”
She stepped forward, touched each man’s shoulder, quietly bidding them to straighten. By the time she reached Dak, tears choked her voice.
“I have never been more honored, but circumstances have changed. I will not repay your kindness by placing you all in danger.”
“I’m afraid you have no choice, princess.” Dak smiled down at her. “If you don’t agree, we’ll simply follow after you.”
“Stubborn man.”
“Your father told me the same. It saved us more than once.”
Snow met his eyes, this proud, kind man, an unexpected tie to the father she lost. It would break her heart if anything happened to him.
*
“Stay sharp,” Dak said, his voice quiet. “Speak only when necessary, and as quiet as you can. The princess must be protected, at all cost.”
Snow opened her mouth to object, but Tarek shook his head. And he was right; if she didn’t survive, they had no way to stop Hilde.
The sun set, darkness shrouding the forest. But the moon was full, and helped light their way, casting long shadows on the new snow. With the sunset came the cold of a clear winter night. Even rough walking could not cut through it, and soon Snow fought to keep herself warm, constantly tripping over her dragging skirts.
Jessie, the tallest and youngest of the men, moved to her side and offered his arm. “Just until ye find yer footing, milady.” He had the accent of the far North, and an easy smile.
Snow accepted his offer, and struggled less with his assistance. She was still shivering with exhaustion when Tarek called a halt hours later.
“We can only spare a few minutes, to eat and rest.” He spared her an apologetic glance. “Once we reach the river, we can take a longer break, since we want to enter the castle while everyone is still sleeping.”
As much as she wanted to sit, Snow knew she would never get up once she did. So she stood, and wolfed down the tiny portion of stale bread and hard cheese, not caring about manners. The men ate just as fast, cleaning every crumb.
“We have food enough for one last meal,” Dak said. “I’ve saved the meat for our hike up to the castle.”
It hurt Snow to realize that her own people were starving, when the treasury was full of gold—more than enough to feed the entire kingdom, even through the harshest winter. Hilde had much to answer for. As did Snow, for allowing the people that were her responsibility to become this desperate.
Silent, they resumed their journey. When Snow stumbled for the third time in an hour, Tarek appeared beside her, and tucked her into his side. His body radiated warmth, his strong arm offering support on the uneven ground—impossible to see under the thick layer of snow.
The closer it got to the fast approaching dawn, the more quickly they moved. Snow’s self-appointed guards closed in around her, scanning their surroundings with hyper alert senses. She found herself on edge, every sound plucking at her nerves. Relief nearly buckled her knees when she heard the sound of the river.
Tarek halted them, and scouted ahead alone. Snow’s heart pounded, her fingers twisting around each other, until he returned unharmed.
“The river is clear. We’ll take our rest there, but everyone stay in sight, and keep talk to a minimum. This is our one chance to take Hilde by surprise.”
He guided Snow to the river, and settled her on a rock near the water. Her muscles clenched up, then relaxed all at once, leaving her limp and so far beyond exhausted, she could hardly remember her own name.
“I’m going to check the path ahead, make certain the entrance is still open to us. Stay close to our thieves.”
“You trust them now, don’t you?”
“They care for you, and were willing to protect you against me.”
She smiled. “Quite a feat.”
He returned the smile, cradling her cheek. It faded as he studied her, his dark eyes shrouded. “I will be back as soon as I can. I’d like to be inside the castle by
dawn.”
“Please be careful.” She laid her hand over his. “I won’t lose you now, not after all we have overcome.”
“Snow.” He looked as if he might kiss her, and her heart pounded at the thought. He leaned in—and disappointment flooded her when he pressed his lips to her forehead. As if she were a child. “I will return soon.”
She watched him stride over to Dak, speak to him before disappearing into the trees.
Dak joined her, and handed her a thick piece of the stale bread, with a slab of cold meat on top. After the last meal, it looked like a feast.
“We have our supply of water,” he said, gesturing to the river. “Nathan is refilling all our skins.” The big man appeared at the mention of his name, smiling as he handed the dripping waterskin to her. She drank deeply, more thirsty than she first thought. “Rest here, highness. We will be close by.”
