Silver Frost (Bitter Frost #3 of The Frost Series)

by Kailin Gow

  My eyes were drawn to it instantly. “What is this?” I asked.

  “It's the source of immortality,” said Kian. “The rarest of all the Winter Fairies' gems. Its power lies in its ability to grant its bearer the immortality – to live forever. Each snowflake, like each person, is unique: there is only one of these in the world.” He held it up. “I want you to have it. To become immortal – as my wife.”

  “Is this the source of your immortality?” I asked.

  “No – we fairy princes have it already. We too will live forever – provided we are not killed in battle. The immortality in this crystal is magical in a different way. It means nothing can harm you. It keeps me safe – but it would keep you alive forever.”

  Alive forever? The idea was overwhelming to me. Moments before, I had been in love with Logan – and although I knew now it was a spell – it didn't feel any less real to me. I still loved Logan, his eyes, his warmth. And as much as I loved Kian, making the choice to be with him forever – forever – felt overwhelming.

  “Do you choose me, Breena?” he was asking. “Do you choose me as I have chosen you?”

  I wanted to say yes – I wanted to run into his arms and accept. But something – the memory of Logan's face, my own fear, the sense of confusion still strong within my body – kept me from saying yes. I could only stare at Kian silently, tears running down my cheeks.

  “I see,” he said quietly. He threw the crystal snowflake on the bed, his face hot with anger. “I thought the crystal would protect me from all things,” he said. “Apparently not this.”

  Before I could protest, he had left the room.

  Chapter 20

  I followed Kian into the corridor, hoping to catch him, but was too late. By the time I caught up with him, we were in the Great Hall once more, and the Banquet was in full swing. Fairies in silver and gold robes chatted together, danced together, ate together, and I had lost Kian in the crowd. Immediately I was mobbed by hundreds of Court fairies wishing to talk to me, gossip with me, or curry my favor. The signing was to occur at midnight, in only a few moment's time. I would have to talk to Kian later on; it was time to focus.

  Suddenly, I spotted one of the fairy knights I knew from Logan's retinue, a guard called Whiteflame. He strode up to me and tapped me on the shoulder.

  “May I speak to you a moment?” he whispered. Urgency shook his voice.

  “Of course!” I gave a polite smile to the Duchess of Ice City and allowed Whiteflame to lead me to the side of the room.

  “We have an emergency,” Whiteflame growled. “Wort has escaped. There was a rebel group of some Summer knights who broke him out – they killed all the guards. I was the only one to escape.” He was out of breath. “I think they plan to siege the castle – tonight!”

  I gasped. It was obvious what Wort was planning. A siege on Winter and Summer together – at their most vulnerable – would shatter any hopes for peace. His spell had affected my judgment – as Kian had said – I'd been so distracted by my enchanted feelings for Logan I hadn't even worried that Wort might have more supporters in the Court.

  “Get all the security in here you can!” I said, as an array of loyal Summer knights began to circle around me, ready for actions. “The guests will have to fight.”

  What could I say to them? If I told the Winter Court we had an uprising, that I'd lost control of my own kingdom, nobody would believe me – they'd think it was a set-up, a chance to slaughter all of their number in one place. We couldn't have played into Wort's plans any better than if he'd planned it – or had he?

  We heard the sounds of commotion from outside the Great Hall – the footsteps of knights, the clanking of chain mail. “Bolt the door!” I cried, and two Summer knights rushed to do my bidding.

  “What's going on?” Logan came up behind me, kissing my shoulder. I whirled around to face him. My passion for him was gone – but I could not forget the nights we'd spent together; it was clear from his expression that his love for me was unchanged. How could I hurt him, tell him it was only a spell? I loved him still, but not with the blinding crazy love I had for him for the last three weeks.

  I took Logan's hand, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Kian glowering at us, rage and jealousy on his face. “There's a situation,” I whispered. “Wort's escaped – he and his men plan to besiege the castle – now! Slaughter the Winter fairies – perhaps us, too!”

