Marked (The Coldest Fae Book 3) by Katerina Martinez (novel24 .txt) 📗

proud of what you’ve become. Thanks to me, of course.”

I grinned at her. “Of course. Where would I be without you?”

“Freezing to death somewhere, most likely.”

“Not already dead?”

“No. I don’t think Arcadia would’ve killed you so quickly. You’re resilient, and resourceful… if a little undisciplined.”

“If I’m undisciplined, that’s your fault.”

“Absolutely not. There are some habits not even I could make you unlearn.”

“I wonder where my custodian is,” Melina said, running a hand through her thick, turquoise hair. “She and I didn’t really get along very well.”

“Why’s that?” I asked, turning to look at her.

Melina shrugged. “Cultural differences.”

“Cultural…? Mira and I were from different worlds. What cultural differences could you have had with another winter fae?”

“You think just because we’re from the same court, we’re all the same? That’s like me assuming all humans are like you.”

“I didn’t mean to imply you were the same, I guess I just don’t know enough about your people.”

Melina nodded. “Well, besides the class divide, there’s also the north and south divide, a spiritual divide, breeding… there’s more to the fae than what court we come from.”

“So, what was the problem with you and your custodian?”

“This was a class thing. She came from a rich family down in Lysa and she wasn’t happy she’d been paired with little old poor me.”

“Sounds like our pairing,” I said to Mira.

“Ours was different,” she said, “You’re human, not poor. That’s worse… but also, I suppose, more entertaining.”

A moment of silence fell where the only sounds for miles were Ollie’s hooves crunching on the snow, the roll of the wheels, and the occasional hoot of an owl. It was so quiet here. It had been like this for days. Our carriage ate the snow and spat out dark tracks that were probably easy to follow. So far, though, no one had come looking for us.

“We need a fifth,” Gullie said.

“Fifth?” I asked.

“There’s four of us, right? All girls.”

“Yes…”

“Right, so, I’m Ginger Spice, Mira is Posh Spice, Mel is Sporty Spice, you’re obviously Baby Spice. We need a Scary Spice.”

“Did you just rank us as Spice Girls?”

“Sure.”

“And why are you Ginger?”

“Because I’m the likeable one. Also—” Gullie shook her hair out and made it turn a deep auburn. “—See? Ginger.”

Another pause.

“What’s a… Spice Girl?” Mira asked.

“And did you just give me a nickname?” Melina added.

“Yeah, like it?” Gullie asked.

“Mel… I do like it. I never thought I’d see the day when a pixie would give me a nickname.”

“Strange times, huh?”

A shiver worked through me, making my back stiffen and my skin prickle. I hugged the furry cloaks a little more closely around my chest. “It’ll be dark soon,” I said. “How long until we reach the moon children?”

“Good question,” Mel said. “Unfortunately, it’s one of those, you don’t find them, they find you types of situations.”

“Are we at least in the right forest?”

“I hope so. I think so. I’ve never met one.”

“So, you don’t know?” Mira asked.

“Not really. They’re a pretty secretive people—for obvious reasons.”

“Which are?” I asked.

“They’re the only fae who haven’t pledged their loyalty to the crown. They never have, despite numerous attempts at invading their holdings and putting them under their thumb, the armies of the winter court never could make them kneel, so an agreement was struck. They could keep their lands if they never came out of their forests and kept themselves out of our affairs.”

“Sounds to me like a bully getting smacked down by a stronger opponent and trying to save face by saying, alright, fine, I didn’t want to beat you up anyway.”

“That’s exactly what it’s like.”

“And why do you think they can help me?”

“Because they’re all supposed to have marks on their bodies like the one on your hand.”

“The Prince said my mark hadn’t been seen for a thousand years.”

“And that’s true. Yours is special. Even I can feel it.”

I could hear Mira’s eyes rolling all the way around her skull. “I don’t want to hear more talk of rumors and myths,” she said, “I want to know where they are. Ideally, I would like a comfortable bed to sleep in, and perhaps a glass of wine.”

“I’m sorry our in-flight service hasn’t been to your liking,” I said.

“In… flight?” she asked.

“You don’t know music, you don’t know planes… I’m gonna have to take you to the human world, one day.”

“No… no thank you. I would rather be repeatedly stabbed in the face with a fork.”

“Quiet,” Mel hissed.

I perked up. “What is it?” I whispered.

“Did you hear that?”

“I didn’t hear—”

Mel stuck a finger against my mouth. “Shh.”

A twig snapped somewhere close. I tried looking around, but the woods were quiet and darkening by the second. There was only the snow, and the trees, and the deepening shadows around us. No movement, no lights, nothing to hold onto. And yet, that sound had been close, and deliberate.

Mira slid her hands out of her furs and quietly clasped them together. I could feel the hum of power starting to build between them as a vibration against the left side of my body. She was summoning her bow, quietly, and that meant she expected danger.

“Stay close,” I whispered to Gullie.

“I’m already in your hair,” she said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Ollie slowed and snorted. The carriage stopped. I watched the elk stomp his hooves and blow steam out of its nose. “It’s spooked,” Mel said.

“Is something out there?” I asked.

“We’re not going to wait to find out.” She cracked the reins. “Hyah!” she roared, and Ollie reared, then went screaming down the path through the forest, following the lines of the road as best he could.

The carriage jerked and bumped. It wasn’t meant to go this fast. I had to grip onto the side and back of the front seat just to keep from toppling over. One of the furry blankets picked up and flew off me with the wind, and as my eyes followed it into the trees, I saw them.

Eyes, many of them, moving swiftly in the dark and rapidly gaining on the carriage. Wolves?