First Three Chapters

Kate

Sometimes, I hate Jax. 

I hate how insistent she is. How she can just show up in my life and I’m already stuck to her side like she’s a toddler running around a pool. I hate how I can list in chronological order all the times I have done this—drop everything, take care of Jax. No matter what it costs me. Like right now. 

“Hell no,” I say. 

“He’s not as bad as he looks,” Jax says, patting an enormous caribou with fangs. We are all standing awkwardly outside the walls of Death’s keep. A keep that is still crumbling from my magic rock attack. “Frosttide is harmless…mostly.” 

I back away from the snorting reindeer. He’s almost as tall as Elixir and has sharpened antlers hung with charms that are large enough to skewer me, Jax, and Winter together. “Frosttide is the only option for reaching my kingdom,” Winter says. “The snow is too deep for humans to cross on foot.” 

Frosttide shakes his head at me as if impatient. But no thanks, I’ll wait for a cab. Betrayal is moments from catching up to us, but Betrayal be damned. I’m not adding another monster to my magical creature passport. 

“Something feels off about him,” I say, inching away. 

Winter shakes a few snowflakes from her hair, as impatient as her caribou. “Admittedly, Frosttide was once an unsettled ijiraq,” she says, sounding slightly guilty. “And he had a taste for…kidnapping humans and leaving them to die in ice caves. But he has changed. Even shapeshifted into a more settled form. You are safe to ride him.” “Safe?” I pat my gut—I knew I was smart to trust her. “This thing will take me to a snow cave for sure.” 

Winter clicks her teeth and Frosttide lowers. Jax climbs on, then looks expectantly at me. I sigh through my teeth. She really is pushing me to new heights of discomfort tonight. I climb up behind her, catching a good whiff of reindeer fur and brimstone. I will be leaving a negative review. My hands subconsciously wrap around Jax’s waist. It feels strange to touch her again, even though her body is so familiar. 

Winter mounts last, in front of Jax. Unlike Elixir, this caribou has reins.

“Away,” Winter says. 

Frosttide trots down the streets of Dead End City, hooves clicking against the stones, me clinging to Jax like a moron. Ghost orbs light the way overhead. Incarnates pass us, running the opposite direction, heading toward the ruined palace. They must have heard the sound of me breaking the keep in half. I cringe. I hope Betrayal and War make it out ok. 

Frosttide exits the city. The world opens up around us, a light dusting of snow on the rocks and grass. The sun hasn’t risen yet. Nothing but a dark forest of leafless trees. The caribou begins to run. I lurch forward, clutching Jax, my heels gripping shaggy reindeer ribs. But I have to admit, I don’t feel as close to death on this reindeer as I do on Elixir. “Frosttide may not be as fast as Elixir,” Winter informs me, “but he is untraceable to all other incarnates. Betrayal won’t be able to track us.” 

That’s what you think. I haven’t told them about our special bond. Betrayal may not be able to trace Frosttide, but she can certainly trace me. Hopefully, we’ll reach Winter’s keep before then. And hopefully, I can keep this bond a secret. Because who knows what they will do to me if they find out. 

*** 

We ride all night. Snow piles up, more and more. The huge pine trees on either side of us are covered in ice. But Frosttide seems able to step on top of the snow, making his brisk jog easy. Each footstep is soft. Cushioned. There’s no noise in this wintery land. 

Winter passes us a drink from her flask. Life’s potion. I chug the drink and instantly feel stronger. My sore ass from riding Frosttide, the cramps in my calves, the ache from where Betrayal hit me earlier, all of it disappears. I feel terrific, physically. Still not sure about my mental game. 

Jax leans back against me. “I’m so happy you’re alive.” 

I squeeze her waist. “I’m so happy you are. This place has a thing for wanting to fuck all humans to oblivion.” 

She turns her cheek into my chest. “I’ve missed you.” 

I’m glad she can’t see my face as I reply, “Same.”

How will I explain to her that I came back? That I was in Tokyo, but decided I wanted to be in the Otherworld so badly, I chose it over her. 

How do I explain what happened between Betrayal and me? 

I swallow. There’s nothing to explain, really. I had a few brief, undefinable moments with Betrayal, but I left her for Jax. I’ll do anything for Jax. 

“Yeah,” I say out loud. 

“What?” Jax asks. 

“Almost there,” Winter says. 

