Page 59 of Casting Butterflies

“No, shit, Fur-lock. I glanced ahead, where the butterfly hovered. “Do you think it’s much farther?”

Before Cedric could reply, the butterfly began to spin before exploding in a shower of sparks that sped through the trees toward the mountain we’d been aiming for.

“Guess that was supposed to be an answer.”

Hoping my epitaph, if my body was ever found, didn’t say, And here lies the idiot who thought she would hike thru Siberia, I carried only what I might need. Water bottle, box of cookies, and a flask of vodka to keep my belly warm.

We trudged, the lack of any kind of path making it tough. The snow sucked at my boots. The deep chill penetrated my winter gear. It didn’t help Cedric chose to ride draped over my shoulder as extra weight. God forbid kitty’s paws get cold. I could have probably used magic to keep us warm, but I didn’t want to tire myself in case I had need of it later.

When we exited the forest, the mountain, while not massive in height, did pose a dilemma.

“We’d better not have to climb,” I grumbled.

“Perhaps there’s a way through,” Cedric stated. “Or could be the elves are inside the mountain.”

That didn’t sound right from what Misha told me of his home, but we’d come too far to turn back now.

With no way of knowing where to go next, since the butterfly had dissipated, we headed for the icy wall of rock.

As we got close, Cedric pointed with a paw. “I do believe that black smudge is the opening of a cave.” A cave where we could maybe camp out for the night. Build a fire for warmth and not become frozen meat Popsicles.

“It better not have any bears inside,” I huffed as I hastened for it before we lost every last ounce of light.

The sensation hit suddenly, and I jerked in surprise. “What the hell?” I felt different, even as I couldn’t explain how.

But Cedric could. “We’re in a dead zone for magic.”

“What? How?”

“If I had to guess, this area, possibly even that entire mountain, is threaded with argencae. Interesting, as I didn’t believe it existed on Earth.”

“How else would Papillon have it peppered throughout her house?”

“Good point. I’ll admit I’d assume some had been smuggled from Infernal, but given its rarity, that did seem unlikely.”

“Should we keep going? If we come across anything dangerous, I won’t be able to protect us.” Should have grabbed a frying pan.

“In good news, if we can’t rely on magic, neither can anything else,” Cedric pointed out.

“So what’s the bad?”

“The Yeti that has emerged from the cave doesn’t seem pleased by our presence.”

“The what?” My gaze went from the ground stealing my ability to touch magic to the very large, shaggy creature lumbering in our direction.

Fuck.

Me.

Which brings us to the part of the story you’re already familiar with, where Cedric got forcibly adopted by an abominable snowman. As for me, I ended up a prisoner of the elves I’d been seeking. So much for the glory the voice had promised me.

21

While I did end up imprisoned, my cell resembled a bedroom, a bigger and nicer one than I’d ever been able to afford. Huge four-poster bed layered in a plush duvet and way too many pillows. A rug covered the polished wood floor. I had a pair of nightstands, a tall and wide dresser, even a large garderobe filled with clothes close enough to my size I could change from the mishmash I’d been stealing and layering since we hit Siberia. The bathroom held a claw-foot tub, shower, and the white tile gleamed as if new.

Nice accommodations if I ignored the locked door—because, yes, I jiggled the knob—and the fact I’d been ominously shoved in here with a terse and almost unintelligible warning, “No escape.”

Escape where? Even if I exited the room, where would I go? I couldn’t exactly walk back to civilization.