A preview of my short story, "The Touch of Winter" (Patreon)

The anthology I’m in, Seasons Unceasing, is out! You can buy it on Amazon here!

Here's a double sized preview for Patrons!

My blood seeped into the freezing water, the red mixing lazily with dark brown.

I was half-submerged, and it wouldn’t be long before my legs numbed and death crawled up my body. I wriggled on the snowbank, trying to get out of the stream soaking me to the bone, but it was so difficult to move with my legs and arms bound. All I did was trigger a small avalanche over my head. At least the cold snow soothed my wounds.

A thud like a thunderclap in the distance. Then another. And another. The giant was coming.

I closed my swollen eyes with a hiss of pain and waited. I wished I could take comfort in the idea I would see Keetha again soon, but I’d never believed in any sort of afterlife. The only thing that seemed real right now was my aching body, the blood on my face, and the poison in my skirt pocket. The fungus was unlikely to kill a giant, but I hoped it might at least hurt him.

It was pure chance I had it with me. I’d heard rumblings they were planning on taking Keetha next, so I’d brought some back with me from my last trip to the wilds with the vague idea I’d somehow poison the village elder and delay everything long enough that we could escape together. But I was too late. When I came back into town, she was already on the ceremonial dais, hands tied and body trembling.

Seeing her wide terrified eyes, her face twisted into a silent scream as they carried her away, I’d lost all reason and flown at them, biting, punching, kicking, and swearing. Of course I’d been no match for so many men. Of course I’d been dragged to a cell, bloody and half-conscious. I’d expected all that. But what I hadn’t expected was to be next.

It was only beautiful girls who got the honor of being sacrificed, after all.

But after months of frost and blight, they were getting desperate. When they bought me out into the light, they all said a strange sort of prayer. “We offer the winter giant a girl as cold as his beloved snow. May he find satisfaction in supping on a kindred spirit, may he finally slumber, and may Summer roll the rock and shine the brilliant sun.”

It was far from the first time I had heard I was winter’s bastard daughter. It was actually kinder than what they usually said: that I was a blank canvas, my face plain and unremarkable. That you’d easier get tears from a stone than get a delicate blush or trembling lip from me. That I was as frigid and unwelcoming as any blizzard, my words as harsh as the bitter wind. The worst thing a woman could be, according to some.

It was the murmur in the background of my entire life, whispered even by the customers who enjoyed the furs and leathers I fashioned for them in my small shop.

Keetha had been the first one to say anything different. She, who’d brought warmth everywhere she went, as if the sun itself lived under skin and sparkled in her eyes. I wasn’t alone in thinking that. The townspeople often compared her to the Summer God from the old myths, the one who sealed up the winter giant’s cave as he slept off a feast so the world could bloom once more. She’d glided her way into my shop one day, passing a man who was mumbling the usual insults after I’d rejected his offer to find me a husband in exchange for a lower price on his furs. I hadn’t noticed her at first, as I had been busy counting the coin to make sure he hadn’t stiffed me.

But then her gentle voice had pierced me like a spear. “You do remind me a bit of snow, Misu.”

Every muscle had tensed as I’d tried not to show any expression. Such remarks hadn’t usually bothered me, but I’d watched Keetha handing out healing herbs and flowers to the children, admired how her hair shone in the light, and I’d dreamed of her kind smile being directed my way. Then she’d said, “You’re like the peace that comes after a winter storm. The snow laid out like a blanket, and the world full of quiet strength and grace.”

I had nearly dropped my coin at that. I’d goggled at her, unable to believe what I was hearing. She’d bowed her head slightly. “I wanted to thank you on my little brother’s behalf. That was such a beautiful pattern you carved on his belt, and I know you didn’t charge him full price. It’s not that we couldn’t pay, you know. He was so excited for his first errand, he forgot to bring enough coin. I’m here to bring you the rest.”

“Oh no, you don’t have to…” It hadn’t been the first time I’d given a discount or put some extra work into my product, but this was the first time anyone had thanked me for it. Had even noticed. I hadn’t known what to do with myself. “C-consider it an exchange because you should be charging more for your herbs! I made a tea with the ones you sold me yesterday. I was actually able to go to sleep easily for once. It was incredible.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear you like them! I wasn’t sure, since you always just pay and run away silently!” Keetha had teased.

“Sorry about that,” I’d mumbled, but she’d just laughed like music.

And then, like a dream, we’d become friends. I’d learned so much from her. She was actually the one who told me about the toxic ‘demon scale’ lichen that coated the trees even in the winter.

“And why does our gentle herbalist know so much about poisons? Is it just part of the trade?” I’d smirked.

“Well, it certainly pays to know, so you don’t mix them in with medicines…but it also pays to know about them if your father chooses…badly when he makes your match.” She’d smoothed her skirt, her usually soft smile gaining a marvelous edge. “Sometimes it’s a matter of self-defense.”

I’d fallen even more in love with her that day. And I’d worried about her a little less. I thought we both had enough grit to survive anything this wretched town could throw at us.

Lying here now, my body shuddering with every footstep of the approaching giant, I cursed what a fool I’d been.

The earthquake stopped abruptly. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes and he was looming over me, legs like tree trunks. He was an endless bundle of furs and sinewy muscle. The knife he carried gleamed in the dull light.

I’d told myself so many times as I waited that I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear, but as soon as that massive hand reached down, blocking out sky and drowning me in shadow, I thrashed like a fish caught on a hook, straining desperately against my bonds. It was all useless, of course. The hand wrapped around my whole body, colder than the freezing river, colder than death itself, and I knew there was no escape now.

Had Keetha felt the same dread as she was crushed by his hand? She must have. She’d probably cried and screamed as the hope drained away. But no one cared. They never did.

It was that thought that broke through the haze of terror. As he lifted me up, the rage turned me rigid. Let him drop me into that maw of a mouth and crush me with his tombstone teeth. Let this icicle girl stab through his throat as she went down his gullet. Let him roar his displeasure, realizing they’d given him some poisonous reject rather than the tender beauties he was accustomed to. Let him rampage and crush the entire goddamn village beneath his feet. I didn’t even care about the children or other innocents who’d die. I wanted him to grind it all to dust, and I wanted the giant to starve, alone in the awful wreckage. Right now, I was the glorious, cold, heartless bitch they’d always said I was.

I opened my mouth to yell something at the giant, maybe egg him on, but before I could even get the words out, he dropped me abruptly on his shoulder.

My head spun as I gripped the fur cape he wore. It was surprisingly cozy seating, especially compared to the bitter cold of the giant’s flesh. I winced as that sledge-like hand came toward me again, but it didn’t take hold of me. Instead, the giant delicately sliced through my bonds with his stubby, half-bitten nails. It was very odd to realize such a monstrous creature could share such a commonplace bad habit with me. I watched mutely as the wind carried the ropes away.

“I’m taking you to a warm place,” the giant spoke in a sonorous boom. “Wrap yourself in my furs until then. I won’t hurt you.”