Winter Fire (The Witchling #3)(74)

Biji eyed the lake. The fastest way around was straight across. Or maybe, around the frozen edges. If she started to fall through the ice, the air could catch her, she reasoned. She rubbed her hands together. Some feeling returned.

She carefully made her way to the edge of the lake and tested the ice. It seemed solid. She set one foot down then the other, her air magick ready to grab her if she fell. Biji went a couple of steps, slipped, caught herself then continued.

When she was confident enough that the ice was solid, she released her hold on her magick. The wind that swept over the lake was cold enough without the chill of air magick in her body. She focused on her journey across the lake, placing her feet one at a time. It was silent, peaceful. Or would be, if she didn’t know what was behind her.

Panic rose at the thought of Summer and Morgan at the hands of the crazy bitch, Dawn. She’d been with Summer the night she went Dark and again the night when Summer regained her soul. Dawn was behind both of the tragedies that occurred those nights. Biji would never forget the pain her best friend went through at the hands of Dawn, or how Dawn caused Beck grief. Both of them almost died; the idea of losing her two closest friends filled her with fury and sorrow.

Biji drew a deep breath to calm herself. She could do nothing to help them without Beck and Decker or at least, her phone. Dwelling on the past was just distracting her.

With a glance at the shore, she moved further onto the ice, wanting to cut down her time across the lake as much as possible. Shaking from cold, she hugged herself and tried to concentrate on her footing and not the growing fear that her now numb feet weren’t going to get her across the lake.

“That’s a really stupid way to cross the lake.”

Biji blinked. Her spirits rose at the male voice; she prayed the Turner twins had found her. She faced the shore and saw a tall, athletic form at the edge. His arms were crossed, and he glowed faintly with Darkness.

It wasn’t Decker, though. One of the Dark teens Dawn hired as lackeys had found her. She squinted in the dim starlight and recognized his blond hair and blue eyes.

Noah.

No, it was worse. It was Dawn’s brother.

“Get away from me!” she said through chattering teeth.

“I’m just saying, if you come back this way, I promise nothing bad will happen to you.”

Biji laughed at the absurd statement. Did he think she was a complete fool?

He shifted his weight between his feet.

“Leave me alone,” she repeated.

“Biji, really. Come back, and I’ll give you a head start. The ice you’re on isn’t as solid as you think it is.” His soft voice grew urgent.

“Right. Like I’m going to listen to you.”

“You should. I’m a water element. Right now, the lake is telling me you’re in trouble.”

“I don’t believe you.” She paused and looked down. The ice didn’t creak or crack. It was as hard as concrete.

“I’ll take you right back to Dawn, if you make me fish you out.”

Biji glared at him. “She wants us dead, Noah.”

“No, Biji. I can’t believe that. My sister wouldn’t do something like that.”

“Are you serious? Like she didn’t kill Tanya or try to kill Summer?”

“That’s not the version of events I heard.”

Biji shook her head. Dawn somehow managed to brainwash those around her. Biji didn’t know how. She’d been in the field three weeks ago when Dawn tried to kill Summer for the second time, and everyone knew Tanya was taken out because Dawn was jealous. Dark Noah was lying to her. She moved forward again, faster this time, in case he tried to chase her.

“I don’t know how you can justify what she’s going to do. It’s on your soul, Noah, if Summer and Morgan get hurt!” she snapped.

The sound of a muffled explosion startled her. She looked around then down. Water was bubbling under the ice beneath her feet.

“Don’t move,” Noah’s voice was closer.

Before she could summon her magick, she plunged into the frigid depths of the lake. The cold sucked the air from her and drove her to the edge of unconsciousness. Biji ordered her legs to kick her up towards the surface, but nothing happened. They were too numb to respond. She sucked in a breath of nothing but water, gagged, and panicked.

Something wrapped around her waist and hauled her towards the surface. Seconds later, cold air hit her face. Biji coughed up water and strained, terrified of falling back into the gaping hole in the ice.

Her body shook violently, uncontrollably.

“I told you so,” Noah said.

Biji felt herself swept up by strong arms. Noah carried her off the ice with ease and set her down on the bank. His water magick was cool rather than cold, like air magick. It moved through her. Within seconds, the element had collected every last drop of water off her and deposited it into a puddle beside the lake.

She closed her eyes, unable to warm herself, despite the fact she was no longer soaked. She’d never been so cold, even during the winters she spent in England with her family!

Noah touched her forehead. “You need a fire. The resort – “

“No!” she managed through chattering teeth. Biji struggled to push herself up.

Noah pressed her back down to the ground.

“No,” she repeated.

She heard the sound of him unzipping his jacket. He draped it over her. It was still warm from his body heat, but it did little to help her. Biji drew her knees to her chest and huddled beneath it, barely registering the world around her. Her eyes closed. She couldn’t feel her body, and hot tears stung her frozen cheeks. A restless sleep overtook her, one punctuated by flashes of cold and hot. Desperate to help her friends, she fought off the blackness. It finally relented, and her eyes opened once more.