We exit the forest of snow-covered pines. Winter’s keep rests in a valley below. It’s huge. Much bigger than Sequester and much grander. The windows blaze with light, lanterns hanging from every tower. The massive castle is built on an island of cliffs in the center of an icy black lake. Ice walls encircle the water. 

“Snowdrift,” Winter says as I gape at the keep. “Impregnable. No incarnate has ever breached my walls. It is the safest keep on the Isle. Besides perhaps Ruin’s.” Jax reaches up and pats my neck. “You’re safe now, miscreant.” 

It does look incredibly solid. Walls. Lake. Cliffs. It would be hard breaking through that. Except for the fact that Betrayal is a one woman army. 

Above the keep are northern lights, but they aren’t just green, like the ones over Sequester. They are every color. A rainbow of dancing light. 

Winter clicks her teeth and Frosttide descends the sloping hill. As he reaches the bottom, the sun cracks the horizon, turning the sky a faint lavender color. Lavender. It reminds me of where my tongue was at the start of the night. 

Don’t think about that. 

Something, a shadow, flies over us. I jump, terrified Betrayal is descending on me. “Um…” I say, looking up, “don’t challenge me on this…but I think a dragon just flew by.” 

Winter scowls. “Scorch.” 

The shadow overhead beats leathery wings against the sky. 

I whistle. “No one will believe this at my next dinner party.” 

Jax snorts. “Getting a lot of invitations to those?”

The dragon follows us to the massive wall, throwing up gusts of wind that make our hair fly all over the place. 

The gate has two huge doors made of snow and sculpted to look like reindeer frolicking. “Only I can open the gates of Snowdrift,” Winter says, placing her hand on the frozen gate. “I know everyone who comes and goes. Unless of course they fly in.” She mumbles something as the gates swing open. The dragon is gliding over the lake. “Don’t worry,” Winter says to me. “Some creatures may fly over my walls, but nothing can enter my keep.” 

Our reindeer makes his way across an ice bridge, me looking down at the choppy black water. The bridge is lit with lanterns. 

As we approach the keep I feel a mixture of excitement and trepidation. This keep is so grand, fancier than any place I’ve ever been, and yet also feels inhospitable. Like it has several bears inside, pretending they’re hibernating before they eat me when my back is turned. 

Frosttide seems as nervous of the dragon as I am. His footsteps slow as we leave the bridge and climb up the cliff steps. The dragon waits for us in front of the keep’s doors. It looks like an enormous bat with black fur, big ears, and a face like a gargoyle. Its tail could flatten a horse. 

I dismount from Frosttide and pretend I’m chill next to this monster tail. 

From off of the dragon slides an incarnate, landing lightly on the ground. He’s dressed in burnt red armor and has black hair pulled into a bun and charcoal under his eyes. At his side hangs a dagger made of glass. He looks angry, but I wonder if that’s just his face. His eyes are black. Fallen. 

This has to be Fire. 

“Winter,” Fire says, striding toward us. “Do you realize what you have brought us?” The diamonds around Winter’s eyes sparkle in the morning sun. “Brought us?” “Betrayal’s human,” says another voice atop the dragon. Another incarnate clumsily slides down, landing on the ground like an anvil. He also has black eyes, a wild beard, and actual muscles. The first incarnate I’ve seen who looks like he lifts. 

The ripped incarnate meets my eyes. “Our salvation.”

Chapter Two 

“Salvation?” I ask. I’m not sure if this is an “incarnates only” discussion, but I’m butting in. I don’t like what I’m hearing. 

“What do you mean?” Winter asks the muscular incarnate. 

“You didn’t get Life’s message?” Fire asks, stepping toward me, his black eyes hungry. “She sent it to all her followers. The human has bonded with Betrayal.” 

Everyone looks at me. 

So much for keeping it a secret. 

“Bonded?” Jax asks, her face twisting. “As in that marriage thing you guys do?” “No,” I say quickly. “Not a marriage. It was done without my permission.” “But bonds with humans have always failed before,” Winter says, her voice glacial. “This one didn’t,” Fire says, dark eyes somehow fiery, despite being void of color. He 

reaches out to me, but I know better than to let an incarnate touch me. Even a fallen one. I shove his hand away with my elbow, which makes him angry. 

“It isn’t yours to have,” he says, voice sharp. “It’s my craft. And Stone’s.” He gestures to the muscular incarnate. I bite my lip. Stone. I never really thought about coming face to face with the original of my favorite craft. A craft I have grown so fond of, I consider it mine. 

But it isn’t mine. It’s his. 

“It isn’t ours,” Stone says to Fire. “It’s Betrayal’s. She won the claims.” 

