Finally, the flame caught and as the fire crackled, I settled down beside it.

  I was wearing my leather tunic that buckled across the chest like a full-length corset, and beneath that, a pair of leather shorts. My boots were thigh high, and stiff leather garters held them firmly to my thighs. My cape was woven from the same Venetia worm silk as the tent, and it was also the same mixture of dark green and white. Perfect camouflage in the snowy forest. I shifted the cape snuggly around me as I sat on a log, staring into the fire.

  Hungry again, I rummaged in my pack for the rest of a loaf of bread, and more cheese. I also had jerky but I’d keep that for when I was in mid-travel and didn’t want to stop. Stabbing the cheese on a stick, I held it over the fire until it was creamy, then spread it on the pieces of bread. After that, I took out a small metal bucket and packed it full of clean snow, hanging it over the fire to melt while I ate.

  I was used to being alone—the silence didn’t bother me. When I was home, I mostly talked to my sister Sparkle, helping her with her letters and numbers. My mother insisted that we all learned to read and write the language of Truebloods, even though she could have been punished for teaching us since we weren’t full-blooded dragonkin. The hedge dragons also had their own language and she had taught us that as well, along with Elvish. Long ago, before the dragons were shut off from the rest of the world, the Elves had interacted with the Celestial Wanderers and the Mountain Dreamers—the two relatively sane factions of the Dragonni.

  But other than lessons, my mother seldom had much to say to me except to order me around. So we didn’t really talk unless it was about the larder. My brothers were insolent and obnoxious. They were also Mother’s favorites, if she could even claim to have favorites.

  One day I had asked her why she preferred them to me and my sisters.

  “Because you and your sisters will one day move away to be mated with your own kind. You’ll leave the house and leave me. But my sons will take care of me. It’s their job.”

  I had bitten my tongue, but couldn’t help but think, No, your sons will leave you faster than we will. Over the years, I had tried to encourage her to hone her skills in her human form—her wings might be broken, but her arms were not. She could make a life for herself among the hedge dragons—they would accept her because of what happened to her, even if they avoided the Truebloods. She couldn’t hurt them, not by herself, and she could have found a job as a cook or a nanny and had the protection of a household. But when the Dragonni broke her wings, they broke her spirit, and she was long lost to bitterness and anger.

  I shook off my thoughts. If she hadn’t sold Shellsong, I probably would have stayed out of obligation, taking care of her and my sisters for as long as I could foresee. But now, for the first time in my life, I had left the Forgotten Kingdom, left my family, and I was on my own. I finished eating, then drank the melted ice. It settled through my body like a hug. After banking the fire so it would last until morning, I crawled into the tent and huddled against the cold as best as I could.

  Two days later, I was beginning to worry. I didn’t seem to be heading into Wildemoone—at least not the realm as I’d heard of it. Instead, I was deep in the forest, struggling through knee-deep snow and constant wind.

  I was running low on food and if I didn’t catch something soon, I’d starve. I thought about shifting form, flying over the land to see where I was, but the winds were strong and the snow was thick, and if I lost my position, I’d have to stay in dragon shape until I found someplace safe where I could shift back.

  The snow grew thicker the farther I walked, and the forest seemed to be darker, with the sun rising later every morning and setting sooner each afternoon. Dusk came so quickly that most of the day was spent in darkness.

  I paused midday, looking around for signs of life. I needed a bird or a hare or even a deer if I was going to eat the next few days. But the snow poured down so thick it was hard to see my hand in front of my face. It stuck to my hair and cloak, freezing my eyebrows and lashes. My breath froze into puffs of vapor in front of my face.

  Every now and then I stopped to muster up enough heat to melt it off of me, but I couldn’t do that too often or I’d lose the energy to keep trudging along.

  I was beginning to think I should turn around and go back, when I heard a noise behind me. I slowly turned to see a massive spider—its body was as long as I was tall—creeping toward me from between the trees. It was beautiful, white with shimmering gold and black stripes, and it was eyeing me like I might eye my dinner.

