Spring Frost (11 page)

          “I know that disease well,” said Shasta with a wry smile. “We Fey cannot handle it the way humans do – we become crazy.” She turned to Rodney who nodded very slightly. “A human disease we Fey have contracted – a disease which drives us mad beyond reason.” She was joking, of course, but I could hear the truth in her voice.

          “But of course,” said Kian, “it isn’t always bad. Remember, my sister, that it was Love that helped us to stop the war between Winter and Summer. It was love that brought Feyland together.”

          “And love that tore us apart,” said Shasta. “Love that caused the Dark Hordes to be released…”

          “If you do love me, Alistair,” Rose pleaded. “Then let me go. Trust in what I say. Stop accusing me…”

          “I love Rose,” insisted Alistair. “But you are not Rose. I don’t know who you are. Some Sorceress, some creature of black magic…”

          “How dare you!” Rose cried, her face turning red not with embarrassment but with anger. “Just because you saw me with another man – just
talking
to him, mind you – you assume I can’t possibly be the woman you love! Do you trust me so little? Do you have that little faith in me?”  

          “I have faith in the woman I love,” repeated Alistair resolutely.

          I stepped forward, not wanting to hazard another fight. I turned to Kian, touching his arm lightly. We communicated through telepathy, and I could see in his eyes that he knew what to do.

          “Now Alistair,” Kian said. “We’re not saying we don’t believe you. We know you’re the best alchemist in Feyland – if anyone can cure Rose, you can. Not to mention curing Breena. Can you whip up more of that potion – enough to feed both Breena and Rose?”

          Alistair nodded silently.

          “‘Then that is what you must do. I will take you to your laboratory, and you can show me what you’ve been working on. I want to see the genius at work.” Kian patted Alistair on the back, soothing him into submission.

          “Keep an eye out on the imposter!” Alistair called as Kian led him away. “Don’t let her alone! She’s the Sorceress, I’m telling you. I warn you – take heed!”

          As the two exited, Rodney and Shasta breathed a sigh of relief.

          “You don’t believe him, do you?” Rose cried in horror.

          “Of course not,” Rodney said, patting her lightly on the arm. “Don’t worry, Sis.” But there was something strange about his expression.

          Rose looked normal – as normal as Alistair did. Which of them was telling the truth?

          I felt a tug on my sleeve and looked up. It was Logan, looking worried.

          “Garden?” he whispered. “Now – hurry.”

          I took his hand and we slipped out of the dining hall.

Chapter 12

         
L
ogan’s warmth coursed through my body. My blood was warm and sweet and slow – like honey dripping in my veins. The feeling was extraordinary; my whole body shivered with the relief his touch brought me. The cold, the pain – diluted somewhat by the potion – at last vanished.

          “It’s nice,” I whispered as we tiptoed into the garden. Silver-tinted ivy and beautiful red berries surrounded us – the traditional flora of the Winter Court. The air smelled like pine and cinnamon.

          “Careful,” Logan said, blushing. “Mistletoe.” He looked up at the distinct jagged leaves and tiny berries that hung overhead.

          “Of course,” now it was my turn to blush. My face went scarlet. I couldn’t deny it – standing here with Logan felt good, in more ways than one. My mind couldn’t help but travel back to that moment on the mountain: seeing his body splayed out on the stones at my feet, feeling my heart beat faster and more passionately than I’d ever thought possible, knowing at that moment that I would rather give my life for  his than live another day without him there to share it. No matter how hard I tried to forget, that moment would always exist between us. I looked up into his wide, brown eyes and sighed. “What’s going on, Logan? You dragged me out here…is everything okay? Do you know something?”

          Logan looked embarrassed. His nose had gone bright pink and he couldn’t meet my gaze. “I wasn’t entirely honest back there…” he said. “I’m worried. About Rose. That Alistair might be right after all.”

          “What are you talking about? He’s crazy – obviously crazy! Look at the way he went to town on you; why, he nearly killed you!”

          “I know, I know,” Logan began, “but just hear me out, okay? I think there’s something…off about Rose.”

          “Because she didn’t remember when they met?” I looked up. “Okay, that’s a little weird, but maybe she was just nervous. You’d be nervous too if the man you loved just accused you of being a secret hell-demon. And you can’t deny that Alistair’s behavior was just as suspicious – if not, more so…”

          “I’m not saying he’s behaved like the most stable person in the world,” Logan admitted, “but…”

          “But?”

          “I have to tell you something, Breena. Promise you won’t be mad?”

          “I promise.”

          “Back there – in the dining hall. I lied. I didn’t want to – only…”

          “Only?”

          “Only Alistair was so angry and so dangerous and the last thing I wanted to do was get Rose hurt. Or get myself hurt, for that matter. I didn’t know how he’d react if I told him the truth. Back then my priority was just getting away.”      

