Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

NICK

T he storm roared like a beast unleashed; the wind howling through the trees as I urged Icebreaker deeper into the forest. The cold bit into me, the kind of bitter chill that made the blood in my veins feel like rivers of ice. But I couldn’t turn back; not when those snow leopards were out there, not when the Frost Queen might have already crossed into the realm.

The pines blurred together in the driving snow. My horse snorted nervously, his ears flicking back at every snapping branch and gust of wind. He could sense it, too—something unnatural lurking in the storm.

And then I saw them.

Three white forms materialized out of the blizzard, their glowing eyes fixating on me with predatory anger. I’d been right. Snow leopards. Bigger than any natural beast should be, their growls deep and resonant, cutting through the wind like a blade.

“Easy, boy,” I murmured to Icebreaker, tightening my grip on the reins and drawing my sword. The steel glinted faintly, its weight familiar in my hand. The leopards fanned out, their movements calculated, circling me like beasts stalking prey.

The lead leopard lunged.

My horse reared, its whinny a sharp cry of fear as the beast swiped with claws like daggers. I pulled hard on the reins, but the leopard’s leap sent us both tumbling. I hit the ground hard, the breath knocked from my lungs as snow exploded around me.

The leopard was on me before I could recover, its claws raking toward my throat. Instinct took over. I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the swipe, and lashed out with my sword. The blade met fur and flesh, and the leopard let out a furious snarl as I scored a deep cut along its side.

Another leapt from the right.

I barely had time to block its attack with my blade as the second leopard pounced. Its weight slammed into me, knocking me back into the snow. Teeth snapped inches from my face, its hot breath mingling with the cold air. I drove my knee into its stomach, twisting as I reached for the dagger at my belt. With a desperate thrust, I plunged the blade into its chest.

The leopard yowled, its strength faltering, but it wasn’t done yet. It raked its claws across my arm, and I hissed in pain as blood welled from the gashes. Gritting my teeth, I twisted the dagger deeper, aiming for its heart. The beast shuddered, then slumped lifelessly onto me.

There was no time to breathe. The third leopard was already upon me, its roar vibrating through my bones. I shoved the dead beast off and scrambled to my feet, sword raised. The remaining two circled me, one favoring its injured side but still lethal.

The leader attacked again, a blur of white and silver. I sidestepped, swinging my sword in a wide arc. The blade met its mark, slicing through the beast’s shoulder. It yelped, retreating briefly, but its companion took advantage of the opening.

Pain erupted in my side as claws tore through my jacket, raking across flesh. I stumbled, my vision swimming as blood seeped into the snow. Snarling, the leopard bared its fangs as it prepared to strike again.

Not like this, I thought, gripping my sword tighter. If this was my end, I would go down fighting.

The leopard lunged, and I thrust upward with every ounce of strength I had left. The blade sank deep into its chest, piercing its heart. The beast let out a final guttural growl before collapsing onto me, its weight driving me back into the snow.

My breath came in ragged gasps, each one more labored than the last. The world tilted, the storm swirling in a dizzying blur of white and red. I managed to push the leopard off me, my hands slick with my own blood, and staggered to my feet. My legs felt like lead, each step a monumental effort.

I made it to a tree, leaning heavily against its rough bark. My vision narrowed, blackness creeping in at the edges. The snow beneath me was stained deep crimson. I was losing too much blood. My grip on the sword faltered, and it slipped from my hand, landing with a soft thud in the snow. My knees buckled, and I sank down, the cold seeping into my bones.

“Alva…” I whispered, and then everything went dark.