Jim Hines - The Snow Queen's shadow

Danielle knelt in prayer. “I need you, mother. If you’ve some magic to share, some guidance…”

There was no response. She closed her eyes. All of Danielle’s life, she had believed her mother’s spirit watched over her. The animals that helped with her chores and provided companionship. The gown and glass slippers that led her to the ball and Armand. The glass sword that had saved her life more than once.

Her mother had given her so much, but how much had truly been a gift of her mother’s spirit, and how much was simply an artifact of her fairy blood? For so long Danielle had taken comfort from the knowledge that her mother was still with her, but now… “If you can hear me, please help us to save your grandson.”

“Will the Duchess even be able to respond to you here in this room?” asked Talia.

Gerta shrugged. “It depends on how badly Snow damaged the palace and its protections.” Through unspoken consensus, they had backed toward the walls, clearing the center of the room.

Danielle’s lips parted, but the words wouldn’t come. What would King Theodore say of a princess who bargained his grandson away to fairies? How would she explain to Jakob, when the time came to send him away?

She blinked back tears. Who knew how long it would be before Snow returned. She couldn’t afford to stall any longer. She took a deep breath and called the Duchess three times.

The answer came as quickly as before. The rug thinned, like oiled paper, until Danielle could see the Duchess beneath, her features silhouetted in blue light. Long fingers stretched out to claw through the rug, as though she were attempting to clear cobwebs from her path, but nothing happened.

“Can you hear me?” Danielle asked.

“So nice to see you again, Princess.” The Duchess gave up trying to remove the illusory rug. “How fares your son?”

Danielle held her tongue, refusing to be baited. To her left, Gerta had dropped to her hands and knees. She jabbed a finger at the rug, directly into the middle of the Duchess’ face.

“Stop that.” The Duchess waved a hand. Gerta yelped and pulled her finger back.

“I wanted to ask whether you’ve reconsidered your terms,” said Danielle. “Think of your future, Duchess. You are a fugitive, hunted by the rulers of Fairytown. You would do well to have the future queen of Lorindar in your debt. I could-”

“You know my price, Danielle.” Her profile shifted as she examined their surroundings. “Just as I know you wouldn’t pay that price if you had any other choice. I take it you and your friends have failed in your efforts.”

King Laurence lost to Snow’s magic, Hephyra slain, Jakob still a prisoner… there was no point in denying the truth. “If you take my son, it shall be by my rules. No magic to sway his heart or mind. No charms to deceive his senses.”

“No magic at all,” the Duchess agreed, “save that which is necessary to ensure his safety while in my keeping. He will be well-treated in every way. You have my word.”

“Six months only.” Danielle reviewed the Duchess’ words in her mind again and again, searching for loopholes. “As determined by our calendar. Six months after entering your care, you will return him safely to us.”

“Six months of each year, yes.” Blue light danced on her features. “In return, I will send one of my darklings to help you find your son.”

“A darkling?” Danielle clamped down on her nervousness, remembering the last time she had faced one of the Duchess’ darklings. She didn’t know how powerful they were, but Snow had destroyed several of them before. “Will one darkling be enough to rescue Jakob?”

The Duchess waved a hand, dismissing her fears. “He will be older than the ones you encountered. Not as powerful as the Dark Man, but strong enough to help you. Remember, I gain nothing without Jakob. It’s in my interest to help you rescue the boy.”

“We must all be safely returned to Lorindar.” Danielle wouldn’t put it past the Duchess to order her darkling to kill them all and steal Jakob.

The Duchess laughed, a much deeper sound than Danielle would have expected from a woman of her size. “I can’t promise your safety, or that of your friends. I’ll not harm you myself, but if one of you should come to harm, that doesn’t absolve you of your obligations. Once Jakob is safely returned to Lorindar, I will count my side of the bargain fulfilled. Six months from today, you will summon me again, and I will open a fairy ring to bring Jakob to me.”

Danielle glanced at Talia. From her expression, her thoughts were following the same path as Danielle’s. They didn’t have to return home. So long as they kept Jakob away from Lorindar, the terms of the bargain weren’t met.

Which meant she could either give up her son for six months of every year, or abandon her home forever, leaving Lorindar without an heir. It would mean stealing Jakob away from his home, away from his family.

“We must be allowed to talk to him while he’s in your care, to make sure you’re keeping your word,” Danielle stalled.

“You may speak together once per week, for no longer than half of one of your hours.” The Duchess pressed pale, slender fingers together. “Do we have a bargain, Princess?”

Talia stepped closer. “Your darkling will obey us until we are safely returned home.”

“Yes, yes.” She waved a hand, clearly growing bored.

Danielle didn’t speak. She reviewed the terms in her mind, searching for omissions the Duchess could exploit. What was she missing? “When he comes of age, this bargain ends.”

The Duchess pressed her fingers together. “When he is a man, he may choose for himself where he wishes to reside.”

“A man by my culture’s rules,” said Danielle.

“And which culture might that be, my dear? Human or fairy?”

Her jaw clenched. “Human.”

Gerta cleared her throat. “The longer we delay, the more likely Laurence or his Stormcrows will return.”

Danielle nodded. “We’re prisoners in the winter palace in Kanustius. Can your darkling help us escape?”

The Duchess’ smile was visible even through the rug. “Once you are free, he will bring you to those who can help you save your son.”

“Who?” demanded Danielle.

“Bellum and Veleris, fairy queens of the underworld in Allesandria. They can protect you and help you rescue little Jakob. I imagine they may even be able to help you save Snow.”

Fairy queens in Allesandria. Danielle stared into the illusory pit. “I don’t understand. Allesandria drove the fairies from their land.”

The Duchess laughed again. “My people are not so easily banished. We can be defeated. We can be pushed into hiding. But we existed long before your kind claimed dominion over this world, and we shall exist long after your age ends.” She leaned closer. “If you agree to my terms, spill three drops of blood into the portal.”

Danielle looked to Talia and Gerta. Gerta sat against the wall, staring into the pit. Talia’s jaw was tight, but she nodded ever so slightly.

They had no weapons. Danielle searched for a way to provide the blood to seal the bargain, but nothing in the room appeared sharp enough to cut skin.

“Your nails,” Talia said softly.

After a week of travel, Danielle’s nails were a ragged mess. She bit one, tugging the corner until the skin tore and blood seeped from the skin.

As she held her finger over the carpet and squeezed blood from the tear, she wondered if Armand would be able to forgive her… or if she would ever forgive herself.

Talia inhaled sharply, then slowly forced the air from her lungs. It was a sik h’adan breathing exercise designed to control fear and anger before a fight. It had never worked very well for her. Her jaw was tight. Her fists clenched as she waited.