Chapter 14 (Part 2)

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As I took another step towards the hallway, curiosity shifting my focus away from the door that led downstairs, I felt my foot slip on the linoleum floor in the kitchen just before it switched to carpet. Snapping a hand out to catch myself on the corner of the wall, my hand met the cool surface with a shiver.

Sliding my hand across it to reach for the light switch, I flicked it on to bathe the hallway in a faint yellow glow. Frost covered everything in a thin layer, the floor, the walls, and the ceiling. It covered the short length in an icy glaze that hid the wear and tear of age and neglect that left its mark on the rest of the house.

The further down the short hallways that I peered, the thicker the frost got. It became so thick that ice surrounded the ajar door at the end. My parent's room.

I felt my heart jump into my throat as I passed the basement door that was just inside the kitchen and started down the hallway to investigate. I only made it another two steps forward before a hand pulled me back three stumbled ones.

Rowan released a heavy sigh as my back hit his chest. "Where do you think the smell of winter magic is coming from? Stay behind me," he instructed as he pushed past me to lead the way.

Not trusting me to listen, he held his arm out at his side to block me from slipping past him as he began down the hallways, the carpet that would have otherwise silenced his steps sounded a soft crunch as he stepped onto the frost-covered surface. 

Not seeing any reason to argue, I followed after him. If he wanted to be a human- fae shield, I wasn't going to complain.

But unfortunately, there seemed to be a disconnect between my body and my mind. The beat of my heart didn't feel the same way. It kicked up a notch at the thought of him getting hurt to protect me.

Brushing the unease aside, I stuck close to Rowan as he made his way forward. When we reached the first door, the one that led to the bathroom, he pushed it open and flicked the light on to give it a quick sweep with his eyes, clearing it before moving on to the next door, my room. When he opened the door, I watched him still for a brief moment as he took in the bedroom that was faintly illuminated by the grey glow from the lightening sky outside.

"Is this... a bedroom?" He questioned, his eyes scanning over the mattress in the closet-sized room- a closet according to my standards, that held most of my measly belongings. The rest of the house was littered with my parents. This was the only place where anything of mine was safe- if I managed to hide it well enough.

"Yeah," I whispered, barely loud enough for my own ears to hear.

"Ash's?" He questioned with a raised brow.

I shook my head, but he couldn't see it with me standing behind him. "No," I said, prompting him to look my way for more.

I looked away and tried to move past him for the last door, the one encased in ice. It was too embarrassing to claim the room as my own, especially to a prince who grew up in a castle. So, I didn't.

Rowan didn't linger long at my room for an answer, seeing me move he was quick to reach an arm out to push me back behind him. A chastising glare accompanied his unhappy expression.

"We don't have all day," I reminded him stiffly. It wasn't just because of the anxiety and unease I felt clawing at my insides. My whole body was stiff. I had every muscle clenched to keep myself from shivering. The closer we got to my parent's room, the more the temperature dropped. So much that it was warmer outside where it was snowing.

Rowan's eyes narrowed to slivers before he pulled them away. His jaw clenched as he reached out and gave my parent's door a hard shove that had ice cracking as it swung open to hit the wall. I heard a chuckle break off and land with a dull thud on the stained carpet.

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