Fire crosses his arms. He is lean and angular where Stone is heavy and hunched. “And now we have a chance to take it back.” 

My stomach drops. They want their power back. Of course they do. But damn, I don’t want to give it up. Especially stone. 

Winter steps between me and Fire. “You are too forceful with my guest. She has been to the brink of death and back again, yet, you place the weight of your history with Betrayal on her shoulders.” 

“You have your craft, Winter,” Fire says, his thin face pinched. “In no way can you comprehend the toll of being fallen. Do not be so selfish.”

Fire attempts to step around Winter, but the ground frosts over and he slips. Stone catches him from falling. 

“This is my keep,” Winter says as Fire straightens furouisly. “Stand down and give my guest time to recover before you unload decades of miseries upon her.” 

Fire looks like he would rather eat his own foot than stand down. But what can he do? He’s craftless. 

He steps back. 

“My apologies, little mortal,” he says through gritted teeth. “Of course, you should be comfortable. What’s a little longer.” 

“It’s ok,” I say, looking at Stone. “I don’t need longer.” 

My heart is beating faster. I hate myself, but it’s the right thing to do. 

“I know what it’s like to lose something you care about.” I look at Jax. “It isn’t fair I have your craft.” 

Stone meets my eyes. He’s the one I don’t want to help, but I know I have to. Because seeing him…it’s like seeing the ghost of a person you murdered. 

“I should give it back,” I say. 

“What?” Jax says. 

Stone takes his hand off Fire’s shoulder. “Are you sure?” 

Fire waves Stone’s question away. “Of course, she is sure. It was never hers to begin with.” 

I ignore Fire. “Yeah,” I say. As always, the stonecraft in my fingertips is begging me to use it. I love the rush, the insane power in my grasp. It’s like family at this point. But it doesn’t belong to me. 

Winter observes my face. “So different from your mistress.” 

“Betrayal’s not her mistress,” Jax says. 

Where are you? 

I jump and the incarnates look at me in confusion. 

“Are you all right?” Winter asks. 

I nod frantically and attempt to inhale. They told me I’m safe here. They told me she can’t get in. 

Jax takes my hand. “Do you really have Betrayal’s craft?”

I look around the group, not sure what to say. 

Winter gives me a look that could freeze a waterfall. “Was it you who brought down Death’s keep?” 

I twiddle my thumbs. “Um…yes.” 

Winter looks at Stone. 

“I wondered how Betrayal could have done that—” she says, glittering eyes wide. “I remember how long it took her to build Sequester. Stone, this human razed Death’s keep like you razed Perpetual.” 

Everyone looks at me. I shuffle my feet, uncomfortable. All this unwanted attention is going to be my villain origin story. 

“That was you?” Jax asks. “You made that…earthquake?” 

I half-heartedly shrug. 

Stone’s expression is hard to read. Somber. 

“No wonder Life was so eager to warn us,” he says. “Betrayal’s doppelganger.” Winter appraises me. 

“All the more reason to be on her good side,” she says to Fire. 

“Not if she is in earnest about returning our craft,” Fire says, looking at me. “I am,” I say, sticking my hands in my suit pockets. “What do I do?” 

Stone pulls out a stone dagger. I can tell he made it himself with stonecraft. It looks ancient. 

He’s about to slice his palm, but I hold up a hand. 

“Can I…” I gesture to all the rock around me. “One last time.” 

Winter understands first. “A proper farewell.” 

Fire’s dragon flaps its wings as I survey the landscape. There isn’t a lot of room for stonecraft. The sun has turned the snow a frosty pink. 

“Who’s gonna fight me?” I ask. Everyone looks baffled. 

“You want a match?” Winter asks. 

My body is humming after Life’s potion. “Fighting is the funnest way to use stonecraft.” I survey the crowd. Who would give me a good time? 

“How about you, Winter?” I ask, cracking my knuckles. 

“Winter?” Fire asks, incredulous. “She will break every bone in your body.”

“I would prefer to keep my bones intact,” I say. “But I guess you can break a few, if you really want to. What do you say?” 

Winter’s thin smile has bite. “I haven’t had a match in some time. It isn’t the settled way.” “Come on,” I say. “Give me my proper send off before I return all this magic.” Winter’s eyes are hungry. “I destroyed my arena when I became settled.” 

“There’s got to be a place we can fight.” 

Winter considers me for a moment. “The bridge,” she finally says. 

