Page 13 of Winter Reckoning
The figure stepped through the shield.
I needed to reassess the enemy, and quickly. The ice cracked and fell away like it was nothing. He crossed the threshold, and the air inside warped. The ornaments on the tree fell, smashing against the floorboards. The fire in the hearth dimmed toembers. Frost spread across the windows from the inside. More concerning, it wasn’tmydoing.
I launched a spike of ice at his chest. It shattered against his robe without leaving a mark.
I kept myself between Nick and the horned man. He swept his cane in a wide arc. Frost followed it, spreading across the floor in arcane patterns that looked deliberate. Magic? No, these were unlike modern mages. He moved with fluid grace, too smooth to be human, too slow to be fearful. Whateverhewas, it was definitely supernatural.
I launched forward as ice formed around my fists. I wasn’t the strongest man on the Task Force, but I could smash cinder blocks without breaking a sweat. Before I connected with his pointy chin, he deflected with the cane, metal ringing against frozen knuckles. The impact sent shockwaves up my arm as if it might shatter.
I had been thrown, trampled, and beaten. Never had I been dismissed as an inconvenience. This man had torn through my shield and brushed me like a snowflake. If the storm wasn’t proof, a single snowflake could turn into a raging storm. I was going to?—
“You can’t have him!”
Charlene’s voice cut through the chaos. She was at the far wall, fingers working at something hidden behind a wood panel. It swung open, revealing a copper sigil. How had I missed that? The glowing symbol was as old as the pattern spreading along the walls and across the ceiling.
“I demand a raise,” she cried, slamming her palm against the sigil.
The threshold pulsed. A wave of energy rolled out with an audible thrum. The figure stumbled back half a step. It was the first time I had seen him falter. It’s all I needed. He could be moved, which meant he wasn’t invincible.
“How did you do that?” I didn't take my eyes off him as he leaned forward, trying to push through the pulsing.
Charlene kept her hand on the sigil. “Failsafe barrier. Once upon a time, our mutual friend prepared for this.”
I sneered. Nick had once had a fight in him. If it was still there, I’d find it.
The figure growled. The sound came from somewhere deep and wrong. It pushed him to where the threshold had been. The air shimmered where he touched it. The intern had a magical force field and forgot to mention it? Why wasn’t I surprised?
"Grab the myth and go," Charlene said.
“What?”
Her voice was steady. "I'll hold the line."
I turned. How much was he paying her?
Nick was slumped against the hearth, one hand braced on the stone. His other hand flickered, translucent at the edges. I could see the fire through his fingers. Whatever I was here to protect him from had arrived, and it didn’t look like I was doing my job.
If brute force wouldn’t work, I needed more information.
The figure's voice filled the room. "He's already fading. You're just delaying the inevitable."
Something cold and sharp stabbed through my chest. Not fear. Something worse.
I shifted focus and let the cold flood through me. Ice spread from my feet in all directions, coating the floor in thick layers. I drew from the chill beyond the force field, pulling into my body like a battery. My breath came in ragged gasps. I wasn’t scared of our visitor, Nick’s fading fingers, that instilled fear. I let the emotion fuel my powers.
Forcing the arctic temperature through my arms, I hurled that cold, focusing it into a frigid beam. It smashed against the man’s chest, sending a shockwave through the cabin. He stumbled backward before it hurled him from the porch.
The silence that followed was deafening.
I turned and took in the wreckage. Windows were shattered, replaced with sheets of ice. The door hung crooked on its hinges. The fire was out, leaving only smoke and the smell of charred wood. Cold air poured in through a dozen gaps in the walls.
Charlene pulled back her sleeve, revealing her gauntlet. Instead of typing like I did, she drew sigils onto the screen. I should have asked more questions about her internship as her arms glowed a soft red. Somewhere outside, I heard machinery grinding away.
“Somebody’s on the naughty list.” I couldhearher smile.
With a swift kick, she sent my duffel bag flying across the room. I caught it and moved to Nick. He was barely conscious, his condition deteriorating by the second. I scooped him into my arms. He weighed less than he had hours ago, as if parts of him were already gone.
“I’m getting him out of here. What about you?”
