Page 11 of The Snow Queen

The animal had awoken when he’d approached, but guessing that it would be sharper than the average beast out there, Kai had told him he was no threat, willing every word to convince it.

Somehow, it worked. The bear watched silently, as he built them a fire.

Kai fed him most of the rabbit he’d trapped, before cooking himself a leg.

Then, he’d insulated the space as best he could, before going to sleep too, staying at the entrance of their cave until dawn.

It was the first night he’d spent away from the village, save for the scheduled trips to town, so he was hardly surprised at Fyn’s – and the rest of the villager’s – curiosity.

Catching his glance towards the preying eyes, Fyn offered: “Why don’t I walk with you?”

They’d barely closed the door behind them when the old lady jumped on it.

“You’ve found her, then?”

“Ladies. Always after a good bit of gossip.”

“Don’t underestimate me, boy. I’m after a niece, if you can manage it; otherwise, a nephew would do.”

Kai felt the corner of his lips lift again; it had happened more within the last few days than over the course of the previous decade.

“I’ve found the lady we spoke of, and built her a shelter. You might not recall how it works, but we’re a ways off from the baby-making process.”

He wasn’t denying that his pursuit might take him there; each time he saw her, he wanted to burry himself in her, to the hilt. It grew more violent, carnal every day – most especially when he’d felt her tongue on his finger, teasing him.

It also helped that Fyn, the oldest elder amongst them, hadn’t said a word against his infatuation, although she knew the girl was no elf.

“You may not want to carry this discussion forth, Kailan. I could tell you things that would make you blush about what I know of the baby-making process.”

He pretended to retch, and she chuckled, bumping him on the sides.

Truth was, Fyn had been the beauty of the Deldenhams, a long, long time ago. Hundreds had died to allow her to flee with books containing the history of their kind, when the gods had found their lands and destroyed most of their people, during the last war.

Or so the legend said. Fyn never breathed a word about those times.

All of that aside, he had no doubt that Fyn had had her fair share of suitors in her days, and she still did, fair as she was. The years had made her more unapproachable, but certainly no less appealing; although it hurt to admit that his aunt was a bombshell.

Kai frowned, thinking of the dozens of men she could choose from, because the little witch whose name he still didn’t know was just as stunning as the white-haired beauty by his side.

That meant she could have been tucked in safe, in a lord’s bed, if she’d wanted to be.

“Fyn, if anything was to make you change your mind about taking a companion, and raising a child of your own, what would it be?”

She thought it out for a long time, before exhaling a sighed.

“You’re asking the wrong person. I used to have a man and a child; it won’t happen again.”

That was news to him. He was tempted to push for an explanation, but she distracted him by answering the actual question he’d been asking:

“However, you’re wondering how to charm a girl who hides away in cold, frozen woods, isolated. I’d say the best thing you could tempt her with might be warmth. Company. Perhaps a little bit of love, too.”

He nodded. Right. Warmth, good company and love. Just what he was great at.

“You mean to say that I’m screwed.”

“Well, I’d vastly prefer ifshewas, boy.”

Chapter Six

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