When Magic Dares (Darkly Fae Book 2) by Tera Lynn Childs Read Free Book Online Page A

felt like leaden icicles at the ends of her legs. She tried to lift them high enough to overcome the rocks and branches in her path. For the most part she had been successful.
    But each step became harder. Stiffer. More frozen.
    She tried to clear the next rock… and failed. She went down.
    Powerful hands wrapped around her arms before she hit the ground.
    Tearloch pulled her upright and turned her to face him. “Are you all right?”
    “Yes-s-s,” she said, unable to hide the shiver. “J-j-just c-c-cold.”
    She could feel the heat of his palms through the thick layers of her clothing. In that moment, all she wanted was to step into him, to let him wrap her in that warmth.
    “Why don’t you use your magic?” he asked.
    “C-c-can’t.“ She was too cold and exhausted for explanation.
    He did not push for any.
    “We aren’t far from the campsite,” he said. “Can you make it a few minutes more?”
    Arianne forced her spine straight, her shoulders squared, and her chin lifted. “Of c-c-course.”
    He nodded. “I’ll take the lead. Grab onto the back of my shirt if you need support.”
    She was equal parts grateful for the offer and determined not to accept it. Everyone always thought she was too weak, too soft. She had spent every day of the last ten years, since her father disappeared and she had to take his place on the throne, proving that she was just as strong and tough as he had been. She had learned to show no weakness.
    That she had let this stranger, this soldier see her even shiver was too much.
    She would not let him see more.
    Digging deep, she fell into step behind him as he forged his way up the mountain. Every several steps he would glance back over his shoulder, just barely. Just enough to make sure she was still there.
    Whether he was making sure she was okay or that she had not run off, Arianne didn’t know. Nor, at this point, did she care. If she had the inclination to flee, she could have done so a thousand times before, in a thousand better situations. She could no longer focus on anything but forward.
    He scrambled up one particularly steep stretch, then turned back to help her.
    “It’s here.” He reached down. “Just over this ledge.”
    Arianne shunned his help, instead forcing her frozen fingers to grip the stone and her frozen legs to make the climb. It took more effort than she wished, but she made it.
    In preparation for the journey, she had opted for an easy-to-move-in sweater over a much warmer, but bulkier cloak. Never had she regretted a decision more.
    “I will light a fire,” Tearloch said. “Why don’t you set out our dinner.”
    It was not a question.
    Arianne was grateful for the distraction of a task to accomplish. She carried both packs over to the flat area where they would make camp, then proceeded to pull out their dinner selection.
    Salted rabbit. A small pot of sweet potato stew. An array of hand pies, containing—if her nose identified them correctly—pheasant, some kind of ground meat, and a root vegetable medley.
    Considering the amount of energy they had exerted that day, Arianne decided they should have some of each. As she laid her selection out on a small blanket, the same one Tearloch had used for their lunch, he returned with an armful of small branches.
    He busied himself with breaking the branches into forearm-length pieces and piling them into the fire pit at the center of the site. When it was arranged to his liking, he held out his hand and concentrated. An instant later, a swirl of smoke rose out of the pile. Within moments, the entire bunch flickered with red-orange flame.
    Arianne felt a sharp pang of jealousy. She had once been able to wield such powers. All of her people could. And perhaps, if the confrontation with her sister went according to plan, they soon would be able to again.
    Rather than dwell on her jealousy, Arianne fell back on the teasing attitude that had become her way of dealing with the all-too-serious warrior.
    “Any