Frosted (Frosted #1 | Jackunzel)

{ Chapter Eighteen }

According to the etchings stitched into the leather of the saddle, the horses' name was Maximus and he was, indeed, an old palace steed. Rapunzel wondered why he'd been staying with a guard no longer in work, since the animal seemed quite young and healthy in age. Perhaps the both of them had been too fond of one another to part—there were few things stronger than the bond of friendship. Rapunzel knew that from the one she shared with Pascal, and now with Jack Frost and Baby Tooth.

The sound of flapping wings brought Rapunzel's gaze to the other side of the trail. Her chin brushed again the leather of Flynn's vest as she pressed her opposite cheek to his back—if both of them desired keeping on the saddle, the proximity was a very necessary thing. Disappointment found her when she realized the sound had indeed just been a bird. Nothing else. No one else. She'd barely caught sight of Jack in the hours she and Flynn had been riding, though Baby Tooth did come sit along Maximus's back, behind Rapunzel, once every few dozen minutes to play with Pascal. Rapunzel sighed, tightening her grip around Flynn's waist as she switched cheeks once more. The growing rock formations on this side of the trail were much more apparent and interesting to look at.

"Out of genuine curiosity," Flynn cleared his throat, "you're not secretly planning on suffocating me, are you, blondie?"

Rapunzel immediately loosened her grip to an agreeable hold. "Not quite yet," she commented halfheartedly.

"Good. 'Cause then I'd feel stupid for taking you along." There was a pause, as if he wasn't certain whether or not he wanted to say more. Finally, he let loose a long exhale. "You—Since we're talking and all, I've been meaning to ask you... Back at the stables, did you... I mean, did you feel anything weird?"

Rapunzel lifted her head as best she could in her position, eyes forever scanning for wandering spirits. "You mean other than the terrifying rush of adrenaline running through me while I ran for my life?"

She felt Flynn chuckle underneath her. "Sorry about that. Right, Max?" He bent forward to scratch at Maximus's ear, earning an irritated huff in reply. He was silent again as he slowly pulled himself back upright, leather groaning from the movement. Finally, he whispered, "There was... I've never seen anything like it before. There was a chill in the air, and white grew on the rope like some man-eating disease put on fast forward, and then hands. There were hands." He twisted to look at Rapunzel, accidentally knocking his elbow into her ribcage as he did so. But his brown eyes were too wide for him to notice. "Don't tell me you didn't see the hands."

Rapunzel hissed, unwrapping an arm from Flynn's waist to rub at her wounded side. "What hands?" She asked, though she knew deep inside he must have somehow seen Jack when he'd flown for the stables.

Flynn's gaze grew distant. "She didn't see the hands," he mumbled. "I'm going crazy. I truly am going crazy. They'll build a psych ward, just for me, and then they'll stand there pointing and laughing."

His muttering grew distant. The air suddenly made her heart ache when she looked off into the distance. It wrapped around her, encasing her in a cage of nostalgic lonesomeness. When she focused back on Flynn, he'd already turned away.

A soft buzz sounded by her ear. Rapunzel wasn't surprised to see Baby Tooth fluttering above her shoulder, tiny head cocked with her hands clasped at her jaw; she'd been shameless swooning over their new company since they'd departed this morning. Rapunzel pursed her lips. If Flynn was this freaked out over Jack, then how come he never looked twice at the very present fairy?

Because he couldn't even see her, she realized. Even the Rettersonne's had been able to see Baby Tooth.

"Have you ever heard of children's tales?" She asked Flynn.