Page 7 of Court of Winter
“Good thing we wore our thick boots today,” Cailis said as her wings wrapped around her upper arms, giving her extra warmth from the autumn chill.
I tightened the scarf that covered my head and made sure it was still pulled low over my brow. Everyone in my village knew of my hair color, but I still didn’t like advertising it.
“Yes, I was thinking the same. My toes are already curling from the thought of what winter will bring.” I tapped my work boots, and snowflakes fell from them.
“Do you think there’s any meat in the broth today?” Birnee asked hopefully. She linked her arm through mine, drawing me closer as she wrapped a wing around me. Like all of the Solis fae in my village, her hair was silvery white and her eyes blue. Her wings were small and slight, though, much like her, but they still radiated warmth to my chilled skin. “Last week they had meat on our first day back to the fields following the weekend.”
Finnley laughed, the sound low and deep as he gave her an impish grin. “That was only because a snow fox got into old Dorn’s coop and ate most of his hens. They salvaged what they could from the carcasses. Don’t count on it happening a second time.”
Birnee pouted. “Pooh. I was looking forward to that.”
I squeezed her hand and met her stare at eye level since we were of similar height. “We could try our hand at hunting again to see if we can catch a hare. If we do, we can enjoy supper together.”
“Does that offer extend to me too?” Finnley asked, elbowing me playfully.
Cailis rolled her eyes. “No, you’ll probably eat the entire thing in one bite.”
Finnley brought a hand to his broad chest. “Are you saying I’m fat?”
I eyed his large frame that was anything but overweight. The only one bigger than Finnley in our village was Vorl, and their imposing masculine builds weren’t from being soft.
Cailis snorted a laugh. “If only we had the luxury of being fat.”
Birnee giggled, the sound carrying through the rafters.
Vorl eyed me from the corner of the barn, standing stoic as he kept watch. As our village’s archon, his main job was to ensure the work was done on time and our yields met the Winter Court’s quarterly requirement, which really meant he used every opportunity allowed to bully and demean any field laborer who wasn’t working fast enough.
I grumbled as he tracked my movements. Of course, I was his favorite victim, even though I worked hard. He never physically attacked me in the field as long as others were around, but alone, that was another story.
“Why can’t he just leave me be for one day?” I murmured under my breath to my sister as Birnee and Finnley fell into conversation about the upcoming winter races and some royal trial they heard would be happening in the capital next month.
“Ignore him. He can’t hurt you here,” Cailis replied.
I fingered my throat. Despite two days passing since Vorl’s visit to my garden, his illusion magic held. The tender bruises that I knew bloomed along my skin weren’t visible to the eye, but any pressure on the area made me wince.
Sighing, I dropped my hand and pulled my cloak tighter around me as our turn for our broth neared. In a way, I was thankful that Vorl’s affinity was so strong. If not, everyone would see what he’d done to me, which would only remind them that I was defective and had no magic to fight back.
Scents of the hot broth wafted in the air, and my stomach grumbled in anticipation. The two older fae males in front of us held out their bowls, and I fingered mine. I was next.
Steam clouded around Krisil’s face as she served each field hand. Her wings were tucked close to her back as heat from the broth rose around her.
“They say that he was in Firlim yesterday and that he’s traveling to all of the villages in our territory, one after another,” Krisil said to Evis, the serving cook handing out the bread. “He was last spotted in Coolisbar.”
“Coolisbar?” Evis replied as she grabbed a hunk of bread to give to the male. “That’s only a thirty-minute flight from here. But they only have one field there. Why would the crown prince be visiting them?”
I stilled.The crown prince?
Krisil shrugged as she filled my bowl with broth, barely giving me a passing glance. “’Tis just what I heard. Could be rumors. Would be strange to have anyone from the capital this far east at this time of the season. The court’s nobles usually never venture this way as long as we send our territory’s due each quarter, and Prince Norivun has never set foot in the croplands of Mervalee Territory as far as I’m aware.”
My hands clenched into fists as my chest tightened. I’d never met the crown prince. Had never even seen him. I’d only heard of him, even though Cailis and I personally knew the death and destruction that his terrible affinity brought.
“What do you reckon he’s here for?” Evis asked as she grabbed a new loaf of bread.
“Couldn’t tell you, but I heard he was asking about—” Krisil’s ladle stopped right above Cailis’s bowl, and her lips parted in surprise. “Oh, Cailis and Ilara, didn’t see you there.”
I managed a thin smile despite my heart beating erratically.
Evis placed a chunk of bread onto my plate. “Krisil, why would the prince be—”