14. Sapphire

Sapphire

Ghost moves with precision, his paws barely making a sound on the snow, as if he knows exactly where he’s going.

I don’t have a plan—I barely know what I’m doing—but I trust Ghost. He’s my only shot at finding Riven.

The trees thin, and finally, I see it. The palace looming ahead, its massive icy walls shimmering under the moonlight like a fortress carved from the heart of winter itself.

Ghost slows as we reach the edge of the forest and stops next to the palace’s back wall, beneath an open window on the second floor.

Through the dim glow of the interior lights, I see a figure moving inside.

Riven.

Now, I need to get to him. But I can’t scream up at him from down here. It’s too risky that someone else will hear me. If they do, I’ll be dragged back to the tower before I can plead my case to Riven in private.

I need to get up there, to what I assume is his room.

Maybe I can teleport inside. Just like how I teleported down to the base of the tower to Ghost.

I stare up at the window, focusing on my need to get up there. I imagine standing beside Riven, inside the warmth of the palace, finally alone with him again.

Nothing happens.

I curse beneath my breath and try again, pushing with every ounce of willpower I can gather.

Again, nothing.

And I don’t plan on standing out here all night. So, it looks like I’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way.

I glance around the area, my gaze stopping on a large tree looming nearby, its branches thick enough to hold my weight.

Without hesitation, I hurry over to it and start to climb—just like how Zoey and I used to climb trees when we were kids.

She was always a faster climber—nimbler, and more impulsive. But I could still get to the top. Slower, and with more concentration, but I never gave up.

Now, my hands are numb from the cold, but I grit my teeth and keep going, just like I did back then .

Finally, I reach the highest branch that seems remotely stable.

But Riven’s window is farther away than I’d hoped. Too far to jump without breaking my neck and dying for real this time.

Of course, the fae wouldn’t make it that easy to break into the prince’s chambers. I should have known better. I was just so desperate, and so hopeful.

And catching his gaze might be even less possible than jumping through his window, because he’s on his bed, reading, oblivious to anything that might be lurking outside.

I glance down at Ghost, who’s still watching me from the base of the tree. His eyes are locked on mine, as if silently encouraging me to keep trying.

I attempt to teleport again.

Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t work.

Zoey’s face flashes through my mind, her lips blue, her body slumped in that freezing cell, so close to death. If I don’t figure this out, I’ll lose her.

There has to be a solution here. Ghost seems to believe in me, which means I need to have better belief in myself.

I think back through everything that’s happened since the first time I entered the fae realm, stopping at the memory of running from the Wendigo. I made that impossible leap with Zoey over the fallen trees. I remember the rush of air beneath my feet, as if something unseen had carried me across.

Did I harness humidity with my water magic to propel us forward?

Maybe.

But I don’t have anything long enough to gain the momentum I had then. All I have is the length of the branch.

Which means the branch will have to be enough.

Without giving myself time to second-guess the plan, I take off, sprinting along the length of the branch. Every step feels light, and I spring off the edge, pushing my magic into the air, coaxing it to propel me forward like it did when I leaped over those trees.

I’m weightless.

Everything else around me disappears—the palace, the cold night, the ground far below… all of it.

There’s only me and the open window, getting closer with every heartbeat.

I’m doing it.

I’m flying.

Well, maybe not flying. But it sure feels close.

Everything speeds up again as I soar through the window and land hard on the floor of Riven’s room, somehow staying on my feet as I do.

He grabs the sword lying on his bedside table, springs at me, and thrusts it through my chest .

I brace myself for the pain—for my final moment. I’ve survived a lot, but there’s no way I can survive a blade through my heart.

Instead, the sword passes through me, like I’m not there at all.

Riven stumbles, thrown off balance by the lack of resistance, confusion flashing across his face.

“What the—?” His gaze snaps to the sword, back to me, then back to his sword again.

I have no answer. I just glance down at where the blade should be lodged inside my chest, finding no wound. No blood.

Impossible.

“Sapphire?” he asks, his silver eyes wide in disbelief. “I almost—” He cuts himself off, his hand shaking as he lowers his sword. “I could’ve killed you. You should be dead right now.”

“Do you want me to be dead right now?” I ask, since he did, after all, try to run his sword through my chest.

“No,” he growls, which is all the answer I need. “I heard someone break in through my window, and I struck. I didn’t see it was you. Your hair was covered. I thought you were a thief, or worse. I wouldn’t have done that if I knew it was you.”

His confession sends an undeniable rush of warmth streaming through me.

And while I have no idea how I survived his attack, I need to get down to business about why I’m here. Zoey isn’t going to survive that tower if I don’t do something to help her.

“I’m fine,” I tell him, stepping cautiously forward. “I don’t understand what just happened, either. But I’m here, and I’m okay.”

“How are you here?” he asks. “You were locked in the tower. No one’s ever escaped the tower. No one.”

“I think I teleported,” I say, continuing before he can react. “One minute I was in that cell, freezing to death with Zoey, and the next, I was outside with Ghost. I don’t know how I did it, but we can figure that out later. Because right now, I need your help. Zoey’s going to die if we don’t get out of there. I probably will, too. I don’t know if fae can freeze to death, but?—”

“They can,” he interrupts, his eyes cold.

I flinch, startled by his change of demeanor.

But I’m not going to let it stop me.

“So, I’m right. I might die up there,” I reply, panic filling me as I realize the inevitability of it if I can’t get us out. “I need your help. We need your help. You’re our only hope.”

“You escaped the most secure prison in the Winter Court,” he says, even though we’ve gone over this already. “Then you broke into my quarters.”

“Yes.” I shrug. “But it wasn’t just me. Ghost helped.”

“He does seem quite taken by you,” he mutters, still not letting go of his sword—and still staring at me like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve. “But you shouldn’t be here.”

“Well, I am here. And you can put that down.” I motion to his sword. “You clearly can’t hurt me with it.”

“Apparently not,” he says. “But blade-proof or not, you’re freezing. I’ll grab you a jacket so you can try warming up. Then, we’ll talk.”