Jax touches my wrist. “Don’t,” she whispers. “All that water. She’ll freeze you.” I tousle Jax’s hair. “I got this.” 

*** 

I stand across from Winter. The bridge is all rock, covered in ice, and the foundation of the bridge is rock too. So much stone. I can’t wait to move it. 

Winter doesn’t look that scary. She’s wearing her cloak. The only thing intimidating about her is a knife made of crystal hanging at her side. 

Behind her stands the other incarnates and Jax. No one stands behind me. Just my stone bridge. 

Fighting is the best way to forget all the racing thoughts in my head. 

Winter beckons to me and a few snowflakes fall on my shoulders. 

“Whenever you’re ready.” 

I take a step. “You first.” 

Winter smiles. “You shouldn’t let me make the first move.” 

I hear it before I see it. Something whistling. Hundreds of icy needles jettisons out of the lake, headed my way from both sides of the bridge. 

Shit. 

I drop to my knees, place a hand on the bridge, and split the damn thing in two. The two sides of the bridge lift, blocking the ice needle onslaught. Winter and I both plummet toward the water. 

But the stones beneath the water rise up and catch me, cradling my fall. I don’t even get a toe wet.

I grin. 

Where is Winter? There are ripples where an incarnate shaped body has fallen. The stones beneath my feet push me back onto the bridge. There is now a gaping hole between me and the other incarnates. 

Winter is still in the water. I’m guessing she won’t take kindly to an early morning plunge. 

Ice forms and I watch Winter emerge from the lake, soaking wet. The ice pushes her back onto the bridge. On my side of the gap. 

She removes her sodden cloak. 

She looks different. Emaciated. Her dress is soaked, maybe that’s why, but I think it’s something else. Her cheeks are hollow. And her eyes are no longer a frosty blue. Instead, they are pure white. 

“Did you find pleasure in dunking me?” she asks and her voice different too. Any warmth is completely gone. I feel cold just hearing her. “No one has managed something like—,” I send a piece of bridge straight into her torso. She crumples comically and falls to her knees, gasping. The incarnates on the other side gasp too. 

“Now that we’re all caught up,” I say and lob another bridge chunk at her. She rolls like a wet dog and jumps to her feet. I’ve made her angry. And apparently, very unsettled. She could be Death’s twin. 

“So, this is what it’s like to fight Betrayal,” Winter says, holding out her hand. The sweat on my forehead freezes. I feel it puncturing my head, like shards of glass are suddenly pressing into my skin. 

I light my hand on fire and wipe the shards away. 

Winter draws her knife (hey, I got her to use her weapon). She runs at me. Oh boy. I reach out and the metal lamp pole on the bridge detaches and flies into my hand. It’s massive, so I grip it with both hands and swing like a moron, using a mixture of metalcraft and my own strength to move the thing. A five foot lamp pole coming at Winter isn’t something she can ignore. She tries to dodge, but the pole clips her shoulder and Winter tumbles backward, snow flurrying across the bridge. 

“Bet your ancestors felt that one,” I grin. 

Winter clutches her shoulder. “I don’t have any ancestors.”

My elbow freezes, locking into place and I drop the lamp pole. Winter lifts her hand and my internal temperature drops what feels like 100 degrees. I am suddenly freezing. My vision blurs and I think I might be sinking to the ground. I’m disoriented. The cold is so intense, it’s all I can think about. 

“Wha…wha di you do,” I say, but my words won’t come out right. 

I think I have hypothermia. My hands are tucked under my armpits, trying to conserve any body heat I have as I hunch over. 

Winter approaches me, her white eyes glowing. 

“Bit…ch” I murmur. 

Winter lowers her hand to my face. 

My knees are touching the bridge. I summon any last stonecraft I can and crack the bridge beneath Winter’s feet. 

“Oh no you don’t,” Winter says and she forms a layer of ice where she stands, just as I collapse the stone beneath her. The ice holds and she stays right where she is. “You are sensational,” Winter says, then places her thumb on my forehead. I recognize the move. It’s what they do in the Kill Ring. 

It means she’s won. 

The hypothermia in my body disappears. I am able to stand, my thoughts no longer sluggish, though I am still trembling. 

“Testing, one two three.” My mouth is working. 

Winter’s cheeks round out and she no longer looks like the corpse of the abominable snowbride. Her dress hugs her figure, instead of hanging off it. 

“You should have used fire,” she says. Her eyes are back to blue. 

I rub my aching arms. “I wanted to say goodbye to stonecraft.” 

