Burning Snow (Displaced Fairytales #2)

Chapter 1

“Princess Safara of Rothen, will you marry me?” Prince Blamore presented the beautiful diamond ring, his charming smile the only thing that could rival its sparkle.

“Yes,” I smiled, my heart actually fluttering at the romantic gesture. “I would be honored to, Your Highness.”

I offered him my hand, and he took it as gently as one would coax a butterfly onto their finger.

I had to admit, he was every bit as handsome as storybooks depicted charming royal men.

His dark blue eyes could have rivaled any sapphire, and his brunette hair was just a shade darker than mine, making his fair skin glow in an almost ethereal way.

Emaline would be thrilled for me when I wrote to her.

I could only hope that her future betrothed was half as charming as mine.

“Hooray!” One of the housekeepers cheered from behind the prince, the older woman’s joy too powerful to contain. “Oh, what wonderful news!”

“The wedding shall be spectacular!” Another servant chimed in, her giddy voice clearly infectious as the rest of the servants started chattering like songbirds in choir practice.

For a kingdom notorious for its frosty weather, there was a great deal of warmth already to be found.

The Averglas palace was bright and airy, with large windows that let in the view of the clear blue skies and the winter scenery.

Winter had just begun, so the evergreens were only lightly dusted with the first snowfall, like powdered sugar on a sticky bun.

It wasn’t easy leaving my mother and sister behind to forge this alliance, but with Emaline’s wedding still at least a year out, we couldn’t risk waiting much longer to steady our kingdom.

The shiny new ring seemed to twinkle as brightly as my future. Perhaps marrying a stranger wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“I greatly look forward to our time together,” Blamore said, placing a sweet kiss on top of my hand. “Let us celebrate our coming union.”

He motioned for a servant to bring over a tray of mugs full of piping hot mulled wine.

He handed me a cup, and the sweet, spiced scent instantly made me feel at home in my new world.

I blew the steam off my cup, catching the eyes of the prince through the light fog as he gave me an adoring look that did little to keep my heart from falling too fast.

“Forgive me for staring, Your Highness.” The prince looked down at his own mug, his fair skin unable to hide the rosy tinge in his cheeks. “I’m afraid I wasn’t prepared for how beautiful you would be.”

“Beautiful?” My hands tightened around my mug, my heart stuttering as those sapphire eyes consumed me.

“Very much so,” he breathed, his wistful voice causing even the maids to giggle and swoon as they failed to eavesdrop silently.

“In fact, I should like to give you something...” He handed his mug back to the servant, pausing to give me an almost mischievous grin before slipping away. “Wait here, I’ll return shortly.”

I took the first sip of my cozy drink as his boots echoed against the marble floors.

The warm beverage soothed my throat, warming me from the inside out with an almost earthy flavor.

The sound of the prince’s exit was quickly overridden by the squealing of maids as they ambushed me from all sides.

I nearly spit out my drink, barely keeping the liquid in the cup as an older woman hugged me from the side.

“I have long awaited this day!” the older servant from earlier said, tears misting over her wrinkly eyes. “We’re so thrilled that our Blamore has found his princess!”

“Yes, he’s been speaking of you for quite a while now,” a younger maid said dreamily as she clung to my arm. “He’s quite taken with you! As dreadful as the loss of your king was, I know His Highness was grateful for the chance to come to your aid.”

He wanted to help after we lost Father…? How sweet.

“You’ll make such a beautiful bride!” A tall, pretty maid tucked a loose hair behind my ear as she studied my features. “We shall have to take your measurements to get you fitted for a new wardrobe. What are your favorite colors?”

“Well, I like red, and—”

“What foods do you like, dear?” The older woman interrupted. “I’m afraid we don’t have much fresh produce this time of year, but I can make a mean meat pie.”

I opened my mouth to reply but was once again interrupted by a bouncy maid who desperately had to know if I preferred silk sheets or linen.

Their badgering questions kept coming on like the wind in a hurricane, but I could hardly be bothered when they were trying so hard to please me.

Their dynamic was similar to that of a tight-knit family, and my soul lifted at the thought of it.