          “So what did happen?”

          “When you and Kian were…” Logan flushed and looked away “gone upstairs, I went out into the garden to get some air. I was exhausted. Overwhelmed. And Rose came up to me.”

          “To console you?”

          “At first,” Logan said.

          “I know things have been hard for you, Logan. Believe me – I get that. And I feel so terrible that I haven’t been there for you over the past few days. I know our friendship’s suffered because of this whole thing with me and Kian…” 

          “It isn’t easy,” Logan admitted. “But we’re both trying to be strong. To do the right thing.”

          “I just want you to know, Logan. That no matter what happens, you can talk to me. Be honest with me. I’ll always be there for you as a friend, even if I can’t offer you more the way I want to. I know I was…uh…busy when you needed me then” (I turned bright red) “but I can sure promise you that I’ll be there for you when you need me. All you have to do is ask.” I slipped my hand in  his and immediately the surge of warmth warmed us both, making my hair stand on end and causing Logan to jolt upright.

          “Did you feel that?” Logan and I both laughed hesitantly, trying to ignore the awkwardness we both felt.

          “You felt it too, then,” Logan smiled at me.

          “I guess Kian was right,” I said. “Because you’re so hot-blooded, I guess it means you’re acting as a sort of heater for me. Keeping me warm and helping to counter the effects of the poison.”

          “Maybe that’s the reason,” said Logan vaguely. “Or maybe…” his voice trailed off. “Never mind.” He took a step closer to me, wrapping his strong arms around me. My body trembled at his touch. “I guess I’ll just have to warm you up, then – I’m glad I can be useful. Usually it’s Kian and the other Fey who have magic – and I’m just the chump who watches helplessly. It’s nice to be able to be useful for a change.”

          “You’re always useful,” I turned to Logan. “Magic or no magic – just being there is enough. Your presence makes me stronger.”

          Logan shot me a mournful smile. “That’s all I want for you,” he said, staring into my eyes. His bright, strong gaze was full of love and compassion.

          I had to break the connection – I had to break the spell. I was feeling myself grow weak in his presence. “But what about Rose?”

          “What?” Logan looked distracted. “Yes – of course…Rose…she came up to me and it started out all…normal. She was asking me how I felt and if I needed anything and if I needed to talk, and…”

          “Talk? About what?”

          Logan turned away. “Do you even have to ask, Breena?” His voice was full of pain, and I felt guilty for even asking. “Breena, I spent my whole life dreaming of one thing – just one. One vision of how my life could be. And it turned out that I was wrong – so unbelievably wrong. About how things were. About how things would be. I’ve lost so much these past few years – and maybe I just needed a friend at that moment…”

          “You haven’t lost…”

          “My grandfather.” Logan’s eyes began to shine with tears. “My wolf clan – so many of them slaughtered during this last battle. And…you.” The tears were like diamonds upon his face. “I feel as if I’ve lost you, Bree.”

          “Oh, Logan!” I threw my arms around his neck, feeling his warm blood pulse through me as I did so. “You’re my best friend in the whole world – believe me when I say I really do love you. I love you so much. And if things were different…you know I would be with you.”

          “I know,” said Logan, his voice hoarse and his throat cracking. “That’s the hardest part. Knowing that you still care for me. If you felt nothing for me it would be different – but knowing that you were so close to choosing me, that I came so close to having you with me every night of my life, waking up next to you every morning…”

          “Logan,” I cut him off. “We can’t talk like that. That’s not what I meant. For your sake and mine, you have to move on. I want you to be happy. And you can only be happy when you find a girl that loves you more than anyone else, that wants to be with you forever. Who chooses you.”

          “Like Rose, you mean?” Logan laughed bitterly. “That’s what happened – you see. She started telling me that she wanted me, that she felt something for me that she couldn’t control. It started out with just talking and then, I don’t know – maybe I was jealous or angry or lonely but all of a sudden we were…I mean, she was…”

          “She was what?”

          “Kissing me. She just leaned in and kissed me, just like that. And I didn’t stop her. I was so surprised, I guessed. But also…confused.”

          I stared blankly at Logan. I felt exactly the same way. On the one hand, I was glad that Logan had found someone else – even for an instant. On the other hand, deep down – in a part of me I was ashamed of – I felt a little jealous of Rose.

          “She was all over me – kissing me on my neck and feeling up my chest and then she was kissing me properly, all over…but it didn’t feel right.”

          “Because of us?”

          Logan shook his head. “No. Well, maybe a little. But it was something else. It felt…weird. Almost too much – like she was trying too hard. And that’s not like Rose. It didn’t…feel like Rose.”

          “What do you mean?”

          “When she started kissing me, it almost felt…this is going to sound awful.”

          “No, go ahead.”

          “You know how much I care about you, Breena. And you know that I’ve never really kissed anyone except you. Except once.”