Page 37 of The Midnight Blizzard

A sprig of mistletoe hung underneath the pinnacle of the tall, arched window we were standing under. The heavy silence filling the vast room pressed on my ears, making mekeenly aware of my beating heart and of how loud each breath sounded.

“You look beautiful.” There was that piercing look in his vividly blue eyes again. They somehow appeared both frosty and as though they could melt even the coldest heart. He pulled gently on my hand, and I obeyed the pressure, allowing Jack to guide me directly under the mistletoe. “May I?”

Suddenly so shy that I found myself unable to form words, I nodded. Jack appeared equally as nervous as he leaned in. He closed his eyes too soon and miscalculated how short I was compared to him, and his lips pressed against the tip of my nose.

“Hey,” I scolded softly. “No nipping at my nose.”

I raised up to my tiptoes, holding on to his shoulders for support, and eagerly waited for him to lean in again. This time, his aim was true. Elation flooded through me as I sank into the kiss, allowing Jack to press his lips against mine.

Heat flared up inside me as I returned the pressure. Jack’s hands clutched at my waist, and a sudden, permeating cold swirled through the air and up my sides. Snowflakes began falling around us and frost crept up my dress from where Jack was touching my waist.

Jack began brushing the frost away, his face darkening to maroon, which only made his hair appear whiter and his eyes bluer. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know that would happen!”

I caught his hands. “No need to apologize.” I dropped my gaze down to his mouth again. “Does that happen often?”

“I can usually control it better than that,” Jack said, gazing around at the sparkling snow falling from the ceiling.

“You’ll have to give me a demonstration sometime. For the time being, do you need to keep your hands behind your back or something?”

“I don’t think I could do that,” Jack confessed, his hands creeping back up to circle around my waist.

“Good. I really don’t want you to, anyway.”

He kissed me again, and I wished the moment would never end.

Chapter 13

So filled with joy from our kiss the previous evening, I had barely slept at all. Even without much rest, I felt rejuvenated enough the next morning that I was able to wake up early and get food and water ready for the dogs when Jack brought them back from their run.

Jack and I couldn’t stop smiling at each other as the dogs wolfed down their breakfast. I couldn’t believe my luck. In a few short hours, the king would get the bill and hopefully begin the process of signing it into effect. I would withdraw from the competition, procure the will from Valencia and obtain the funding to reopen my school. Jack and I would be able to announce our relationship. All my dreams were within reach.

It was impossible to resist grazing my hand across Jack’s back each time I passed him or allowing our fingers to brush as we readied the dogs for Jack’s trip. Each touch felt just as intoxicating as the last, laced with desire that wouldn’t have to remain forbidden much longer.

“Want me to show you what I made for the final ballbefore I go?” Jack asked. “I’ve been working on them for a long time.”

“It’s cheating if you show me things ahead of time,” I answered with a laugh. “We don’t have to breakeveryrule, you know. I’m still a competitor, remember?”

“Not for long,” Jack said with a grin. “Besides, it wouldn’t matter if you know about this one ahead of time anyway. It’s just shoes.”

I finished securing the pad coverings on Ace’s paws as Jack unlocked a cabinet I’d never paid attention to before. Lined up on shelves in neat rows were six pairs of glass slippers.

No, I corrected myself, they weren’t glass. I leaned closer to inspect them. They were made of ice.

“Your doing?” I asked Jack, fingering one of the slippers, which was surprisingly warm and comfortable. “Won’t they melt?”

“Not these ones,” he said proudly. “It is my finest spell work, if I do say so myself. The ice won’t melt, no matter how long they’re worn.”

“Have I told you recently how incredible you are?”

He chuckled and picked up one of the slippers. “These will feel unbearably cold to any girl who isn’t romantically attracted to the prince. We’ll have everyone put the shoes on at the same time. The shoes will be too cold to wear for a prolonged period for anyone who is planning to use the marriage for advantage, but if there is a woman who genuinely loves the prince, they’ll feel warm and comfortable.”

I snatched my hand away from the warm slipper. “What do they feel like to you?” I asked, my mouth suddenly dry.

He laughed. “I made them, so I don’t think it countsfor me. If you’re asking me if I’m in love with Stephen, the answer is no.”

I tried to smile and swallow the lump rising in my throat at the same time. It must be a fluke that the slippers were warm for me. I wasn’t in love with Stephen. “How can you be sure the spell will work?”

Jack raised one of his eyebrows. “A mage knows his spells. I guess we will find out for sure at the competition this evening. You can try yours on. I know you’re going to withdraw, so you obviously won’t wear them tonight, but I’d already made all the shoes.” He picked up the smallest, and I shook my head from side to side.

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