Emaline and Mother would be delighted to hear that I was in such good company.

“Easy now, everyone.” Prince Blamore stepped back into the room with a chuckle, his hand clearly hiding something behind his back. “Let’s not crowd the poor princess. There will be plenty of time to give her a proper welcome.”

The servants scattered, muttering quick apologies to their prince while still grinning eagerly. The prince stopped in front of me, shifting the concealed object in front of him while still hiding it as best as he could against his chest.

“Besides, I wish to be the first person to spoil my future queen.” He turned the object over in his hands to offer it to me, and my heart stuttered when I laid eyes on the striking silver hand mirror.

The handle was studded with diamonds, and the engraved silver was almost too beautiful to be real.

I handed my mug to the nearest servant and accepted it gingerly, my dark eyes glittering back at me.

“I had it made special for you when I received word that you were coming. This way, you can always see the beauty that those around you already do.”

He had this made just for me?

I traced my thumb around the delicate edging, my throat tight as I took in every detail of my future husband’s first gift.

“Thank you, Your Highness...” I said in awe.

“Please, call me Blamore,” he said, his voice smoother than the purest ice.

“Thank you, Blamore.” I tested the prince’s name out loud, the sound tickling my tongue like it wasn’t used to the taste just yet. “I’ll treasure it forever.” I gazed back down at the mirror, my palms cold from what was probably nerves.

“And I’ll treasure you, my princess,” Blamore said, his chivalrous tone hard to appreciate when the strange chill crept up my arms. “I hope that you always– Oh? You’re shivering. Was your drink not warm enough, Your Highness?”

I am?

I looked down at my arms, and sure enough, they were trembling wildly. My teeth began to clatter together, and despite never wanting to release my new mirror, I feared that it might freeze to my palms soon.

“N-no,” I chattered. “The mirror is just a bit cold.”

“Cold?” Blamore moved closer to investigate, the tightness in his voice not helping my trembling.

I held it up for him to see every angle, and a sudden hush washed over the room as he looked over it as cautiously as a ticking bomb. The handle felt as cold as ice now, but my focus was riveted to the tiny swirls of white curling up along the edges of the glass.

Is that…frost?

I narrowed my eyes on the icy residue, brushing my thumb against the frigid glass with a soft whisper that not even Blamore could have heard.

“Hello?” I don’t know what compelled me to speak to the glass, but what was even more concerning was its response.

A sharp pair of blue eyes reflected back at me.

I screamed, the sudden image frightening me enough that I dropped my precious gift and sent it crashing to the floor.

The sound of shattering glass accompanied my scream, causing Blamore to secure me with his arms. The guards came running at the sound, hunting around the room for the source of the trouble but looking just as confused as I felt.

“What happened? Are you all right?” He gripped me cautiously around the waist, stepping between me and the broken mirror that I couldn’t tear my gaze away from now.

“Th-there was a face in the mirror,” I stammered. “A man, with blue eyes.”

The silence that followed was the most chilling thing I’d felt all day. The cheerful servants who had welcomed me now looked as lifeless as marionettes with their strings cut. It was as if everyone was holding their breath to prevent some greater evil from stretching its power even further.

“Not him... Not now,” Blamore hissed under his breath, his grip on me tightening before finally letting me go.

The wind seemed to pick up outside the castle, the whistling growing louder as flecks of snow began to pool in the corners of the expansive windows.

It didn’t seem out of the ordinary to me, but the whole room seemed to spur back to life with a jolt of fear, their petrified expression glued to the white world.

“Cover up all the mirrors,” Blamore commanded, his barking tone prompting the guards to action. “Light every fireplace to ward off his ice magic. If he was in the princess’s mirror, he might very well be in others. We can’t let his magic spread.”

The servants rushed into action alongside the guards, everyone barking orders at each other and racing through the halls like their lives depended on it. I looked down at the shattered mirror, my chest tight as I noticed more frost that had spread onto the floor.

Did it?

I started shivering again.

“Don’t worry, Safara,” Blamore said, his sweet smile returning but feeling completely out of place now. “I promise I’ll keep you safe.”