“Can I take it from that that you don’t like neck cloths?” I asked the obvious.
He lifted a hand my way, and chuckling, replied, “You can indeed.”
But I wasn’t paying attention to his words, his hand or his humor.
This was because I was trying to lift my foot but it seemed frozen to the step.
I looked down. It was freaking cold there but to have your foot freeze to a step?
It didn’t matter. I saw when I looked down that the black stone steps were cleared of snow and ice so this couldn’t be.
“Maddie, cease your play. It’s cold and I’m keen to get to the inn and get warm, but mostly get you warm,” Apollo urged, saying things I normally would like very much.
But this was lost on me because I tried lifting my other foot and that wouldn’t budge either.
Something was not right and that not right was really not right.
Panic surged inside me and I lifted my head.
“Ap—” I started but didn’t get it all out.
He was dissolving.
No.
Fear shot through me because he wasn’t.
I was.
I heard him roar, “Madeleine!”
Then I heard nothing. I saw nothing. I felt nothing.
I was surrounded in black mist.
Oh f**k.
Suddenly I was falling.
Falling through nothing.
Oh f**k!
I hit snow, the abrupt impact jarring my entire body, shooting pain through my legs and knees. Both crumpled and I landed heavily on my side in the snow.
Quickly, I lifted my head and looked around to assess the situation.
Moonlight.
Snow.
Trees.
Nothing else.
No light. No castle. No sleighs. No noise. No people.
I was alone in a forest somewhere and I had no clue where.