three months later

Snow whipped around me, obscuring my vision. The cold left frozen tears glistening on my cheeks- my fingers too numb to brush them off. Behind me, Paige and Lacey seemed to have trouble maintaining their solid form, struggling with the harsh winds. In front, Hades yelled back, "Hurry up- Paris is going to find us at this rate."

Shoving the foul words I planned to spit out back down my throat, I forced my booted legs up. Then, I forced the winds in the opposite direction to throw off whatever scent lingered. I could feel the strain of the wintry hike through the mountains and the strain of constantly harnessing the wild winds for a split second, sitting on my chest, making each step harder. But, I pushed on, relentless, unwilling to submit to the cold. 

Even still, I was too cold to summon even flame, and my freezing body began to shut down, and I realized, there was only one way out of falling unconscious. Shifting into my Faerie form hurt- I had forgotten how painful it was. I kept my Faerie blood a secret- but I had no choice.

As soon as my vision cleared, I could see each snowflake with starling clarity- could hear the screams of the wind as it whipped snow, but felt a steady and sure surge of warmth go through my body. With stronger Faerie legs, I began to run in the knee deep snow, and caught up to my brother, who had already shifted as well. Paige and Lacey seemed to have had finally solidified, and caught up silently, saying nothing about the shift. 

~

"Why won't you free me from my agreement if we're equals as you claim?" I asked one day as we were eating dinner.

Paris froze, his eyes going cold, "Because, as soon as I free you, you'll leave me."

I knew this was my cue to drop it, but I kept pushing. Maybe because it was the glass of wine I just had, "How can someone possibly want to remain by your side if they have no choice?"

"You had a choice to go with me, as I recall." And that marked the end of the conversation. For him.

"You blackmailed me, you insufferable prick. What makes you want me so much?"  I challenged him, but the prince just continued eating his fucking steak like I was just an annoying puppy yapping for attention.

"Is the reason why you force me to remain here against my will because everyone runs away from you once they see the true side of you?" As soon as those words left my mouth, I knew I had pushed Paris over the ledge.

"Enough."

I scoffed and stood up, "We both know that's true."  My heart thrummed with fury and anger seemed to posses and play me like a puppet.

He didn't even bother looking at me when he snapped his fingers with one hand and held the wineglass in the other.

Two shadowy figures appeared- and my blood seemed to recoil in horror.  No, no, no, my inner voice screamed. "Take Lady Evelyn into her room. She is not allowed to leave unless given express permission by me only, and should anyone attempt to free her, kill them."

"...Paris?" I whispered, shock lacing my voice as tears welled up. The shadows seemed to grab on to me with their minds and forced me forward, sending me stumbling.

"How could you, Paris?" I asked as I was forced out. He said nothing, and took a long gulp of wine.

~

"We're here." Hades said at last, grim. I shot him a deadpan look, "This looks exactly like  the rest of the mountain, genius. What do you mean?"

Paige shook her head, "It's a hidden cave. Hurry- we'll die of frostbite before the Prince catches us if we're out here." I nodded as Hades held aside the frozen vines for me, and slipped into the cave behind me. As soon as the entrance was concealed again by the vines, I sent furious winds in front of the cave to blow away our tracks.

The cave was about ten feet deep. Small, and the entrance was the only exit. If Paris caught us in here, we had no way out. Hades dumped the bundle of wood he had collected in the middle of the tiny cave and took out a flintstone. Saving the hassle, I snapped my fingers, summoning my fiery anger to catch fire. A lone flame appeared and began to grow as I willed, until it thawed the half frozen wood, absorbing the water until the wood was dry- perfect for burning.

Hades just stared at the flames, his fingers curling around the flintstone tightly. Sometimes, I so desperately wished I could glimpse behind the poker face and see the raw emotion, and console my brother the way I wished someone would console me.

"Thank you for saving me." I said at last, over the cackling flames. Hades looked up from the angry flames and dropped a nod, before returning his gaze back to the fire.

Paige and Lacey wisely retired for the night, curling up in a corner and not long after, dozed off.

I reached for my pocket and pulled out the knife Hades had thrown me before, and began sharpening it with a sharp rock on the cave floor.

"You've changed," Hades remarked quietly. I raised an eyebrow, "Of course I have. Nine years seem to do this everyone."

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't any of you?" He blurted out, as if that question haunted him- it probably had.

"Tell you what?"

"Why did you run?"

I heaved a sigh and looked up at last in the eye, "You want the truth? Or a lie?"

"This isn't a joke," He snapped.

I rubbed my eyes, and allowed my gaze to drift back down to the knife, "I didn't want to go. I cried, screamed, and begged to stay. I didn't want to leave you behind. Mom... she was crying too, I think, if not bawling. But...she didn't beg to stay, to fight. I vividly remember calling her a coward... Amber, I mean, Amberly was the only clear headed person amongst us. She urged us to hurry before the tunnel collapsed-"

"No, not that. Why did you run and never return?"

I refused to meet my brother's piercing gaze, "I..." I managed before I shook my head.

"Why not?"

My eyes were filled with fear when I met his eyes again, "Because Stars forbid, Amber will hunt both of us down if I tell you."

My brother seemed to struggle with his thoughts, staring at the incandescence of the flames. Hades looked weary- the bags under his eyes and his face looked haggard. 

So, I said softly, "Go to sleep, Hades, and think about everything when morning comes." 

Hades nodded, and stood, the cave a few inches taller than his head. He went in the other corner where Paige and Lacey weren't and curled up. Minutes later, he was asleep.

Alone with my thoughts, I wove a thin glamour spell in front of the entrance, to give the illusion that there was just rock to take my mind off the memories of the night we fled the Fall Realm.