  “Oh frall!” I sputtered, hastily pulling out my sword. The crystal blade immediately gleamed with a pale blue light, the sign that this was more than some big-assed arachnid. My sword glowed when it was around something malign, and it was gleaming now, sparkling so bright that it almost blinded me in the dusk.

  The spider scuttled toward me, hissing over the snow. The legs made it a formidable foe. They were jointed, with piercing sharp tips on the ends. The creature was quick—so quick that I barely had time to run between a couple trees that had grown so close together the spider couldn’t fit through the space. But even as I used them for a shield, another noise echoed through the muffling snow, directly behind me.

  I swung around, sword up. A second spider came rustling toward me from the open space behind the trees. And a third was coming in from my right. My only escape was to the left.

  I darted in that direction, slogging through the knee-deep snow. The spiders were able to race across the surface of the frozen crust.

  Even with all of my strength, I knew I couldn’t outrun them. I could change into my dragon form, but that required me to strip naked, unless I wanted to destroy my clothing. Unlike the Dragonni, hedge dragons wore regular clothing instead of our wardrobe forming when we took human form. But I wasn’t going to have much choice in a few minutes.

  I glanced over my shoulder as I stumbled into a vast clearing. There were trees nearby, but they were far enough apart to get a sense of the vastness of the land. I kept my eye on the spiders as they approached. I was going to have to shift.

  I stopped in order to focus on the transformation, but instead of the waves of power that usually rippled through me, nothing happened.

  “What the hell?” I tried again. Again, nothing. “Why can’t I shift?”

  I lifted my sword and turned to fight as I tested the air, seeking for any sense of lightning nearby. There was a spark or two—enough for me to summon up one bolt if I was lucky. Thunder snow wasn’t all that unusual, at least in the Forgotten Kingdom, but I had no clue about how frequently it could be found in the outer world.

  The spiders spread out, surrounding me in a triangle as I backed away. I hated having my back exposed, but neither was it wise to get trapped against a tree. I began to gather the threads of lightning, weaving them together, when a strange energy began to interject itself into my magic.

  Startled, I glanced up at the sky to see a ripple of light shimmer across the heavens. Green and blue, purple and a plum-pink, the lights darted, shifting position.

  The spiders froze as the howl of wolves echoed across the horizon, and then, crossing the bridge made of the lights, raced a massive deer with large curved antlers, followed by a pack of wolves and behind them, a man. He was silhouetted in shadow, his laughter echoing through the clearing.

  I blinked as he danced across a silver web that blended in with the lights. As his feet touched the strands of the web, they shimmered and sparkled.

  One of the gods, I thought. It has to be one of the gods out hunting.

  The spiders reared up, waving their front, jointed legs. They were focused on the sky as well. The energy of the lights continued to infuse itself into my stream of lightning and—without thinking—I shot a bolt at the lead spider. It encased the creature in a web of sparks. The lights in the sky flickered as the spider thrashed.

  I jumped forward, stabbing it with my sword, and a silver liquid began to pour out, hissing as it hit the snow. As I retreated, the other spiders suddenly seemed to realize that I was within their range and swept forward.

  The hunter paused, and the next moment, he jumped off the web.

  I gasped. He’d kill himself with a freefall from that distance. A dive like that was guaranteed suicide. No mortal could fall from the heavens like that and survive.

  But land he did, kneeling on one leg, shaking the ground. No flattened mess. A moment later, he was on his feet as he raced forward to insert himself between me and the spiders.

  He shouted something—I didn’t recognize the language—and the spiders froze, eyeing him. The next moment, they backed away toward the forest and the man turned around to face me. He was about my height, with melting brown eyes and long dark hair that fluttered in the wind. His skin was a warm golden color, and he had a double ring piercing his lower lip.

  Terrified, I backed away, my hand on the hilt of my sword. I wasn’t sure where he came from, but I doubted that he’d know how to speak hedge dragon, or even the language of the Dragonni. I decided to try Elvish.

