Page 15 of Court of Winter

“No, it’s an illusion, to draw less attention to you. Glamours aren’t strong enough to conceal your hair for a long duration. Come.” He tucked his wings in tight and headed toward the trail leading out of the clearing.

Curling smoke from a chimney rose above the trees, which meant our lodging had to be close. Marveling one last time at my hair, I finally stopped fingering the locks and followed him, placing my feet where his had been in the deep snow, which meant my strides had to nearly double in size.

Heaving, I finally caught up with him as a sprawling lodge appeared through the foliage. The rugged two-story abode with a wide porch and a towering chimney was a welcome sight. Lights blazed from the windows, and faint music stirred the air. A sign hung over the door, readingLiss Lodge.

“This way.” The prince strode ahead, and since the snow here had been cleared down to inches, it made walking easy.

His heavy steps trudged up the stairs, and I tracked the movement as a terrible thought came to me...

Perhaps those stomps had been the last sound my parents and brother had heard when the prince had climbed the executioner block.

Perhaps that would be the last soundIwould hear.

I halted mid-movement, my body freezing.

Soft music that sounded as though a hundred violins played in harmony drifted to me when the prince opened the lodge’s door. He arched an eyebrow at me.

“Are you coming?”

My feet wouldn’t move. “My prince, will you please tell me why you’ve taken me?”

“Are we back to this again?”

Despite my frozen limbs and the lure of the warm lodge, Icouldn’tmove. Blood thundered through my veins as fear paralyzed me.

“Will you at least give me a hint as to what’s going to happen to me?”

He faced me, then let the door close before he inched closer on deceptively quiet steps. He moved silently until he towered over me, letting me know that when he wanted to, he could move like a phantom.

“Not yet.”

My breath shuddered out of me. “Notyet?”

A swell of power rumbled around him, and I briefly realized that I was playing a very dangerous game again, but Blessed Mother, I wasterrifiedof what was to come.

“Would you rather stay out here and freeze?” he asked.

“No.” My voice shook. “But I don’t know what’s waiting for me in Solisarium, so maybe freezing would be best, my prince.”

“And if I told you why I took you, would that make you more agreeable?”

My eyes widened. “You’ll tell me?”

“No. As I said, not yet.” He gave me his back and called over his tall wings. “Now come inside. If you don’t come willingly, I’ll have to assist you.”

All of the blood drained from my face, as I ducked in after him.

Despite fear and trepidation pounding through me, my muscles loosened when the lodge’s warmth caressed my skin.

A large fire roared in the center of the room, the chimney rising to the roof. Around the fire sat tables and chairs with a few sofas. To the right, a long bar ran the room’s length. Several fae sat on the bar stools as other patrons were seated near the fire. None had bothered to glance at us.

“My prince!” a female called from behind the bar. Short wings were tucked in at her back, and a long skirt flowed to her ankles. She dusted her hands on an apron and sashayed around the bar’s edge.

Everyone else straightened, their relaxed positions disappearing as all heads swiveled in our direction.

The female lodge employee smiled brightly as she approached us, a dimple appearing in her cheek. “I didn’t realize you’d be joining us this fine eve, Your Highness. Come sit by the fire while I ready your room.”

“Thank you, Milis. I’m sorry this is short notice.” When she just waved a hand, the prince added, “The others will arrive shortly, and we have an extra guest with us tonight.”

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