Free Ever Winter by Alexia Purdy Page B

the frozen wastelands of the Arctic, deep into the Ice Kingdom to a place Shade had never wanted to visit, let alone know about. The Great Divide.
    “Ready?” Dylan clutched at her hand and gave it a firm squeeze. His eyes shined to see her looking almost normal and not deathly sick like she’d been in the infirmary. The magic Ilarial and the healer had done on the darkling’s mark had done wonders for Shade. It’d made it impossible to believe she would die in three days if the dark magic was left unchecked. Shade ran her fingers over the spot on her arm, through her coat, where the mark lingered under the fur. The coat was from Soap, and it was the softest leather, with layers of insulation to keep out the freezing temperatures. It had her sweating at the moment.
    “Yes.” She blew out a breath, hoping to calm her agitated nerves as she reached out to clasp Camulus by the hand. He was dressed with a coat too, but not as thick as hers. It made her pause for a moment wanting to ask him why he wasn’t so concerned about the cold when Dylan leaned in to whisper to her once more.
    “It will be over soon; your magic will be yours once more. It’s cause to smile, not grimace.” He winked and straightened. The sweet smile he threw her made her feel a flutter inside her belly. A hesitant look passed over his face, and he hadn’t moved from his spot quite yet. “Shade?”
    “Yes?”
    “I have something for you.” He reached into the pocket of his jacket, built for freezing temperatures even though the cold rarely bothers the Teleen. It was going to be colder than any place he’d ever been. Better safe than sorry. Pulling out a small charm, he held it out in the middle of his palm. It shined like gun metal and looked tiny and fragile on his skin. It was a small metallic acorn looking seed, complete with a fused-on loop to hang on a necklace or bracelet. He grasped her hand and dropped it into the center.
    “What is it?” She studied the tiny charm, liking the light, cool metal feel of it as she rolled it around in her palm. It vibrated with magic, a familiar earthly kind.
    “It’s an Ancient Oak seed. I placed it on a loop so you can wear on your necklace. It’s kind of like a memory charm. That way, no faery or magical being can make you remove it.”
    Turning it around in her fingertips, she let its power infuse itself into her. It was good magic. Fresh. yet ancient. The only being she’d ever met that felt like old magic was Corb himself. But his was not so simple, not so innocent. “What do I do with it?”
    “I wanted you to have it, for whenever you’re in trouble or in need of sanctuary. You can plant it anywhere, and in an instant, it will grow into a gigantic oak tree. Once it’s grown, you can touch it and it will take you somewhere safe. There are hundreds of these trees throughout Faerie, so it can take you to one of many different places, anywhere one of these trees has grown.”
    “How do I know where it will take me?”
    “Easy, just imagine the Teleen Caverns. It’ll take you there immediately, faster than teleporting with Camulus.”
    “There’s one at Teleen? But, won’t it take forever for it to grow?”
    Dylan shook his head, amused at her questions. “Yep, one Ancient Oak tree sits in the middle of one of the tallest, open caverns in the center of Teleen. You never got to see it when we were there. Don’t worry; it will grow within a minute. “
    “If I’m trying to get away from someone, won’t they be able to use it too?”
    He shook his head, brushing away a wisp of hair which had fallen into her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. This little gesture made her insides turn into a fluttery mess and her face flush scarlet. “Nope, it offers sanctuary only. It will not work for another Ancient being, like Corb, or someone with dangerous intentions. It will never show anyone where it took you. Teleen will be safe for you. Just imagine you’re there and there, you’ll