Winter sheathes her knife. “Are you ready then?” 

I look back at the crowd of incarnates, Stone among them. 

“Let's do it,” I say, trying not to sound like I just agreed to give up my firstborn child.  Winter spreads her ice floor until it covers the gap in the bridge. We cross the ice, me expecting to fall through any second. Winter’s unsettled side seems the type to revenge soak me. But we make it across without incident. Jax takes my hand and I stop shaking. I look at her, grateful. I feel warm again. She must have used destruction to eradicate any leftover snow magic.

“Kate is ready,” Winter says. “Stone?” 

Stone approaches, looking nervous. He stops in front of me and I give him a reassuring smile. 

It’s his craft. Not mine. 

Tears threaten to come to my eyes so I clench my jaw and force them away. Kate? 

I flinch. Fuck, Betrayal. 

What’s wrong? 

I close my eyes. Dear lord. I can’t handle sympathy from her right now. She’s gonna make me really cry. 

I take a breath and push her out of my head. “What do I do?” 

Winter takes my hand. 

“Forgive me if I am a little worried about you bleeding out after Door’s mistake with the first human. May I be the one to cut you?” 

She flips my hand over so my palm is facing up. 

“Knock yourself out,” I say. 

Winter plucks a piece of ice from thin air, sharpening it to the finest point. She gently presses the ice blade to my palm. 

A drop of blood blooms. 

Stone quickly cuts his own hand. Dark ash falls out of the wound. He offers me his hand. I take it, my drop of blood mingling with his ash. 

This is it. 

“Repeat after me,” Winter says. 

“Claim or Owe or Bond with me 

Which of these three shall it be? 

Neither of these three I require 

The Return is my only desire 

Burden released, undo the twine, 

What’s mine is yours, no longer mine.”

I say the spell, the words feeling tight in my throat. I grip Stone’s hand for support. He grips it back. 

We stare at each other for several heartbeats. 

“Is something supposed to happen?” I ask. “Or is that it?” 

Winter scowls, circling us. “Yes, something is supposed to happen. But it isn’t.” Stone releases my hand. He looks at the ashy, blood mess on his palm. 

“Betrayal was the one who claimed my craft,” he says, his tone collected. Accepting. “Only she can return it.” 

I look at me bloody palm. 

“Shit,” I say. “Is there another…?” 

Stone wipes his palm on his jacket. “Perhaps. But I don’t know what it is.” “I’m sorry,” I say.  

Fire turns and jumps onto his dragon’s back. The monster lifts off, huge wings nearly knocking over Jax. The dragon flies toward the forest and roars, a horrible, gut wrenching roar of despair. The sound makes me sick. And everyone else too apparently. They all look miserable. 

“I appreciate you trying,” Stone says to me. Before I can respond, he walks away too, toward the lake.  

The rest of us stand there, not speaking, snow falling on our heads. 

I look at the ground, feeling guilty for failing. Feeling guilty for being happy I can still use stonecraft. 

Winter places a hand on the doors to her keep. The wooden doors, which are carved with images of polar bears, rumble open. 

“Come, human. You have earned a rest.” 

*** 

I felt like a prisoner when I was brought to Sequester for the first time. But here in Snowdrift, I am the guest of honor. 

The inside of Winter’s keep is nothing like the outside. While the outside looks frozen and inhospitable, the inside is like stepping into a Christmas cabin. Holly wreaths hang from

ceiling beams. Roaring fires encircle the hall. Caribou antlers form chandeliers above us, lit with candles that smell like pine needles. Friendly looking dogs bound up to me, so I scratch their heads. There’s a grand staircase, hung with garlands of fir. And making their way down the staircase is a large group of incarnates. 

“Oh boy,” Jax says. “Hold on to your ass.” 

The incarnates gather around us. They press in, everyone staring at me. I get a little claustrophobic. I will throw elbows. 

“Have you really bonded with Betrayal?” one of the incarnates asks, an incarnate with ice all over his skin, forming beautiful patterns of reindeer and snowflakes. 

“Uh…” 

Winter shakes off her heavy cloak and a few snowflakes fall on us. 

“Give her space, Frost,” Winter orders. “And bring her another life potion.” The icy incarnate hurries off and I am led to sit by the fire. Someone puts me in a large chair that engulfs me and someone else wraps a blanket around my knees. I feel pleasantly confined. 

Winter takes the seat across from me. The other incarnates stand around us, while Jax stays by my side. 

