Frozen Heart
Chapter 90
The air was still damp from the recent rain, freezing the grass into fragile blades and icing the bark into rough glass.
A buzz cut through the quiet, and Baby zipped between the trees, looking every which way faster than most beings could blink.
“Jack? Jack, where are you? Jack?!”
A soft sound, like thin ice cracking, drew her attention to the thick roots of a tree, the undersides sporting icicles in a defensive barrier to protect the space underneath.
“Jack!”
Weaving through the jagged spikes with the ease of someone used to navigating tight spaces, Baby entered the hollow beneath the interwoven roots, not even batting an eye at the extreme cold radiating from within.
Curled into a ball, Jack did not lift her head at the sudden arrival, not even seeming to breathe as ice layered over her skin in sheets.
“Jack?”
A great shuddering breath shook her shoulders, the ice cracking into fine spider-web cracks, and dark blue eyes found the fairy through a haze of tears.
“B-Baby…”
With a squeak of worry, the former tooth fairy rushed to her side, cooing and twittering as she nuzzled wet cheeks.
Jack twitched back, entire body hitching, but when nothing happened…
She practically collapsed into herself with a sob, ice fragmenting with an almost mournful sound as she let out the pain.
Baby had no idea how long they stayed like that, crying and twittering and comforting, and hardly cared.
By the time Jack’s sobs ebbed into silent tears, the roots and dirt were reflective with ice, hoar frost spiking around any possible entrances like warnings.
“Jack?” The little fairy ventured, wiping at the salty liquid with both hands.
“I’m sorry…I’m sorry…” Jack whispered brokenly, hands cupped around the mini-fairy now pressed against her chest. “I’m so sorry…”
Twittering softly, Baby snuggled closer, hidden amid the icy folds of the Dragon Slayer’s coat.
She had no idea what Jack was apologizing for, but…
But it was almost as if she could hear the Winter Spirit’s heart breaking.
A buzz cut through the quiet, and Baby zipped between the trees, looking every which way faster than most beings could blink.
“Jack? Jack, where are you? Jack?!”
A soft sound, like thin ice cracking, drew her attention to the thick roots of a tree, the undersides sporting icicles in a defensive barrier to protect the space underneath.
“Jack!”
Weaving through the jagged spikes with the ease of someone used to navigating tight spaces, Baby entered the hollow beneath the interwoven roots, not even batting an eye at the extreme cold radiating from within.
Curled into a ball, Jack did not lift her head at the sudden arrival, not even seeming to breathe as ice layered over her skin in sheets.
“Jack?”
A great shuddering breath shook her shoulders, the ice cracking into fine spider-web cracks, and dark blue eyes found the fairy through a haze of tears.
“B-Baby…”
With a squeak of worry, the former tooth fairy rushed to her side, cooing and twittering as she nuzzled wet cheeks.
Jack twitched back, entire body hitching, but when nothing happened…
She practically collapsed into herself with a sob, ice fragmenting with an almost mournful sound as she let out the pain.
Baby had no idea how long they stayed like that, crying and twittering and comforting, and hardly cared.
By the time Jack’s sobs ebbed into silent tears, the roots and dirt were reflective with ice, hoar frost spiking around any possible entrances like warnings.
“Jack?” The little fairy ventured, wiping at the salty liquid with both hands.
“I’m sorry…I’m sorry…” Jack whispered brokenly, hands cupped around the mini-fairy now pressed against her chest. “I’m so sorry…”
Twittering softly, Baby snuggled closer, hidden amid the icy folds of the Dragon Slayer’s coat.
She had no idea what Jack was apologizing for, but…
But it was almost as if she could hear the Winter Spirit’s heart breaking.