Read Online Spring Frost by Kailin Gow - Free Book Online

hurt you,” said Kian, looking ashamed – as if, somehow, my pain was his fault.
     
              “Being without you hurts me even more,” I said. “This pain is better than the pain of not being able to sleep in your arms.”
     
              Kian smiled sadly. “But if only we could have both,” he said.
     
              “If only, indeed.”
     
              We set off a few minutes later, our horses mounted and racing through the leafy forests of Autumn Springs. It was truly a beautiful place, I thought, as my mind struggled to take in its glorious lights and colors: orange, red, yellow leaves all shining like blazing flames around me. Each step the horses took resulted in another delicious crunch of fresh leaves underfoot. The air was perfumed – it smelled like nutmeg and cinnamon and burned oranges. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the breeze, all the while trying to avoid the suggestion – gnawing at the back of my mind – that this might be the last time I ever felt it whipping upon my face.
     
              Then it grew colder. As we left the perimeters of Autumn Springs and headed into Feyland proper, we began to catch sight of the snow banks – silvery and white – in the distance. I began to shake – at first it was only a small tremble, my hands fumbling with the horse’s reins. Snowflakes were gliding down onto my shoulders; the air was crisp with the scent of pine and fir. I tried to ignore the cold, tried to ignore the way my hands were turning blue, but it was to no avail. Soon I was shivering – several swift, sharp shivers that seemed to turn my spine into jelly.
     
              “Breena, what’s going on?” Kian looked up, worried.
     
              “It’s fine,” I responded. “Just keep riding, please. We need to get there faster…”      
     
              “Not if it’s harming your health!” Kian said. He immediately removed his fur coat, letting it fall to the snow. “You need to wear this,” he said, handing it to me and wrapping it around my shoulders. His touch made me shake even more violently. “I’m trying not to touch you,” he said, his voice trembling as much as my body. “I just want to comfort you so badly, to make this better…”
     
              Logan averted his eyes. I did not want to see the pain in his gaze, and so I looked away, too.
     
              “I can’t do this…” Kian sighed. “I can’t not touch you.”
     
              I wrapped the fur tighter around my shoulders. “The fur is warming me up,” I said. “I’m just getting used to the Winter Kingdom. It’ll be better soon; I’m sure of it.”
     
              “How can I be sure?” Kian’s eyes were like saucers.
     
              “We need to build a fire,” Rose said. “Take an hour’s rest. We’ve got four hours of riding until we get to the Kingdom – we’ll be there tonight, at least. But it’s more important that we don’t risk Breena’s health.”
     
              “No – we have to hurry…” I protested. The last thing I wanted was to slow down the others, especially when I was sure that nothing the others did would work: Clariss’ poison was a one-way ticket to the Dark Hordes, and no amount of fur or fire could fix that.
     
              “Nonsense,” said Rose. “Executive decision, we’re taking a rest.” She dismounted her steed. “Shasta and Rodney – you start building a fire. Kian, let’s go hunting for some dinner. Logan, you help Breena off her horse – Breena, don’t protest, there’s no way you can dismount in this state.”
     
              Logan nodded curtly and dismounted his own horse, coming over to my side. He put his hands around my waist. “Ready, Breena?” he turned to me with a small smile.
     
              I started. Something – a strange, warm sensation – had stirred within me. It felt