Free New Frost: Winter Witches by Phaedra Weldon

New Frost

    My dad is Jack Frost.  
    Yeah…that's not something I've said aloud much. No one would ever believe me. I wasn't even sure I believed it anymore. And if it wasn't for my freaky affinity with all things cold…I'd have given up on that fact a long time ago. Beyond who he was, my constant wish was to meet him. To see him. To just…know he was real. Despite the fact I'd inherited some of his abilities, some sort of physical contact, a word or a smile would mean the world to me.  
    I turned nineteen today and just finished my first quarter at University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. It was December 20 th , and the temperature had dropped fast since the morning. I was waiting outside Donovan Hall, the Residence Building I'd spent the last eight weeks in. My room mate had already left for winter break.  
    My ride was late, but Crow had called and warned me ahead of time.  
    So there I sat on my luggage, my backpack at my side. My hooded coat was in my lap as I watched people walk by and the cool wind moved my hair from behind my ears.  
    "Hey Amelia!" Matice Renya waved as he ran up to me. "You need to put your coat on or you'll freeze."  
    I made a rude noise as I noticed Matice had his own coat zipped up and his faux furred hood over his head. His nose was red and he looked…cute. Matice was the first person I met when I arrived in September. Even before my room mate, whom I had absolutely nothing in common with. She was pink and bows and I…wasn't. "It's not that cold."  
    "Amy…it's forty one degrees out here." He had his hands threaded through the straps of his backpack. I didn't see his luggage. "They're actually saying it might snow this year. Wouldn't that be great? A real white Christmas?"  
    I gave him a lopsided grin. "That is some serious wishful thinking."  
    "Aw come on, Amy. Have a little imagination. Don't you want to see snow?"  
    More than anything , is what I wanted to say. But my heart wanted something else.  
    Matice noticed my silence and knelt down in front of me. "Hey…your mom okay?"  
    "Yeah. She will be. She's meeting us at the cabin in a day or so."  
    "She healthy enough to do that?"  
    I looked away from Matice because I didn't want him to see my eyes water. Though he had held my hands several times while I barfed my guts out after a night of too much bad wine and experimentation gone bad. Seeing me like that was okay. But like this? I sniffed. "Yeah. My grandma's been with her in the hospital and she's bringing her up to the cabin tomorrow."  
    "Crow coming to get you?"  
    "Mmhmm. He's running late."  
    "So…I finally get to meet this mysterious man in you life?"  
    I gave him a harsh glare as I pushed him over onto the cold concrete. "It's not like that. Crow was my dad's partner and he's taken care of us ever since."  
    "But he and your mom have never—"  
    I kicked at him. "No. Crow and mom aren't like that at all. I mean…I used to think they would. But neither seem interested in the other. Crow told me he knew how much my mom loved my dad. He died the day before their wedding."
    Matice moved closer and put a hand on my arm. He wore gloves so the fuzzy knitting tickled. "I"m sorry, Amy. I bet Christmas is always kinda sad for your mom. And for you?"  
    "For mom, yeah. He died in December. But me? Matice I never knew my dad. He's a collection of photographs mom keeps on the fireplace mantel. Pictures by her bed." And messages left in frost on my windows in the morning. But it had been a very long time since dad had left a message on any window. Especially mine.  
    My mom was diagnosed with cancer a year ago. The doctors at the time said it was easily treatable. They got to it in time. Well, they got to some of it. But they missed the worst parts of it, and now she maybe a month. Which was a strange diagnosis for me since she was alert and walking and talking. I thought of cancer patients as invalids in hospital beds connected to tubes and machines.  
    Not