  Suddenly, Rodney rushed to my side, breathless. “They've killed all the guards!” he said. “We need to get ready to fight – now!”

  I needed to find Kian. He loved me – he would trust me! He'd asked me to marry him moments before; he, of everyone, would believe it wasn't a set-up, would know what to do.

  I dashed across the hall to where Kian stood against a pillar, staring at me, waiting for me, a look I’ve never seen in his eyes. Wicked anger and hate even.

  I turned to Kian, willing him to listen, trying to open our old channels of telepathy. Kian – there's a problem – Wort's escaped – he's coming with his guards to fight us – I need your help! Please! I sent all my love, my pain, my fear into the message, willing him to understand, to believe me. But his face remained un-moved, stone still. He stared at me only with blank, cold anger: no trace of love. Where was my Prince?

  Chapter 21

  Suddenly, the doors burst open, and we were swarmed by what must have been fifty soldiers.

  “Oh no,” Rodney said, and in a moment I too realized why he was panicking. The soldiers were dressed just like Summer Knights, in the traditional yellow robes of court. There was no way of telling which were loyal Summer Knights, and which were enemies.

  The Winter fairies had all risen at once – those few who had been permitted to keep their swords on them reaching for them instantly. They stared at the Summer Fairies with something between disbelief, shock, and betrayal.

  Wort had outsmarted us again – if any Winter fairies did survive the massacre, they would believe that it was the Summer Court behind the whole thing. And even if his few Summer soldiers died in battle, the Winter fairies would keep fighting until all of my loyal men were killed, too. My heart broke with the realization, this was going to be a massacre.

  I could see the Winter Queen's face – staring at me with quiet, steely disappointment – as she reached for her sword, ready to begin the fight anew. Shasta had unleashed her sword, and was already running through Summer Knights.

  “No!” I gasped, as her sword cut through Redrain, a Summer Knight I knew to be one of the most loyal in Logan's retinue. But it was too late. Once more, all Summer Knights were Shasta's enemy; the cease-fire would never be signed.

  Shasta looked at me with pure hate in her eyes. I had not only betrayed her brother, but the entire Winter Kingdom. How could she have ever thought I was a friend? Rodney rushed over to her, trying to explain what had happened, trying to explain to Shasta and the Winter Queen. With a blow from the blunt of her own sword’s handle, Shasta knocked Rodney down.

  Rodney’s face was in disbelief. Shasta had tears in her eyes as she shouted. “Mother was right. Winter and Summer cannot be! We trusted you and Breena, but it looks like we fell into Summer’s treacherous hands…”

  Rodney got up, wanting to approach Shasta, but she brandished her sword menacingly. “Shasta, my love, my darling…that is not true at all.” Shasta thrust her sword toward Rodney, and he jumped out of her way just in time.

  “No!” I shouted, unable to believe Shasta would actually try to harm Rodney. All around me, there was chaos and bloodshed. I had to gain control. I had to find out who were Wort’s men in disguise as Summer Knights, and who were my own loyal knights. Rodney was preoccupied with Shasta, trying to persuade her to our side, telling her, it was not my doing.

  The Winter Queen stood back, a gleaming silver blue sword in her hand. She looked from Rodney to Shasta and then to me. She turned to me, taking long strides toward me, her hand firmly clutching her sword. For a second, she reminded me of Kian, th
e first time I saw him, determined, cold, and beautiful. I was fully the enemy.

  Then the door opened, and in rushed Logan with some men I recognized. Men from the Wolf Fey…Logan’s clan. “Breena!” he shouted, fighting his way over to me. Anyone who was a loyal Summer Knight would not attack him so he knew who to fight off. He saw the look of the Winter Queen and how she was headed towards me with her sword. “Stop, Winter Queen!” he roared, his voice sounding loud and clear above the battle cries and shouting. “This is not Breena’s doing. We have Pixies glamouring as Summer Knights amongst us. Pixies, who is the enemy of Winter and Summer!”