  “Who are you?” I asked.

  He stared at me, looking perplexed. But he answered in Elvish. “You’re not an Elf.”

  At least we could converse. I snorted. “No, I’m not an Elf. Neither are you.”

  “Well met, stranger. I’d take my hand off the sword if I were you.” His voice was soft-spoken, but I could hear the threat beneath it. Still, he made no move to fight, not even touching the sword hanging from his own belt.

  I debated. I probably couldn’t outfight a god, but I still wasn’t sure if he was one. Yet he had saved my life. “Tell me who you are first,” I said.

  “My name is Kuippana. I’m Lord of the Wolves.”

  That made sense. He wasn’t running with the Hunt, he was leading it. And by the power that radiated off of him, it was easy to see that he was most definitely a god. The only other creature besides a god who could run with the sky lights like that would be an elemental, and Kuippana was far more earthy than that.

  I slowly withdrew my hand from my sword, tensing as he stepped closer. But he made no sudden move. Instead, he looked me up and down, concern on his face.

  “Did the spiders bite you?”

  I shook my head. “No, and thank you—I didn’t stand a chance against them.” I might have, in my dragon form, but I wasn’t ready to tell him what I was.

  “That bolt you sent was strong enough to fry one. I think you might have been able to hold out,” he said. “So, what’s your name, and what are you doing in the middle of a blizzard, in the wilds of Pohjola?” He crossed his arms, waiting.

  I blinked. “Pohjola? I’m not in Wildemoone?”

  His lips crinkled into a smile as he shook his head. “No, I’m sorry, you’re not in Wildemoone. You’re in the northwestern tip of Pohjola, which lies north of Kalevala. Wildemoone’s to the southeast. I’m afraid you’ve gotten yourself turned around. You have to cross through Kalevala to reach Wildemoone, or travel across the sea to Annwn and then southeast from there.” He paused, then added. “Again, I ask, what’s your name?”

  “Storm,” I muttered, turning over the information. I had gotten myself turned around, all right, and that meant I had lost valuable days of travel time. I was also caught in what was quickly becoming a blizzard.

  “I guess I should get back on the road, then. I have to make it to Wildemoone as fast as I can.” My mistake could cost Shellsong her life and I’d never forgive myself if it happened.

  But Kuippana shook his head. “No, lass. You can’t travel now—you’ll never find your way back through this snow. The weather’s setting in to get worse. You’d better come back with me to my camp if you hope to survive.”

  I wanted to follow after my sister, but as he spoke, I detected a note in his voice that I wasn’t used to. I gazed into his eyes and saw kindness—kindness, and sincerity.

  “I’m in a hurry. My sister’s life depends on me making it to Owlanvine.” I decided to be honest. How could he understand my need for haste if I didn’t at least tell him why?

  But again, he shook his head. “If you continue, I guarantee you’ll lose yourself in the forests. And Loviatar’s ice spiders aren’t the only dangers here. There are far more vicious and evil creatures in the depths of Pohjola. Come with me, and I’ll help you get to Wildemoone as quickly—and safely—as possible.”

  I glanced back at the dead body of the spider. Its massive fangs shone in the dim light. My heart sinking, I gave in.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  As we trudged out into the open, I thought about the gods.

  The Dragonni didn’t pay much attention to them. Dragons—Truebloods—were on the same level regarding immortality. I recalled that the first dragons belonged to a group of beings called the Titans, who gave birth to some of the godlings. My mother had told us a few stories about the gods, and while she didn’t worship them, I could still remember the respect in her voice.

  The snow drove down harder, and I could no longer see more than a few feet in front of us. I realized he was right—I’d never survive out here on my own. I hadn’t even found a spot to set up my tent and by the time I did that, I’d be frozen. I couldn’t sit out in the open all night. I might be strong, and able to work with fire and lightning, but that didn’t mean I was invulnerable to the weather.

  “How far to your camp?” I asked. “And how will we get there?”

  “We’ll cross the aurora. I can take you with me,” he said.