I tug on my blanket, loosening it so I don’t feel so restricted. The windows here are large and, unlike the stained glass at Sequester, are simply huge and transparent. I can see everything. The black lake. The lantern bridge. Snow falling gently. 

The peaceful scenery is trying to lull me into a tranquil state, but I can’t shake my anxious feelings. Not with all these incarnates staring. 

I pull the blanket off entirely. That’s better. 

“Drink,” Winter says. “We have plenty.” 

Frost appears at my side, holding out a crystal glass full of glowing amber potion. I accept it happily. Betrayal told me all of her Life potions were knockoffs made by offspring, but this tastes like the real deal. 

Winter gestures to the incarnates. “These are some of my guests. Many settled incarnates gather here for protection. I doubt you have met too many settled spirits, have you?”

“No,” I say, looking around. The settled incarnates appear a lot less menacing than the unsettled ones. No frown lines or furrowed brows or lusty eyes that could get me pregnant just by looking at me. 

“This is my kinship,” Winter says, gesturing to the incarnates who stand behind her chair. “Frost, Flurry, Comfort, and Vengeance. And Morning is a visitor.” 

I recognize Morning from her fight in the Kill Ring against Night. She looks proud up close, her ice blonde hair pulled back in a half ponytail. She looks strong, like how a lot of Muay Thai fighters look. She wears all white. 

Winter follows my gaze. “I assume you have heard of Morning. A legend among offspring.” 

Yes, I’ve heard of Morning. The daughter of Day, who captured Night and gave him to Death in revenge of her mother's death. 

“Pleased to meet you,” I say, mainly to Morning. I wouldn’t mind earning her respect. Several incarnates cover an eye at me. Morning just nods. 

“A gift,” Winter says and hands me a package, wrapped in brown paper. Rosemary and dried oranges are tucked between the strings. 

“Oh, that’s ok,” I say, completely out of my depth. Gifts are not something I often receive. The foster system always gave us shoes for Christmas. That was all I ever allowed myself to expect. Some of the many homes I grew up in gave me more, some nothing. It was just better not to expect anything. 

“Just take it,” Jax says, exasperated with my blatant confusion on how to handle gift giving. Jax was the opposite of me. She loved gifts. And I didn’t mind getting her anything she wanted. Even if it meant I went without meals a few times. 

Jax puts the present in my lap. “You deserve something nice after all you’ve been through.” 

I pick up the package. “Uh…thanks,” I say to Winter. “You shouldn’t have.”  I open the package, my face beet red, and gasp. 

Boxing gloves. 

I look up in surprise and Jax smiles. 

“You like them?” she asks. 

I lift the gloves out of the box. “These are human…”

Winter takes away the discarded wrapping paper. “Jax had them custom made for you.” “It was Winter’s idea,” Jax says. 

I slide a hand into the glove. The inside feels lined with fur. They are half-fingered gloves. 

“Wow,” I say. “They feel really good.” 

“These gloves are more than meets the eye,” Winter says. “They are stitched with healing charms. You will never hurt when you wear them.” 

I’m speechless. A gift that is clearly meant for me. Not some leftover sweater from a donation box. Not a video game that I would never play, because my foster dad wanted it for himself. A gift for me. 

“Thank you,” I say, “Really. Thank you.” 

Winter’s face softens. “We have been eager to have you here, Kate. Eager to show you another side of our Isle. A kinder side. A side that wants to do the right thing. Like you did tonight by coming with us.” 

I look down at the gloves, trying not to fidget. 

Kate…where are you? 

Oh lord. I squeeze my eyes closed, pushing the voice away. I know everyone’s looking at me like I am a freak, but I don’t care. I have to get her out of my head. 

I open my eyes and take off the gloves. 

“Jax,” Winter says, after a moment, “why don’t you show Kate to your room.”

Chapter Three 

Jax leads me through the keep, which is good because I would already be lost with all the twisting passages and crooked staircases. Every hall smells like freshly baked bread and wassail. Candles in tinsel lanterns hang from the rafters. 

“It’s cozy, isn’t it?” Jax asks. 

“Yeah,” I say, looking at a window nook that is piled high with blankets and books. A perfect spot for surveying the falling snow. 

“It didn’t used to be like this,” Jax says. “It used to be this bleak fortress. No one hardly came here. But when Winter decided to be settled, she enlisted the help of a human decorator, before they were driven out.” 

I notice a fireplace with a tea kettle hanging over the flames and walnuts in a basket on the floor. Outside, I can hear the wind howling against the window, but inside it’s warm and safe. “It’s like this keep has all the best parts of winter,” I observe. 