  The Winter Queen stopped in her steps and looked around. Logan stood tall and broad-shouldered like the wolf warrior that he was. His face open and earnest, trustworthy. Although he and I were engaged, werewolves in Feyland held no allegiance to the Summer or Winter Court. The Werewolf Fey had their own sovereignty like the Pixies. They stood out from the elegant Winter and Summer fairies with their broader build, more animalistic nature, and general easy-going nature. The Werewolf Fey were peaceful creatures who went back and forth between lands, between kingdoms.

  “Tell me, Wolf,” the Winter Queen said. “How are we to tell who is a glamoured Pixie and who isn’t, were I to believe you?”

  “Simple,” Logan said, grabbing a Summer Knight near him. He took a whiff. “Pixies smell different.” He threw the Summer Knight to the ground and brought his boots down to the knight’s face, while holding the point of his sword to his neck. “Pixies smell like rotting flesh.” At that, he grounded his boots hard against the man’s face. “Change back to your ugly self before I change your face for you,” Logan said.

  The man gave Logan a sheer look of contempt before his face morphed into a face of uneven proportions – small squinty eyes, large crooked nose, thin lips with jagged teeth. It was the face of a Pixie.

  I let out a breath of relief. Logan had his eyes on the Pixie, but he looked up quickly to meet my eyes. I nodded to let him know I understood what he was doing. With a gesture, the werewolves from his clan spread out going from Summer Knight to Summer Knight, their nose leading the way to a Pixie in disguise. As I watch Logan lead, my heart swelled with pride at how he confidently led the wolves around the room. There was fighting and resistance whenever a Pixie was discovered, but now that there was a way to identify them, the room became less chaotic. Order was being restored, and soon the Winter Queen and her party were looking around, no longer with anger in their eyes at me and my loyal Summer Knights.

  Logan was making his way over to me. I was so relieved to see him at last that I did not realize I had opened my arms to him. He had a determined murderous look in his eyes, though, which I did not understand. Something was wrong.

  Epilogue

  I turned my head to see what Logan was staring at with such anger and wariness. Before I could see, I felt a pair of strong hands grab me, hands I knew all too well. Minutes before, Kian had been caressing me, stroking my hair, but now he was rough, violent, as he grabbed me by the hair and threw me to the ground, bruising me against the hard, sharp stone.

  “Wait, Kian!”

  But my cry was cut short, as I tasted blood in my mouth. I looked down in shock as the pain began to throb and overtake me. There, buried deep within my chest, was the dagger Kian had shown me the first time we met, with its Winter-carvings on the handle, stained with red blood.

  “Kian...” I spluttered, as he stood over me, his face still stone-still, devoid of any expression.

  So my dreams had come true, after all. I would be killed by the Winter Prince.

  That was the last thing I thought, as my thoughts spun in circles, and then into darkness.

  ***********************************

  Breena, Kian, and Logan’s story continues in

  Book 4 of The Frost Series

  Frost Kisses

  March 2011

  Excerpt from

  Wicked Woods

  Book 1

  kailin gow

  Prologue

  Briony Patterson was in bed, unable to sleep, fearing that simply closing her eyes would bring forth the monsters she thought lived in the dark. Except for the full moon shining through the window of her room, it was dark. Very dark. So dark Briony could barely see her fingers in front of her. Scary things happen in the dark. Bad things happen in the dark. As far as Briony could see, there was a lot of darkness in front of her, laid out in acres over acres of woodland.

  Briony could not close her eyes into blissful sleep, for this was the same house her parents and little brother had stayed in before they vanished forever, leaving her an orphan, leaving her alone, except for Aunt Sophie, who owned this little bed and breakfast at the edge of the Wicked Woods.

  Briony turned, trying to make herself more comfortable in the rickety antique bed. It was the wrong bed. Briony’s bed was small, and comfortable, and hundreds of miles away. The Edge Inn was nice enough, but Briony still couldn’t think of it as her room. Thinking that would be like admitting that she would never be going back, that her parents and little brother weren’t waiting for her in her real home. Of course, they weren’t, but that only made it worse.

