Page 18 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown (Kingdom of Bellhollow #1)

S hivering, I continue to walk through the snow, trying to make my way back to Bellhollow.

It started coming down heavily a couple of hours ago, as I made my journey home.

Buying everything in Hellhollow took a lot longer than I thought it was going to, and I knew I was going to get caught in the blizzard.

I could feel it in the air as I started my walk, but I couldn’t stay in Hellhollow, no matter how much I wanted to.

I told Mother I would be back by early morning, and I didn’t want her to worry when I wasn’t.

I should have told her I would stay if it started to snow, but I didn’t want her to worry then either.

The journey home after it has snowed all night wouldn’t be easy.

It would be higher, thicker, and colder, but it would at least be during the day when other people could be making the trip.

Right now would be a wonderful time to be able to communicate with my mother through some type of mind communication.

I know it isn’t plausible, but if it were, I could send her a message.

The only thing I can do is send a letter, and I know it wouldn’t reach her until late tomorrow afternoon, by the time I got there.

I tug my bag closer to me and fold my arms, trying to keep as much warmth in me as possible, but my boots are soaked and the cold snow is seeping in, making my toes blocks of ice with each step I take.

I’ve tried to wiggle them, but with each passing minute, my ability to move them has become increasingly limited.

Looking off to my right, I see several Fae carrying different things I can’t make out in the restricted visibility.

But they don’t look affected by the snow as I do.

Envy fills me, and I look away when they turn their heads toward me.

I don’t need their attention on me. Do they know their High Lord has taken an interest in me?

Do they want to kill me for gaining his attention?

I need to keep my head down and avoid drawing attention to myself.

I can’t make out much besides the piles of white snow forming on the ground.

It is pitch black, and I rely on my knowledge of the road that I’ve walked so many times.

Clutching the straps of the bag tighter as nerves run through me, I take in an icy breath that hurts my lungs. How am I going to make it through this?

Pushing that thought to the back of my mind, I think of Kieran.

He said he would tell me more about anything I asked when I saw him again.

I want to know what the connection between us really is.

I want to know more about the curse and how to break it.

Maybe I can figure out how to break the curse with them so they can be set free.

Foolish of me to think that when I have no idea whether what he is telling me is really true, but I believe him. I know I shouldn’t, but I do. Why would he lie to me? He has nothing to lose.

But would he lie to me if he knew I could help him gain back his freedom? I falter in my step, but I push that thought to the back of my mind. He said he wasn’t going to harm me, and he was telling the truth, showing me memories from when he was young and they were free. Why would he make that up?

I suck in a deep breath as my fingers scream at me to get warm, but there's nothing I can do. I can’t turn back to Hellhollow since I’m already halfway home. Am I going to make it to Bellhollow? Back to my mother and the warmth of the house?

I look over at the Fae one last time, wanting to call out to them and beg them to help me back to Bellhollow, but I keep quiet.

They could try to kill me if I asked. They could beat me and leave me in the snow to slowly die to show the prince they are still mad that they are slaves.

My pace slows with each step I take, the cold seeping into my bones.

“I can make it,” I whisper to myself, my teeth chattering.

Clenching my jaw, I trudge forward, begging my body to keep going even though I want to stop and curl up into a ball. My body screams at me with how cold it is. Tears form in my eyes as I take another deep breath, trying to calm myself down. I need to be calm in this situation.

Life or death.

I choose life.

Please , I beg my body in my mind. Just a couple more steps and I’ll be home. Please make it.I hold onto all my bags as I take another painstakingly slow step in front of me. The snow is almost up to my shins, and I know if I don’t make it home soon, I’m going to get stuck and die.

I should have taken my mother up on the offer to give me another jacket for this walk, but we had sold all of them, and it was money we needed. If I knew that I was going to get caught at the last store for longer than I intended, I would have taken the jacket mother offered me.

Please, I send up to whoever is listening. Please help me continue to walk. I’m so cold. I want to lie down and rest, but please give me the strength to continue on.

I hold on to whatever is in my mind, things I’m looking forward to, as I take several more slow steps toward Bellhollow. How close am I?