Jax points. “That kettle is how I remember where my bedroom is.” 

She opens up a narrow door beside the fireplace. 

I step past, my shoulder brushing Jax. It makes me nervous, touching her. The room is boiling. A huge fire roars in the fireplace, making the room stifling hot. “Shit,” I say, fanning myself. The furthest wall is made entirely of window, giving us a picturesque view of the black lake below. 

“Sorry about that,” Jax says, closing the door, which only makes it hotter. “At night, when Winter is sleeping, her subconscious slips back into unsettled mode and the whole castle freezes over. That used to be her thing—freezing life. She can even freeze an incarnate's spellcraft. The nightly frost doesn’t bother the incarnates as much as it bothers me, so I have to keep this place really warm. I’m glad you’re here. Now we can snuggle like we used to…” 

She pauses, suddenly self-conscious. “Unless…you don’t want to share a room.” I never expected to see that look on Jax’s face. Back in our world, I never dated anyone besides Jax, but she dated lots of other people. Even cheated on me a few times. I was the one always giving her that uncertain look. 

But now she’s unsure…

“Of course,” I say quickly, wanting to put her at ease. Wanting her to never doubt. Already falling back into old ways. 

Jax slides into my arms. It’s such a natural thing for her to do, but it surprises me. I haven’t been hugged in a while. I did hug Betrayal the other night, as I held her in her bed…oh god, I’ve got to stop. 

“You were amazing out there,” Jax mutters into my jacket. “Unreal. I can’t believe you took on Winter.” 

I wrap my arms around her.  

There’s a knock at our door and we both jump. Jax releases me and opens the door. One of Winter’s offspring stands in the hall. 

“Winter needs you, Jax,” the offspring says. “Just you.” 

Jax looks back at me. “But Kate just got here.” 

“It’s ok,” I say. “I’ll give myself the room tour.” 

Jax twirls her finger through her ponytail, a familiar quirk. “I’ll be quick.” I nod and she leaves, closing the door behind her. 

Phew. 

Alone. 

Even if I’m happy to be back with Jax, I need to be alone. Time to think. I look around the room. Everywhere are signs of Jax. Unmade bed. Clothes on the floor. A plate of half eaten cake. She always had a sweet tooth. Her pink cocktail dress she was wearing the night we stepped into this world hangs over the back of a chair. I touch it. “Kate.” 

I spin around. 

Betrayal is standing in the room.  

I back away, tripping over a rug. My back slams against the window which I realize is made of ice. 

“How?” I choke out. “They said no one could break in.” 

Betrayal doesn’t move. Just stares at me. 

“How?” I demand. 

She waves her hand impatiently. “It wasn’t hard.”

I think I’m trembling. They promised no one could break in. And now I’m on my ass in front of Betrayal. 

Betrayal takes a hesitant step toward me. “Are you…scared of me?” 

“Uh, yeah. Terrified.” 

Betrayal holds out her hand, offering to help me up. “Why? I’m here to rescue you.” I look at her outstretched hand, my heart rate speeding. Does she not know I left voluntarily? 

Her hand reminds me of that night in the alley when I first met her. I took her hand without a thought. But now I know, I can’t touch her. She’ll put her loyalty spell on me and I’ll want to go back with her. 

I swallow, uncertain, and Betrayal catches it. 

She retracts her hand. “You…need me to rescue you, right?” 

I swallow again. 

“No,” I whisper. 

The back of Betrayal’s throat lights up with fire. 

Fuck. I hastily climb to my feet, but she has me cornered against the window. Nowhere to go. 

“Kate,” Betrayal says, leaning toward me. She’s so pretty. So inhumanly pretty. I remember kissing her in the forest. I remember the…dirty thoughts I had. What I wouldn’t give to feel her body right now. Maybe tug her hair a little. Snap out of it, Kate. 

“Betrayal,” I say and I mean it to come out cool and collected, but it comes out crackly. “Don’t.” 

“They took you,” Betrayal says. “Tell me they took you.” 

I didn’t think I’d have to betray her to her face. It was much easier to do it behind her back. But this feels fucked up. 

I can’t meet her eyes. “They didn’t.” 

The fire dies in the back of Betrayal’s throat. She steps away from me. Her hand grips Incisor like she’s trying to strangle it.  

I’m hurting her. And right after I promised I wouldn’t. 

