Page 24 of Kiss of Frost

Callum followed my gaze, and he observed the flakes’ dance for a moment before lifting his eyes to mine. “Maybe fate has a few smiles left for the rest of us.”

The ache in my chest deepened like someone pushing their thumb into a bruise. I ignored it as I stared at Callum. The stubble on his jaw sparkled almost as brightly as the snow. “You need a shave.”

“You’re one to talk,” he murmured.

I jerked my gaze to his, expecting mockery. Instead, I found humor…and something soft. It shimmered in his green irises, which were the same shade as the Highlands I hadn’t seen in so long they were as distant to me as honey.

The smile in his eyes made its way to his mouth. “I thought your castle ate people.”

“You’re safe enough inside.”

“Ahh. So nothing will gobble me up?”

The thumb dug deeper into the bruise, and it was an effort to push out a strangely breathless, “No.”

“Pity,” he said, and he sounded disappointed.

Movement behind Callum drew my gaze. He turned as the witch sat up in bed, her dark plaits spilling over her shoulders. Purple eyes traveled from Callum to me and back again. Her breath clouded the air.

“Och, lass, your lips are blue,” Callum said, hurrying to her side.

“I’m okay.” She fixed a determined-looking gaze on me. “You attacked us outside.”

I folded my arms. “You were trespassing.”

“We have King Cormac’s permission to approach the Oracle of the North Wind.”

“Cormac doesn’t rule here. His permission is meaningless.”

She flung the fur aside and stood. Immediately, her jaw chattered, but the determined glint in her eyes sharpened. “Then I’m asking your permission.”

“Denied.”

“Why?”

“If you were meant to reach the Oracle, you would have passed the White Gate unnoticed.”

“What?” Her brow furrowed. “That wasn’t in the books.”

“Maybe you read the wrong books.”

Callum huffed a startled laugh.

Georgie shot him a glare.

His expression went instantly contrite. “Sorry.”

She turned back to me with narrowed eyes. Then she seemed to change tactics. Her features smoothed out, and her tone turned polite. “Look, we didn’t mean to trespass. If you could just reconsider—”

“No.”

The polite tone flew out the window. “Why not?”

“The Oracle is sacred. Its wisdom must be protected. One frivolous request for guidance can damage it for centuries.”

Georgie drew herself up. “My request isn’t frivolous.”

“You’re hardly the first person to make that claim.”

---