Page 52 of A Court of Fire and Frost

My Owl Is Eager

ELVA

As soon as I climb into the driver's seat in the van, I lock the doors behind me and breathe. I run my fingers over my bare wrists, relishing the feeling of skin under my touch.

My thoughts are running a million miles a minute.

Who were they?

Who is the man Veronica mentioned?

Where in the Northern Court am I?

Thinking about the female Fae brings a smile to my lips.

She held me captive for months, drugged me, and kept me away from my magic. I don't feel any remorse for killing her. She got what she deserved. I wish I had had the time to make her death last longer, but alas, I have more important things on my plate.

First and foremost, food.

I'm starving for some proper food. Rummaging through the van's glove compartment, I find three pieces of gold and a credit card. Sighing, I leave the card behind. No use taking anything that I can be tracked with.

Rummaging through a duffle bag I find in the back. It must have belonged to Veronica. Unzipping the bag, I wince as a rainbow of glittery fabric explodes in my vision. Scoffing, I pull out a few skimpy pieces of fabric before tossing them aside.

She clearly didn't believe in comfort over style because almost all the clothes in here are skimpy low-cut dresses designed to please the male gaze above all else.

Not my cup of tea.

I settle on the one non-skirted item in the duffle bag, a long-sleeve leather jumpsuit with a diving neckline that reaches almost to my navel. Throwing aside my leggings and hoodie, I shimmy into the material, fighting to make my curves fit. The only redeeming quality about the garment is the color. Black. Unassuming. Just the way I like it.

Now that I've checked every square inch of the van and taken what I needed, I unlock the vehicle and step outside. The road is deserted, which tells me that even though we're in the Northern Court, we must be far from Ice City.

Thank the gods.

I stand in the frigid air, double-checking my pockets, before summoning my owl. The staying spell was one of the first things I mastered as a youngling, so I know my clothes and possessions will still be on my person when I shift back.

My owl is eager.

I can feel her clawing at me from the inside as I stretch out my arms. As easily as breathing, I shift. My skin ripples, and my owl breaks through, the seamless transition over in a blink of an eye.

The wind calls me, and I screech in delight as my animal is finally free from my flesh's cage. Flapping my wings, I soar over the snowy forest. The wind blows beneath my wings as I relish the feeling of flying after all this time in captivity.

Freedom.

As I soar through the sky, I catch sight of another bird nearby.

Food.

I swoop lower to get a better look at it. It's a cardinal, and it hasn't seen me yet. The bird is flying low to the trees, its red feathers a bright spot against the sheet of brilliant, fresh snow. The cardinal calls out, its voice shrill against the quiet forest.

It's too beautiful to eat. I dip a wing in greeting before flapping my wings.

To the left, I can see a far-off mountain range, the peaks are jagged and covered in snow. Three peaks are taller than the rest, their heights easily double that of the surrounding mountains.

The Western Mountains.

Hissing at the sight, I shift my wings and head toward the east. I wouldn’t go towards that mountain range unless my life depended on it. Even for a powerful Winter Fae like myself, it’s a dangerous place to be.

Besides, there’s only one place in my mind.

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