Page 155 (1/2)

His parents, he had been shocked to learn, were not dead He had been certain that his defying Levana’s order and helping Winter escape would end in their public executions, like Levana had threatened, but a twist of irony had spared their lives His father had been transferred to a luo When Cinder’s call for revolution broadcast, the civilians rioted, iuards’ families By the tih, Jacin’s parents were no longer under her domain The lumber sector, it turned out, was the same one where Winter had been poisoned

He hadn’t seen theranted trials under the new regime Most would be offered a chance to swear fealty to Queen Selene and join the new royal guard she was building He knew his father, a goodsuffered under Levana’s thue

Jacin himself was nervous to be reunited with his fa everyone he loved away, it was difficult to iine a life in which he was free to care for people without fear of theainst hiain too, who had been like a part of their fa her like this would break their hearts

Seeing her like this …

Winter whi animal Jacin jumped to his feet and settled a hand on her shoulder in what he hoped was a coesture She whipped her head back and forth a few ti beneath her closed lids, but she didn’t wake up When she had settled down again, Jacin breathed a heavy sigh

He wanted her to be better He wanted this to be over He wanted her to open her eyes and not thrash or bite or howl He wanted her to look at hinition and happiness and that hint ofbefore she’d been theof hair away fro it back off her face

"I love you, Princess," he whispered, hovering over her for a long ti the planes of her face and the curve of her lips and reerie She’d told hih to say it back

But now …

He placed one hand on the other side of her body, leaning into it for balance His heart was racing, and he felt like an idiot If anyone saw him, they’d think he was one of Winter’s creepy adic told him so A stupid, idealistic kiss could not put herto lose

Winter went on sleeping, her chest rising Falling

Rising and falling and rising

Jacin realized he was stalling Building up hope, but also erecting a wall around hi would happen

He leaned over her, leaving a hint of space between theers into the thin hospital blankets "I love you, Winter I always have"

He kissed her One-sided as it was, it had little of the passion there’d been in the erie, but soaway, he sed hard and dared to open his eyes

Winter was staring at hi…" He rubbed the back of his neck "Were you just pretending to be asleep?"

Winter stared up at him, a dreamy half smile on her lips

Jacin’s pulse skittered at that look, his attention dipping back to her lips Was it possible--?

"Win--Princess?"

"Hello," she said, her voice parched, but no less sweet than usual "Do you see the snow?"

His broitched "Snow?"