Dak moved to the other men, passing out food, talking to each one. He was a natural leader. Snow tucked the information away. Once she threw Hilde off the throne, and out of her kingdom, she would need people like Dak. People she trusted.
With a tired sigh, she settled in and worked on her bread and meat, taking her time with this meal. She finished, and drank the last of her water. Still thirsty, she glanced over at the river. It was within sight of their camp, and she didn’t want to disturb the men. They all looked as exhausted as she felt when they trooped into the small clearing.
Snow pushed to her feet, and limped to the riverbank, crouching at the water’s edge. Something bobbed in the water, and bumped against her hand. She jerked away, and smiled when she recognized it. An apple. It most likely fell from one of the trees nearby.
It looked so fresh and delicious. Snow could not remember the last time she had a fresh apple. Hilde detested them, and refused to allow them in the castle. She plucked it out of the water, and sniffed it. The smell reminded her of her father, and warm days spent in the orchard.
Smiling, she raised the apple to her mouth.
*
After hours of fuming and screaming at the mirror, Hilde finally stood in front of it, the image of Snow White coming clear.
She sneered at the mirror’s excuse of an enchanted object near the brat, refusing to believe that anyone outside the castle owned such an object. Putting aside the fear for later, she focused on the mirror, and laughed in delight.
Snow White crouched on the edge of the river, the apple Hilde have given her sweet assassin in one hand. Hilde leaned forward as Snow White sniffed the apple.
“Bite it, you foolish girl,” she whispered. “Take a nice, healthy bite.”
As if the girl heard her, she bit into the apple.
Time stood still for Hilde—until Snow White let the apple fall out of her hand and clutched her throat. She fought for breath, and Hilde watched, hand fisted in triumph, as she fell into the river.
“Oh, brilliant.” If the foolish girl didn’t die from choking on the poison in the apple, she would drown. Either way, she was dead, and Hilde would finally be Queen.
*
Tarek returned to the camp, cold and tired. His scouting trip was successful, and he felt more hopeful about their chances than he had at the beginning of this journey.
He spotted Dak and the other men, huddled in a circle, finishing off a cold supper.
Snow wasn’t with them.
“Dak.” He kept his voice low, calm. “Where is the princess?”
“Over on the rock…” His voice faded when he glanced over to the rocks next to the river. They were empty. “She was just there.”
Dread clawed through Tarek.
“Fan out, find her. Quietly.”
He ran toward the rocks, and crouched next to them, searching the dirt. He found her small tracks, leading around the rocks, and headed for the river. Heart pounding, he followed her tracks. A waterskin sat at the edge of the river, and her tracks ended right next to it.
“Snow—” His voice caught in his throat when he spotted her, floating face up. The slow current had not caught her yet. A few moments longer—
He blocked the thought and shed his cloak, wading into the water. Carefully, he lifted her into his arms, cradled her cold, limp body. By the time he reached the riverbank he knew she wasn’t breathing. He lowered her to the ground and pressed his ear to her chest. She had a heartbeat. “Fight for me, Snow.”
When he straightened the men surrounded them. Dak knelt on her other side.
“Tell us what we can do.”
“Help me turn her over, and tilt her head to the side.”
Dak obeyed, fingering hair off her face before he cradled her chin. Tarek applied pressure to her lungs, forcing out any water she might have swallowed. Water trickled out of her mouth, over Dak’s hand—along with a piece of food.
Tarek gently turned her over. Her face was white, and she still wasn’t breathing. Jessie crouched, picking up the food.
“Where did she find an apple?” He sniffed it—and threw it away from him. “Poison,” he whispered, gripping Dak’s shoulder. “The apple is poisoned.”
“No.” Tarek gathered her into his arms. “No.” He failed her. In the shadow of the castle, when she was almost safe, he failed her. “Is there anything we can give her? A way to purge it?”
Both men stared at him, and Dak finally shook his head.
Tarek looked down at the beautiful, beloved face. Her clear blue eyes stared at him, unseeing. With shaky fingers, he brushed hair off her cheek, and leaned in, whispering against her lips.
“I love you, my princess. Now and always.”