  This wasn’t home, this old-fashioned little place in the town of Wicked, Massachusetts, even though her aunt was working hard to make it feel that way. It was too antiquated, with its exposed beams and its leaded windows, too isolated, and above all too different feeling. Had her brother had this room? No wonder Briony couldn’t get to sleep.

  She closed her eyes for a second. It was still hard to believe her entire family was gone. Missing. Vanished. Into the woods, never to be found…into the very woods staring at her right outside the windows of this seemingly cozy little guest room.

  Although Aunt Sophie was kind enough to take her in after her parents and little brother’s disappearance, Briony knew Aunt Sophie didn’t want her here to complicate her life. Aunt Sophie lost Uncle Pete in the same excursion into the woods that took away Briony’s family. The last thing Aunt Sophie wanted in her life was probably a teenager.

  But Aunt Sophie was the only family she had now, and Briony was Aunt Sophie’s. Briony didn’t want to be here, away from her home in Florida, away from her friends, away from the life she once had. Briony took a deep breath. Adjusting to this new life would be hard. She missed her old life, she missed her parents, and even her irritating little brother Jake, but it sure beat being homeless. She experienced being that for about one week after her family’s disappearance, and her house was sold to pay bills she didn’t know about. Briony found herself without a home for nearly a week, staying with friends, then a shelter…until Aunt Sophie could claim her as her legal relative and move her over to Wicked. Somehow, there was a paperwork mixed up, which Briony couldn’t understand. Great Aunt Sophie and Uncle Pete had always been part of her family, but Briony had never understood her mother’s connection with Aunt Sophie, besides Aunt Sophie being a distant relative.

  Briony got up and went over to the full-length mirror in one corner. Her honey blonde hair was a mess from all the tossing and turning she had been doing, trying to get to sleep. Her blue eyes were just starting to take on that hollow look that came when you went without sleep too long, making her normally pretty features look older than their sixteen years.

  Outside the window, something howled. Briony was used to Florida, where the only sounds at night were of cars, and horns and occasional sirens. Now though, she found herself living next to about a thousand acres of woodland, complete with mysterious howling creatures. She didn’t even know if what was out there was a stray dog or a wolf deeper in the forest.

  Briony moved over to the window, staring through the diamond pattern of the glass at the world outside. Even with the moon out, there wasn’t much to see here on the very edge of town. It was so much darker out here at night than in the cities she was used to. It took some getting used to.

  She should have been getting used to it last month, when her famil
y came up to stay with Great Aunt Sophie and Uncle Pete. It hadn’t sounded like much fun, even then. Slogging around in the wilderness wasn’t really for her. Thankfully, Briony’s parents had agreed, and she had gone off to cheerleading camp instead. That had been so much better, right up to the point when the phone call came through to tell her that her mother, father, brother and uncle were gone, just like that.

  Something moved in the darkness, out beyond the window. Briony forced herself not to jump. It was probably just a small animal or something. Except that when it came again, Briony couldn’t see anything. Instead, all she could see were shadows, shifting as a deeper darkness on the edge of the trees around the inn. Oh yes, the Edge Inn, run on the edge of the forest by Sophie Edge and her husband. That seemed so funny now that there were things out there, didn’t it?

  Wrapping a thick robe over her nightclothes, Briony set off downstairs, knowing that there was no way that she would sleep yet. She had only gone to bed because Aunt Sophie had suggested that it might be good to get an early night, what with starting at Wicked’s High School tomorrow. Well, that and she suspected that her great aunt probably needed some time alone. It couldn’t be easy trying to be strong for Briony when Aunt Sophie had her own grief to deal with over the loss of Uncle Pete. Briony knew that her aunt would never show any hint of it around her, because that wasn’t the kind of thing Aunt Sophie did.