Page 41 of The Midnight Blizzard

“You gave copies to scribes already?” I asked, hesitantly stepping over the threshold. “How did you know I was going to withdraw so soon?”

“You seem like a trustworthy person. Here.” With a flourish, my stepmother handed me a piece of parchment. “One will, just as promised.”

My chest swelled as I began to read, but my insides soon froze and shriveled. “No,” I whispered, eyes skating back and forth across the page, certain I had misread.

The Last Will and Testament of Cedric Frost

I, Cedric Frost, being of sound mind and memory, do hereby make, publish, and declare this to be my last will and testament, and I revoke all previous wills made by me.

Bequest to my Second Wife, Valencia Frost

I give, devise, and bequeath all of my estate, property, and monies to my second wife, Valencia Frost, for her to use at her discretion and whom I entrust to carry on my life’s work.

Alternate Bequest to my Daughter Noelle

In the event that my second wifepredeceases me or is unable to receive my estate for any reason, including but not limited to death, mental illness, or incarceration, I direct that my entire estate shall instead pass to my daughter, Noelle Frost.

Signed,

Cedric Frost

“Is something wrong?” Valencia cooed, coming to curl her fingers on my shoulder. Her sharp, pointed nails reminded me of a vulture’s talons grasping at its next meal.

“This isn’t his will; this must be a forgery.” I wrenched away from her. “He named me the sole inheritor. He told me.”

“He told you that more than a year ago, darling. People—and their wills—can change.”

“You tricked me!” I shouted, flinging the paper back at her.

She swatted it away. “I did not. I promised you that I would give you your father’s will and I did. It isn’t my fault it doesn’t say what you thought it would. Like I told you before, you deserve this.”

Vanessa, still seated behind her mother and primping before the mirror, laughed cruelly. I tried to catch Vallia’s eye, but she busied herself with digging through a bag without ever extracting anything.

My chest tightened and withered; the entire world was collapsing. I was a fool for ever trusting Valencia. How could I have been so stupid?

“No ball for you,” Vanessa crowed in delight. “No ball, no prince, and not even enough money to buy a dress. Howdoes it feel? Even if you tried to marry your white-haired freak now, where would you live?”

“Don’t,” Vallia said quietly, but Vanessa ignored her.

“They’ll have to live in his hovel of a dog barn,” Vanessa went on. “Still sleeping with the dogs where they belong.”

“Vanessa,” Vallia began tentatively, but I couldn’t bear it any longer. I turned on my heel and ran out, fuming.

“Good riddance!” Vanessa called after me. “If I see you when I’m queen, I’ll wave!”

I stormed down the hall, resisting the urge to give the suit of armor a hearty kick. Had Valencia concealed the will from me before sheerly for the pleasure of dangling the possibility in front of me and watching me chase after a dream like trying to catch smoke in my bare hands? Was she truly so cruel that she and her daughters had schemed to have me withdraw by taunting me with something they knew I desperately wanted but would never have? Whether it was forged or not, she had already submitted copies of the will to scribes. She would be instated as the sole heir and now I had no way of reopening the school. What was the point in her delaying handing in the will when she knew it named her as the recipient?

When I reached the corridor outside the largest ballroom, I was jostled aside as a stream of servants flooded in and out of the open double doors, preparing for the final ball that night, the one I wouldn’t be attending.

For a moment, I debated trying to find Octavius and asking if there was any way to put myself back into the competition. He had been very firm that once withdrawn, there was no re-entering, though. Besides, what would I gain by returning? I didn’t want to marry Stephen, and toying with his emotions any longer simply to spite my stepmother was something I wasn’t willing to do. Iclutched at the windowsill, staring out at the snow-covered landscape. The edge of the lake was just barely visible from the window. That was where Jack and I had skated together. Now, there was nothing. Nothing on the lake, nothing to aid my school, nothing on the horizon, and nothing in my future.

I cursed myself for being so naïve. None of this made sense. True, if Valencia hadn’t offered the bill to legalize marriage to mages, I wouldn’t have withdrawn from the competition. Had she used my attraction to Jack as an advantage to deter me from doing my best in the competition? If so, she had succeeded very well. I hated knowing that she had manipulated me so easily. Her words from before echoed back to haunt me.You don’t need to trust me; trust your feelings for Jack. I had done so, and she had played me like a fiddle.

“Noelle!”

I turned, hoping to see Jack. How I needed to talk to him.

Prince Stephen strode toward me, concern etched into every line of his face. “What’s wrong?”

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