Someone, please. I beg in my mind. I need to hang on just a little longer so I can get back to my mother. My teeth start to chatter again as I take another sluggish step forward.

I can do it.

I am going to make it through.

Please. Someone. Anyone. Help me.

But I know no one is coming. I started this journey knowing the risks, and I didn’t want to wait.

I didn’t want to make my mother panic when I didn’t come back in the morning.

But now I’m going to make her grieve when she finds out I didn’t make it back.

Skylar will curse my grave when I have done exactly what she told me not to.

I’m not going to survive.

I’m going to die in the snow.

No one is here to save me.

I can’t ask the Fae to the side, they won’t help me. Why would they when they are the ones who are suffering? They are probably watching me and smiling, knowing I’m suffering right before I die.

I take another step, stumbling as my feet get caught in the snow, but I quickly regain my footing before I can fall. Once I go down, I won’t be getting up.

Keep moving.

I just need to keep moving, even if it’s slow. Every step counts right now. It’s one step closer to the house, and that’s what I need. Taking a slow, deep breath in, I calm myself and take several more small steps.

Warmth.

It spreads across my back, and panic sets in. I’m really dying. I’ve heard people talking about the stages you go through before hypothermia takes you. You get bitterly cold, you start to be unable to feel things, and then you get warm. That’s the last step before your body starts to shut down.

I’m not ready to die. There is so much out there for me to explore and do, and I’m not ready to give it up yet.

“Shhh, you’re okay,” someone whispers.

I turn around quickly, losing my balance and slowly start to fall before I can see their face. Solid, strong arms wrap around me, picking me up and holding me close to their warm body. I push away from it, trying to get out of the person’s grip, but they keep me tightly against them.

“No fighting. Let me warm you,” he croons. “Shit. You’re freezing.”

Kieran.

Kieran is holding me. He came for me, but how did he know I was here? Without thinking, I bury myself closer to the person, trying to get all the warmth they’ll give me.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers again. “I’m going to keep you safe and get you warmed up.”

“H-h-ho—” I try to say, but he hushes me.

“Just concentrate on warming up,” he tells me. “Calm and even breaths as I take you somewhere safe.”

I don’t argue as he holds me closely to him and starts to walk. Snow falls onto my skin as wind rushes past us, making me shiver. The bag I was holding is nowhere on my body, but I don’t have it in me to care right now. I’m slowly starting to warm up against his skin.

“If I could wrap my wings around you to keep the wind away, I would.” He kisses my forehead. “I’m going off the path in case of prying eyes, but don’t worry. You’re safe with me.”

I close my eyes and press my face against his bare, warm skin. How is he so warm when it’s snowing outside ?

Snuggling closer to him, I take a deep breath and try to relax, but I start to shiver harder as the wind hits my skin.

“Give me the bag,” another male voice says.

Whimpering, I move slightly in Kieran’s arms. Who else is with us?

“Shhh, you’re okay. It’s just Elias, my friend,” Kieran soothes me.

“Just your friend? I’m wounded that you don’t think of me as your best friend. I am part of your inner circle, or are you kicking me out?” the man, Elias, asks.

“Knock it off,” another person growls. “There is no time for messing around. Grab the bag and give him the blanket.”

“That’s Everett, another close friend of mine,” Kieran tells me like I’m going to remember this.

I don’t know what they look like, and I’m pretty sure their voices are distorted with how cold it is and out of it I am. Have I seen them before?

Elias.

He was there when Kieran carried the buckets of water for me. I remember him, but he was there for such a short time that I could easily miss him now if I were to pass him in the streets.

If I ever get to walk down the streets again. I may not survive the night and never get to see the beautiful nature of Bellhollow again.

“No,” Kieran growls.

I flinch right into his chest. No?

“You are going to live. I won’t have you thinking like that,” he says gentler this time.

Something soft wraps around me, blocking some of the wind from hitting my skin, and I sigh in relief.

“Wh-who else is he-here?” I manage to get out.

It feels like my vocal cords are frozen with how painful it is to talk. Am I dying slowly? I’ve never felt this way before. Last year, when this almost happened, I never once felt like this.