She looks at me as if this is what she expected all along. As if I did exactly what she anticipated.

Jax removed her loyalty spell, so why do I still feel so taken with her? So desperate to protect her. To tell her I’m lying and leave this place at her side. 

I don’t say anything. Just wait for Betrayal to attack me. But she doesn’t. She just stares at me, a little lost. 

“You have set a record,” she finally says. “Fastest yet.” 

Anger prickles inside. It helps me forget I’m a scumbag. 

“I was supposed to go with them in the first place when I walked through that Door.” “Oh please,” Betrayal says, her anger matching mine. “You came of your own free will the second time. You wanted to be with me, so I deserve to know why that has changed.” The door to the room opens and we both look. 

Jax, mouth hanging open, stands in the doorway. 

I see recognition in Betrayal’s eyes. She remembers Jax from that night in the alleyway. Any pain on Betrayal’s face evaporates as she looks Jax up and down.  

“Her? she asks. Oh boy, I know that tone. I quickly place myself between Jax and Betrayal.  

Jax doesn’t stay behind me. She bolts. 

“Winter!” We hear her shouting as she runs down the hall. 

Betrayal’s face is now giving nothing but dark queen. She throws her head back and lets out a waft of dark smoke. 

“I understand,” she says. 

“I can’t abandon her again,” I mumble. 

Betrayal gives me the side eye, then blows hot smoke over my face. I freeze, eyes stinging, wondering if I should just give in and go with her. I’m clearly still under her spell. Betrayal clicks her tongue at me. “Do you feel noble, Kate?” 

She takes a step toward me, and I step back, tugging at my collar which is way too tight. “Do you feel chivalrous, joining your human lover and saving her from the likes of me?” “I feel fucking miserable,” I say honestly. 

Betrayal lights her hand on fire. I flinch. But instead of using it to burn me alive, she slams it into the window. The ice cracks, then shatters, falling away, jetting us both with freezing air.  

“Enjoy being the hero,” Betrayal sneers. “It suits you.”

Then she steps backward and drops out the window. 

Holy shit. I run to the edge, peering down. Somehow Betrayal is already running away, crossing the grounds below, completely unharmed from a three story fall. I watch her cross the bridge, a wild black spot. Other incarnates are shouting, chasing after her. 

There’s no chance she will get away. 

Betrayal 

How dare she? 

She told me to try a human—a human has never hurt you. Then moments later, she sticks her knife through my back. 

I hear them chasing me, Winter and her legions. 

The bridge is broken in the center, held together by ice. I know who’s responsible. Kate. I gnash my teeth. With my power, she destroyed this bridge. The power I gave her. Ice creeps up my back, trying to freeze my spellcraft. 

I summon fire, more fire than I have summoned in a long time and let it engulf the bridge. A festoon of green flames cascade behind me, melting the ice. I hear it crack and melt into the water below. I cross over onto the sturdy side of the bridge just as the last piece of ice falls away. 

I don’t bother looking back. I know there is now a rift in the bridge. Winter can cross it with her ice. My craft is freezing again. I snarl and re-ignite myself in fire. A huge green fireball. Wings beat overhead. I know that sound. It makes me shiver, recalling my claim with Fire. Scorch is chasing me, Fire on his back. 

I summon Elixir. He appears in the snow beside the gates of Snowdrift, letting me leap aboard. 

We run. I send bolts of fire at Scorch. The dragon growls but pulls back, unable to fight fire with none of his own. It gives Elixir enough time to get some distance and we disappear into the trees. 

The sound of wings fades. Winter’s forest grows quiet, the snow muffling Elixir’s steps. The silence somehow strangles me.

I make Elixir stop on a cliff that overlooks the valley, Winter’s keep barely visible, a tower of ice in a sea of black. 

Kate. I say it subconsciously, then curse myself. I don’t want her to know how much this hurts. I drive my sharp fingernails into my palm. 

Snow is falling heavily now. So heavy, I can no longer see the keep. The wind has picked up, becoming a blizzard. 

A fortnight ago, when I thought Kate was worth saving, I used destruction to break Death’s spell. It was the first time an incarnate used destruction. 

And it created something. 

I don’t need Kate. Let her die of boredom with her drab little girlfriend. 

I have my next move.

Thanks for reading!

Book Two will release 9/22/2026

This is a work of fiction. All the events, characters, organizations, etc. in this novel are either fictitious or products of the author’s imagination. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. 

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All rights reserved. All editions and subsequent editions belong to the author. Copyright by Rowan Joy