Page 78 of Of Rime and Ruin
Gritting my teeth, I hike my skirts and tiptoe through the snow. I duck beneath windows as I pass them, hugging the wall. When I cross the length of the castle without incident, my pride swells.
Look at me go, a good spy after all.
The alley empties into a gated courtyard, where rows of tents circle a central area paved in stone. Beyond, several clusters of ice-built homes form an orderly perimeter against the steep walls of the glacial bowl. A wave of voices hits me as the wind shifts in my direction. The cold slams into me, and I hug my arms to my chest.
Commotion stirs at the far end of the yard. A fur-clad group of merfolk wrangle several large, white-furred snowbears. The bears’ paws slip on the stone walkway, and the whites of their eyes show their fear.
One snowbear rears its legs, paws swiping. The animal-handlers shout and duck, grasping for ropes that hang from its furry muzzle. One handler cracks a whip against the ground, and the bear roars.
Merfolk stop to stare. Snow falls from several sapwood limbs, shaken from its perch. Silence settles in the courtyard, the only noise the bear’s protesting snarl.
My vision tunnels, focused on the rearing bear. It balks, ripping the ropes from its handler’s hands. Lumbering into the street, it searches for an escape.
I may be a foreigner in this kingdom, but I know how to treat an animal.Thisis not right. And I will not stand for cruelty.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I inhale a steadying breath.No, Nahla. Let it go.I have places to be. Escaping to do. I can’t risk being seen just to save a helpless—
Fuck it.This animal needs me. Stepping out of the alley, I plant my feet.
I cluck my tongue, stir my magic, and send my Voice spiraling after the snowbear. I pierce the shell of its mind and plunge into the chaos. A full-grown female. Through her eyes, I see the stone path, feel her frustration. Anger. Fear.
The whip cracks again, and the animal’s flinch reverberates through my body.
Be still,I command.
The bear skids to a halt.
She swings her head, searching. Then she focuses on me, the whites of her eyes disappearing. Curiosity. Calm.
That’s it, girl. You’re okay. I’ve got you. Now, come find me.
Eagerly, the snowbear saunters across the square, dragging the handler’s ropes with her.
My song echoes through the air. Merfolk swivel their heads to stare, stepping back as the snowbear saunters through the center of the courtyard.
The handler shouts, then cracks the whip.
She flinches and breaks her stride, but I soothe her fear.
I’ve got you.
She stops before my outstretched hand and presses her soft forehead into my palm. Her dark eyes soften. I stroke her large face, her whiskered muzzle, and scratch behind each round ear. Humming quietly, I withdraw our connection.
Whispers break out among my audience, and my stomach flips. Behind the snowbear’s furry form, I glimpse a male siren, stalking toward me.
Oh, I fucked up.
I’m not supposed to be here. If word gets to the king, Perrin could be reprimanded.
“Go,” I whisper, giving the bear an affectionate pat.
As much as I want to turn his own whip on that handler, I’m out of time. Now, it’s time to disappear. I bolt the way I came, speeding through the alley. Adrenaline burns through my veins, pushing me onward. No time to find the beach. My makeshift rope still dangles from a second-story window somewhere. I can patch the glass when I get inside, pretend this whole mess didn’t happen. I’ll need something to do in confinement—
A sharp note sounds behind me, and ice curls around my ankles, stopping me in my tracks.
My jaw snaps from the sudden halt in momentum. Securely rooted to the ground, I tug each foot but can’t budge. My scales prickle with awareness of the looming figure behind me.
“Going somewhere, Trouble?” His footsteps crunch the snow, growing closer. His scent carries on the wind, that damn hint of peppermint.
