A Court of Snow and Storms

10. Birthday Treats

Elodie followed Wynter into the house. They traveled farther inside than she'd gone before. Her eyes were wide as she took in her surroundings. Candles lined the walls of the hallways. Faelights twinkled overhead. Paintings hung in some areas, most of them depicting Wynter, Kallias, and Viviane. Wynter was older in some of them, but most of them showed him as a young child.

Elodie paused beside one painting in particular. According to the date, it had been painted shortly before Wynter's kidnapping. It portrayed Wynter standing in between the High Lord and Lady. Wynter halted up ahead, waiting for her.

"You have your father's smile," she said, "but you crinkle your nose like your mother."

"I do?"

Elodie waved him over. Wynter joined her, studying the portrait with a cocked head. She watched him, smothering a laugh as he consciously wrinkled his nose. He rubbed the tip of it with a sniff. Elodie hid her mouth behind a hand as she snorted.

"What?" Wynter arched an eyebrow.

"You just..." Elodie quirked her mouth sideways. "You have a cute nose," she laughed. The tips of her pointed ears grew warm. Wynter knit his brows as she resumed walking. "I didn't think you would ask me to come in again."

"I didn't either," Wynter admitted. "In here." He opened a door to a vast library.

Elodie followed him over to several chairs near a wide fireplace. Her gaze wandered over the shelves filled with books. There were large windows in between each shelf, conveniently placed there to illuminate the aisles. However, she noticed their drapes were all closed.

    Elodie set her blanket aside and leaned towards the fire, relishing its heat. "Do you get cold easily?" Wynter asked.

    She nodded. "It's a trait I inherited from my mother. I'm warmer than most people from the Winter Court. Thankfully, I'm not as warm as she was, or I'd have even more issues with the cold."

    "I thought you felt warm when you took my hand the other day."

    Elodie lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I just didn't want you to go after Lev."

    "You are the only person who doesn't make me uncomfortable," Wynter murmured. Before she could reply, he asked, "Am I cold compared to you?"

    "You mean, was your hand cold?" He nodded. "Your skin is cool, but it's not cold. It's nice."

    Wynter's blue eyes flickered to the fireplace. His cheeks seemed flushed, but it could have simply been the glow of the flames. "If you get cold so easily, why didn't you wear your cloak tonight? It's snowing again."

    Elodie bit her lip, trying to think of a response. "It was ripped the last time I took the children out. I haven't had time to fix it yet."

    Wynter glanced at her and she could tell he didn't exactly believe the story. He asked no further questions thankfully. Elodie opened her satchel and withdrew the letter and dried flowers.

    "These are for you," she said. "Happy birthday."

    Wynter's eyes widened as he took the items. "I... Thank you." He turned the letter over, then set it aside and examined the flowers. He brushed the tips of his fingers over the brittle petals. "Did you dry them?"

    "Yes. I love flowers of any kind really, but periwinkles are the only flowers I've seen in person. I like to dry them and use them as decorations. People say that dried flowers no longer carry scents, but I disagree. If you dry them right, they still smell faintly."