Free Frost Kisses (Bitter Frost #4: Frost Series) by Kailin Gow Page A

not going to work again!”
    “They say fairies are immortal,” Wort scoffed. “I'd like to test that theory.”
    “Just because your half-brother might be a fairy bastard, you hate fairies so much?” I snorted. “ Bad childhood, Wort? Well here’s news – get over it! You've already got what you want, haven't you? War! Bloodshed!” Kian lay a warning hand on my shoulder and I forced myself to calm down, as much as I wanted to run Wort through. “Well, you're responsible for this, Wort. All this death,” I gestured toward all the silver blood around the land. “If it hadn't been for you, Redleaf would never have been manipulated into starting this war, into imprisoning my father....” My anger rose up within me. This one man – how could he be responsible for so much evil? My rage grew hot within me, and I could feel orange sparks flaring like fire-kindle from my fingertips.
    Before I could stop it the flame had shot straight towards Wort, searing a hole that went clear through his arm. He let out a gurgling scream of pain. “Attack!” he shouted at the other Pixies, who rushed forth, brandishing their swords.
    It was now or never. Kian raised his sword, and I clutched my own, concentrating all the force of my magic into the sword handle, praying that I would be able to cut a clean swath through the band of Pixies that was approaching us. Kian's sword flashed blue and silver, emitting indigo sparks as it shone and slashed backwards and forwards. The Pixies' swords clanged against Kian's and my own, sending a horrible sound echoing throughout the sky.
    “Get back!” Kian cried, slashing furiously.
    We both retreated slowly, attacking all the while. Kian had managed to run one of the Pixies through with his sword, but there were still four men left – four of what were evidently the best Pixies Wort had on hand. And Wort was fighting too, even as he clutched his left arm in agony.
    “Stop!” I cried, as Kian stepped back.
    We realized, almost too late, that the leaf-covered ground gave way quickly to a sharp precipice, a precipice that not even a fairy could survive. There was nowhere else to retreat to. We'd have to fight – or be captured. Three of the Pixies rounded on us, staring straight at us with eyes that glowed gold and green. But where was the fourth?
    “Kian, no!” I shouted, running to him to block the blow, but it was too late. The fourth pixie had snuck behind us and had stabbed Kian straight through the shoulder. A spray of silver blood burst forth from Kian's arms, staining me and my armor.
    Kian stopped in shock. His lips parted; his eyes grew glassy in their silver sheen. His sword seemed heavy all of a sudden – it teetered, and then fell from his shaking hands. Kian stumbled forward, wrenching his body clean of the sword. And then he fell back....
    “No!” I rushed to Kian, trying to grab him back from the precipice, but it was too late. He had lost his footing, and then I too lost mine, and we were both falling together, sliding through the muddy leaves and then over the edge of the cliff, and there was nothing beneath our feet but air.
    “No!” I screamed, as my feet kicked into shallow air. Kian was in my arms now, his head drooping low, and together we fell even faster: a single loaded weight falling with the speed of a bullet down, down, down towards the ground. I closed my eyes tight, not wanting to see the ground grow wider and closer before me...
    And then I felt a jerk, and the falling stopped. I was moving, now, but it felt as if I were moving upwards, buoyed high by some invisible force. I opened my eyes. There were Kian's wings, iridescent and blue, flapping above us as we made our way home. His face still looked pained, and his silver wound was gaping, but I could see Kian's jaw set tight with effort: he would not let us fall; he would fly us to safety.
    “You're hurt....” I whispered. “Kian!”
    He gritted his teeth, and the flapping of his wings slowed and