Jack’s eyes frosted over along with his hair, and a fierce snowstorm swept into the tower, surrounding Vale. Jack looked surprised. It clearly wasn’t his doing. Vixen tried to shake his head. He didn’t want Vale taken from him, not now, not when he had so little time. He tried to speak but couldn’t. His fingers brushed against Vale’s as Vale was lifted off the ground by the arctic winds. As Vixen gasped his last breath, he was content knowing for the first time in his life, he had found the courage to do what was right. Then everything went black.
Chapter Nine
V IXEN .
Someone was calling his name, but it was so far away. There was nothing around him but blackness. At least he wasn’t cold anymore. There was a subtle, familiar scent enveloping him. It was… apples and spice. He knew that scent. It brought a wonderful peace to him and made him feel toasty all over. He groaned and pushed at the darkness. Something pressed against his cheek and he leaned into the touch. He liked it. It was soft. His eyelids were heavy, but he tried his hardest, and a sliver of light shone through. Slowly, he blinked, the world bursting into sound and color. Although his vision was blurry, it was slowly gaining focus.
“Vixen?”
He knew that voice. The sweet tone made him smile, and he turned his head to the most glorious sight.
“Vale?”
“Oh thank the gods!” Vale very tenderly embraced Vixen and kissed his lips, sending a wonderful warmth through him. For a moment, he wondered where he was. When Vale pulled back, Vixen saw he was in Vale’s bedroom, warm under several fur blankets. Across the room a fire danced and crackled inside the hearth.
“I’m so glad you’re all right.”
Vixen turned his head and found Rudy sitting on the bed to his left, tears in his pale blue eyes. “Rudy… I’m so sorry.” His voice was hoarse, and his body ached fiercely.
“Hush, it’s all right. But don’t you ever run off like that again, you hear me?” Rudy brushed a tear away from his cheek, and Vixen frowned. Why was his friend crying? Come to think of it, why was he in bed?
A deep voice pierced the silence of the room. “That was a very foolish thing you did, young Vixen.”
Vixen’s eyes widened as the King of Frost approached the bed, his expression stern. It all came to him with exceptional clarity. The scepter, the Mountain Fortress, Fern. Vixen tried to get up and hissed at the ache in his bones.
“Easy there,” Vale said, helping him sit up against several pillows. “Your body isn’t fully healed.”
“What happened?” Vixen asked, looking around the room. Jack, Hollis, and even the chancellor were there. “How am I alive?”
Vale took Vixen’s hand in his, placing it to his lips for a kiss before answering. “Jack sent word with the wind to the king. Uncle Frost immediately reinstated me and returned my powers, which meant I was once again connected to the Frost monarchy. And since I was connected, so were you through me. The connection solidified before the last breath left your lips. I used the scepter to summon my uncle’s power and withdraw the ice from in you.”
Vixen bit his bottom lip and turned his attention back to the brooding king. He steeled himself and met the king’s pitch-black gaze. “I’ve brought your nephew and your family nothing but trouble. It was all my doing. I only wish I hadn’t been such a coward and waited until now to come forward. Whatever punishment you see fit to give me, I shall accept without protest.”
“I think almost dying is punishment enough, elfling. I expect you will be more conscientious of your actions from this point forward?” The king arched an eyebrow at him and Vixen nodded fervently, even if it ached to do so.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The king looked around the room and sighed. “Honestly, you youngsters are so impetuous! Love will not always save you, you know. This will hardly be the last threat to our kingdom. There is
Chapter Nine
V IXEN .
Someone was calling his name, but it was so far away. There was nothing around him but blackness. At least he wasn’t cold anymore. There was a subtle, familiar scent enveloping him. It was… apples and spice. He knew that scent. It brought a wonderful peace to him and made him feel toasty all over. He groaned and pushed at the darkness. Something pressed against his cheek and he leaned into the touch. He liked it. It was soft. His eyelids were heavy, but he tried his hardest, and a sliver of light shone through. Slowly, he blinked, the world bursting into sound and color. Although his vision was blurry, it was slowly gaining focus.
“Vixen?”
He knew that voice. The sweet tone made him smile, and he turned his head to the most glorious sight.
“Vale?”
“Oh thank the gods!” Vale very tenderly embraced Vixen and kissed his lips, sending a wonderful warmth through him. For a moment, he wondered where he was. When Vale pulled back, Vixen saw he was in Vale’s bedroom, warm under several fur blankets. Across the room a fire danced and crackled inside the hearth.
“I’m so glad you’re all right.”
Vixen turned his head and found Rudy sitting on the bed to his left, tears in his pale blue eyes. “Rudy… I’m so sorry.” His voice was hoarse, and his body ached fiercely.
“Hush, it’s all right. But don’t you ever run off like that again, you hear me?” Rudy brushed a tear away from his cheek, and Vixen frowned. Why was his friend crying? Come to think of it, why was he in bed?
A deep voice pierced the silence of the room. “That was a very foolish thing you did, young Vixen.”
Vixen’s eyes widened as the King of Frost approached the bed, his expression stern. It all came to him with exceptional clarity. The scepter, the Mountain Fortress, Fern. Vixen tried to get up and hissed at the ache in his bones.
“Easy there,” Vale said, helping him sit up against several pillows. “Your body isn’t fully healed.”
“What happened?” Vixen asked, looking around the room. Jack, Hollis, and even the chancellor were there. “How am I alive?”
Vale took Vixen’s hand in his, placing it to his lips for a kiss before answering. “Jack sent word with the wind to the king. Uncle Frost immediately reinstated me and returned my powers, which meant I was once again connected to the Frost monarchy. And since I was connected, so were you through me. The connection solidified before the last breath left your lips. I used the scepter to summon my uncle’s power and withdraw the ice from in you.”
Vixen bit his bottom lip and turned his attention back to the brooding king. He steeled himself and met the king’s pitch-black gaze. “I’ve brought your nephew and your family nothing but trouble. It was all my doing. I only wish I hadn’t been such a coward and waited until now to come forward. Whatever punishment you see fit to give me, I shall accept without protest.”
“I think almost dying is punishment enough, elfling. I expect you will be more conscientious of your actions from this point forward?” The king arched an eyebrow at him and Vixen nodded fervently, even if it ached to do so.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The king looked around the room and sighed. “Honestly, you youngsters are so impetuous! Love will not always save you, you know. This will hardly be the last threat to our kingdom. There is
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