He kissed her, pouring all the love he felt into that kiss, tasting the sweet poison on her lips.
“Tarek, no—” Dak caught his shoulder, but it was too late. Numbness already started to flow through him. “Jessie, help me.”
Strong hands eased him to the ground, next to Snow. He managed to turn his head before his body froze, her face forever burned into his fading memory.
*
Snow gasped, jerking off the ground.
She screamed when hands grabbed her.
“Snow—focus on me, now.”
“Dak?” She blinked, her vision slowly clearing. Dak crouched in front of her, Jessie next to him, leaning over—no… “Tarek?”
He lay on the ground, his eyes open, unblinking. She crawled over to him, cradled his cheek. She knew he would be able to hear her, behind the clear wall that separated him, held him prisoner in his own body. Just as she heard him.
“I love you, my huntsman. Hold on for me. I am going to save you.” Snow kissed his forehead, blinked back the tears filling her eyes. “Hilde will not win. Not this time.” She sandwiched his still warm, calloused hand, and fought for her composure.
“It was supposed to be a surprise.” The high-pitched voice had both men pulling weapons. Snow stood, and stepped in front of them when she saw the small figure pressed against one of the trees near the riverbank.
“Lily—what are you doing here?” The girl crept forward, hands twisted in her wool cloak. Snow recognized her, from the long afternoons she spent hiding in the kitchens. As the cook’s daughter, the kitchen was Lily’s playground, and she filled her days exploring the wide space, or helping her mother with a simple dish.
“I waited and waited for you, like she told me to. You were so sad, so lonely. She showed me in the pretty mirror.” Lily frowned at Tarek. “He left you, all alone. She told me you like apples, so I waited and waited, to give you a surprise. But all the strangers scared me, so I left the apple near the water. Is the huntsman sleeping? I saw him with you in the river. It must have tired him, he looks so peaceful, and I don’t—I don’t feel so good—”
Jessie caught her as she toppled forward, carried her limp body over to them. “What’s she doing out here by herself? The little thing can’t be more’n—”
“Ten,” Snow said, joining him. “Look for an amulet, around her neck, or in a pocket.” The “she” that Lily referred to had to
be Hilde. The thought of this sweet child being used in such a way sickened her. “Hilde would use it to control her.”
Jessie stared at her. “Control a wee girl? What kind of monster—”
“The kind who covets the throne, whatever the cost.” Snow swallowed, and pushed to her feet. “Jessie, can you stay here, watch over Tarek for me? I think Lily should stay as well.”
He nodded, handing her a small, silver charm, shaped like an apple. Snow dropped it to the ground, pulled the knife from Tarek’s belt, and smashed it with the hilt.
Sparks flew, and a wisp of green smoke floated up from the ruined charm. Snow crabbed backward, holding her breath. Dak and Jessie didn’t need to be told to do the same. Dak took one more precaution and threw a handful of water on the charm. He helped Snow to her feet, and bowed low.
“It will be my honor, and that of my men, to join you in defeating Hilde.”
“Thank you, Dak.” Fear clawed at her. Hilde tried to kill her, using an innocent. How was she supposed to defeat such evil? One of Lily’s comments snagged at her. The mirror. Could that be the source of her power? Hilde was no witch, but Snow knew she came from a kingdom where small powers were common, along with enchanted objects. She looked at the club tucked into Dak’s belt. “We may be needing that before the night is done.”
He pulled it free, and the burnished wood gleamed in the early morning light reflecting off the river. “It is at your command.”
She knelt beside Tarek, memorizing his face, touching his cool cheek. They were running out of time. “Fight her, Tarek. Fight with all that you are.” Sheathing the knife, she removed the leather scabbard from his belt and stood. “Thank you, for standing with me.”
“Here.” He slipped off his furs, then his heavy linen shirt. “This will keep you warmer than a sodden velvet gown.”
Snow took the shirt, and moved behind the nearest tree. She unlaced the front of the bodice and tugged at the soaked layers until they draped the ground, happy to be free of the weight. Her chemise was merely damp, protected by the thick velvet and underskirts, so she left it on, and pulled the linen shirt over it.