Frozen Fear Book. 2

❅Chapter 24❅

"So what are these creatures called again?"

"Fir Darrig," Foster explained for the twentieth time.

I looked back over my shoulder at Gheimhridh. It loomed above us in the darkness, and at that moment I couldn't help but want to flee the shadows and evil creatures that lived within. The faint aroma of smoke came to me over the breeze. In the distance, I could see flame licking up the sides of the Winter Palace through the windows. A wave of satisfaction fell over me.

"And how are they suppose to help us?"

"They are artists in teleporting across space."

"What is teleporting?" Clance asked, still perched on Sebastian's back.

Bash turned back to look at him. "It's something you and I can never do, so don't get your hopes up."

Clance jutted his bottom lip out in a pout, and I glared at Bash. "Your brother doesn't know what he's talking about. You might be able to do it, one day." I knew I was lying, but how could Bash shoot down his hopes and dreams like that?

"Really?" Clance's golden eyes lit up.

I nodded. "Really."

Sebastian glared at me from under his hair, but I just shrugged.

The wind ripped and tore at our clothes, our hair, tossing it around us. For once, I was happy that the faerie servants used more pins in my hair than there were stars in the sky. But I wished I had something to cover Bash and Clance. They tried to hide, Bash more than Clance, but they were shaking so hard their I could hear their teeth chattering above the howling wind.

Clance was still wearing the same white coat, boots, and pants, but Bash only had a thin leather coat and boots to protect him from the cold. I looked down at my hands, wishing that one, I could have my magic back, and two, that it was something other than ice and cold. I knew I would only make it worse.

I turned to Foster as we marched through the snow. "Do you think you can get these off?" I asked, holding up the shackles bound around my wrists.

He smirked. "Actually, I was hoping you'd keep them on."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Oh really. And why is that?"

"You're kind of scary for a human," he laughed.

I scoffed. "I am not!"

He chuckled. "We'll get them off as soon as we regroup with the others. I don't really have time to pick locks right now."

I nodded. He was right.

We marched a little while longer, but Foster suddenly stopped so abrupt that I ran straight into his back.

"What is it?" I asked.

"They're here," he replied.

"Who's here," Bash interjected, coming to stand in front of Foster. "What are you talking about, faerie."

Foster grinned. "The Fir Darrig."

As soon as he said those words the wind around us stopped howling, the world becoming eerily still. I let out all the air in my lungs, expecting to see my breath in front of me, but there was nothing. Startled, I turned swiftly to look at The Winter Palace. The flames seemed to be frozen - unmoving. Even the scent of smoke was undetectable.

"What did they just do?" Bash asked, taking the words right out of my mouth.

Foster's smile was radiant. "Fir Darrig are cut-ups оf а ghastly nature. Thеу mау assume аnу visage thеу want. They are the only creatures known to be able to manipulate time."