  “Aurora?” I frowned, unfamiliar with the term. “Is that the open space up ahead?” I motioned to a wide stretch of open land, where the snow was blowing in circles, turning everything into a white blur.

  “No. The aurora is another word for the sky lights,” he said, holding out his hand. “Take my hand and I’ll pull you onto it. Don’t let go of me until we reach our destination. You could easily get lost that way and trust me, as uncomfortable and dangerous as it would be to lose yourself in Pohjola’s forests, it’s far worse to get lost in the aurora.”

  I hesitated, but then took his hand, which was warm and comforting. He led me to the center of the clearing. The next moment, I gasped as he leapt into the sky, dragging me with him, and then we were speeding over the shimmering lights. They called to me, as lightning crackled beneath my feet. A low music echoed around us and I realized that it came from the lights themselves—they were singing, a low reverberating hum that echoed through the cavernous sky.

  The aurora was so bright I wanted to close my eyes, but the fear of missing something stopped me, and so we went skittering through the heavens. As we lightly bounced across the ripples of blue and green, I wondered how much I would owe him for the help.

  Running across the lights reminded me of the first time I had ever flown. At first, a rush of fear washed through me, but the fear turned into joy. As I raced through the sky, the scintillating energy soaked into me, much like when I soaked up the power during lightning storms.

  But it seemed like only a moment before he tugged on my hand and we leapt off the bridge and—within the blink of an eye—landed on the ground in front of a small cabin. The cabin, built of wood, was tucked beneath the boughs of a tall stand of fir. Smoke drifted from the chimney and cheerful lights flickered from within.

  “Is this your home?” I asked as we trudged through the snow toward the structure.

  He shook his head. “No, but it’s where we’re staying for now.”

  He had said “we” several times, and I wondered who he was traveling with and if I could trust them. Kuippana I could trust. My gut told me he was a man—god—of his word. But who was he traveling with, and could I trust them?

  Kuippana seemed to sense my hesitation. “Don’t worry. You can trust my companions. One is my betrothed, and the other, her mentor.”

  “Are they both gods, as well?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “No. My fiancée is one of the Ante-Fae, and her mentor belongs to the Force Majeure. Her name is Raven, and his is Väinämöinen.”

  Neither the words “Ante-Fae” or “Force Majeure” meant anything to me. I was about to ask what they meant as we reached the door. Deciding my questions could wait, I kept silent as he opened the door and escorted me in.

  The cabin was small, but the warmth from the hearth was welcoming, and the glow of light came from small orbs that flickered near the corners of the ceiling. They hovered steadily in the air, bobbing gently like leaves on a pond. The smell of roast meat and vegetables filled the cabin, and yeasty bread. My mouth began to water.

  A woman who looked younger than I was sat in a rocking chair, wearing the strangest getup I had ever seen. She was dressed in a black corset that looked to be leather, over a plum-colored skirt. From beneath the edges of the skirt, she appeared to be wearing an underskirt made of fine netting—but the nets weren’t made of rope. Instead, it was very fine, narrow strands of some substance that were woven together. Her boots were leather, like mine, but they were shiny and I wondered how much work it took to polish them to that level of shine. Busty and plump, she had long dark brown hair streaked with purple, and her eyes were wide and brown. It was also obvious to me, from looking at her, that she wasn’t human in the sense of the men and women I had met in my years.

  Kuippana spoke in Elvish when he introduced us. “Raven, love, meet Storm. I found her in the forest, being attacked by Loviatar’s ice spiders. Storm, this is my fiancée, Raven.”

  Raven smiled, rising smoothly and holding out her hand. I stared at it for a moment, then slowly, clumsily, held out my own, unsure of what she was going to do. But she merely took my hand in her own and shook it.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Storm.” Her gaze widened as her fingers touched mine. “Dragonkin?” she asked, pulling away, her voice trembling.

  Kuippana whirled toward me. “Are you one of the Dragonni? Of course, that’s what I sensed about you—”