them in the first place. They would think it was an indulgence in a time when we are not allowed many.”
I looked at her closely. I could tell she loved these creatures more than she loved humans—except maybe Kai.
I wondered again about their relationship.
“You and Kai? What are you to each other?”
“We are like brother and sister,” Gerde said, petting a polka-dotted pig.
My brain stuck on “like.” The way she said the word bothered me.
“So you don’t have the same parents?” I asked for clarification.
She shrugged.
“We were raised in the same home. But when winter first fell, things were chaotic. Mothers were separated from their children. Other mothers took them in. Even now, it still happens. There are a lot of orphaned kids in Algid.”
“So you don’t know for sure if you’re brother and sister?”
“I just know he is my family. Now, do you want to help me feed something?” Gerde asked, putting an end to the topic.
I nodded and we moved on.
“I know this is going to sound odd. When I first got to Algid by the River, I was attacked by giant wolves. Only, they weren’t made of flesh and bone…”
“Oh, the Snow Wolves.” Gerde raised an eyebrow, her interest piquing even further. “Most people who meet the Snow Beasts don’t live to tell the tale.”
“What do you mean? What about you? I saw what you did with the birds just now … but does that mean … Can you control the Snow Beasts, too? And wait, SNOW BEASTS? There are more than just the wolves?”
Gerde nodded.
“There are Snow Lions, Tigers, and Bears … even insects. Snow Bees can sting a person to death in minutes…”
I shuddered at the thought as Gerde continued, clearly marveling at the Snow Beasts’ prowess.
“Basically anything and everything King Lazar can dream up. They are not alive—not in the way my animals are. I don’t know exactly how he does it, but they still move and breathe and obey.”
“Could you survive them? Can you control them with your gift?” I asked again.
Gerde explained, “I can touch something in animals that reaches back to me. But in the Snow Beasts, that part is missing in each and every one of them. But maybe you can fight them with yours.”
She still believed in my gift and in the prophecy. I didn’t have any interest in going there again.
“I don’t know about that. What about people? Can you reach people the same way?”
“To be honest, I don’t always connect to people.”
“That makes two of us.” I reached down to pet a lamb. The soft wool gave me comfort. Bale was my best friend before he was more. I remembered a time when Bale caught me drawing him. We were twelve years old. I didn’t let him see the drawing at first. Because it didn’t do him justice. Somehow I’d captured the lines of him, but not the spirit.
“This is how you see me?” he’d asked.
“It’s terrible. It doesn’t capture you. It doesn’t have your humor. Your heart … Your…”
He leaned in as if waiting for more compliments.
“You little …” I chose my favorite expletives and jumped on top of him, pummeling him.
He put up his hands. “I give up.”
I relaxed my grip.
A second later, he flipped me over and pinned me down. We were suddenly out of breath and suddenly aware of how close we were. His eyes broke with mine and looked at my lips and back again. He didn’t move, though. Like he was waiting forpermission. And I didn’t move because I didn’t want to be asked. I wanted to be kissed like Kayla Blue on The End of Almost . She was never asked.
“You’re getting a little old for wrestling …,” Vern’s voice had cut through, breaking the moment.
Bale rolled off me. “Vern, you could stop clocks with that timing of yours,” he said, hopping to his feet.
The memory stung a little.
“Now we have each other!” Gerde singsonged, bringing me back to the present.
I smiled but didn’t agree or disagree with her. Instead I pointed to something pink
I looked at her closely. I could tell she loved these creatures more than she loved humans—except maybe Kai.
I wondered again about their relationship.
“You and Kai? What are you to each other?”
“We are like brother and sister,” Gerde said, petting a polka-dotted pig.
My brain stuck on “like.” The way she said the word bothered me.
“So you don’t have the same parents?” I asked for clarification.
She shrugged.
“We were raised in the same home. But when winter first fell, things were chaotic. Mothers were separated from their children. Other mothers took them in. Even now, it still happens. There are a lot of orphaned kids in Algid.”
“So you don’t know for sure if you’re brother and sister?”
“I just know he is my family. Now, do you want to help me feed something?” Gerde asked, putting an end to the topic.
I nodded and we moved on.
“I know this is going to sound odd. When I first got to Algid by the River, I was attacked by giant wolves. Only, they weren’t made of flesh and bone…”
“Oh, the Snow Wolves.” Gerde raised an eyebrow, her interest piquing even further. “Most people who meet the Snow Beasts don’t live to tell the tale.”
“What do you mean? What about you? I saw what you did with the birds just now … but does that mean … Can you control the Snow Beasts, too? And wait, SNOW BEASTS? There are more than just the wolves?”
Gerde nodded.
“There are Snow Lions, Tigers, and Bears … even insects. Snow Bees can sting a person to death in minutes…”
I shuddered at the thought as Gerde continued, clearly marveling at the Snow Beasts’ prowess.
“Basically anything and everything King Lazar can dream up. They are not alive—not in the way my animals are. I don’t know exactly how he does it, but they still move and breathe and obey.”
“Could you survive them? Can you control them with your gift?” I asked again.
Gerde explained, “I can touch something in animals that reaches back to me. But in the Snow Beasts, that part is missing in each and every one of them. But maybe you can fight them with yours.”
She still believed in my gift and in the prophecy. I didn’t have any interest in going there again.
“I don’t know about that. What about people? Can you reach people the same way?”
“To be honest, I don’t always connect to people.”
“That makes two of us.” I reached down to pet a lamb. The soft wool gave me comfort. Bale was my best friend before he was more. I remembered a time when Bale caught me drawing him. We were twelve years old. I didn’t let him see the drawing at first. Because it didn’t do him justice. Somehow I’d captured the lines of him, but not the spirit.
“This is how you see me?” he’d asked.
“It’s terrible. It doesn’t capture you. It doesn’t have your humor. Your heart … Your…”
He leaned in as if waiting for more compliments.
“You little …” I chose my favorite expletives and jumped on top of him, pummeling him.
He put up his hands. “I give up.”
I relaxed my grip.
A second later, he flipped me over and pinned me down. We were suddenly out of breath and suddenly aware of how close we were. His eyes broke with mine and looked at my lips and back again. He didn’t move, though. Like he was waiting forpermission. And I didn’t move because I didn’t want to be asked. I wanted to be kissed like Kayla Blue on The End of Almost . She was never asked.
“You’re getting a little old for wrestling …,” Vern’s voice had cut through, breaking the moment.
Bale rolled off me. “Vern, you could stop clocks with that timing of yours,” he said, hopping to his feet.
The memory stung a little.
“Now we have each other!” Gerde singsonged, bringing me back to the present.
I smiled but didn’t agree or disagree with her. Instead I pointed to something pink
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