Page 60 of Faeries and Frost

Tambie elbowed Finneas and Vorthak in the sides. “You two oafs can look now.”

I slapped a hand on my forehead. None of this was going as planned, and I wanted to whine like a child. “I wanted this all to be a surprise. To lure you there, and everyone be all like, surprise,” I made deflated jazz hands in the air between us.

Jack cupped my face and circled his thumbs over my cheeks. He bent to kiss me, and the devious slide of his tongue between my lips had my knees buckling. “Iamsurprised. And I still haven’t seen the town center. Show me.” His eyes glinted as he smiled, his gaze lifting to everyone behind me and waving at them. “Hello, everyone. Good to see you again.”

“Great to seeyoutoo, Jack,” Tambie answered, swiveling her hips.

When we emerged from the woods to the town’s center, the solstice tree was already up, littered with dozens of snowflake ornaments crafted by the town’s children. I used my magic to create an ice rink where an ogre boy and a demon boy were currently skating circles and falling on their butts, laughing. There were four large tables filled with the wintry-themed desserts, and a giant lighted banner hung from one flamelit lamp post to the other: “Welcome Home, Jack.”

“Sylvie, you did all of this? For me?” Jack’s lips parted, and he stared in awe at the display.

Everyone clapped and hollered, repeatedly yelling surprise.

“Of course I did, Jack.” Using my wings to float in front of him so I didn’t have to rise on my toes, I curled my arms aroundhis neck and kissed him. “Arcane Cove brought us together, and you are just as much a member of this community as any of us.”

“Thank you,” Jack whispered, holding me in his arms. He turned to everyone else and held up a hand. “Thank you to everyone.”

“One more thing,” the mayor Tiberius said, his taloned feet clacking against the cobblestones as he made his way toward us. His scaled tail swished, kicking up dirt, and he held out a giant, shimmering white key. “I know you can’t stay here for an extended amount of time, but also know you would if you could. She’s right, you should feel like a Cove citizen. For that, I give you a key to the city.”

Jack took it and bowed his head. “I’m honored.”

More whoops and hollers followed, Finneas clapping the loudest.

“If this is a welcoming party for the Winter King, it’s missing something,” Jack said, grinning at me.

I frowned, looking around at what I could have possibly missed. A giant snowflake landed on the tip of my nose, followed by dozens more, absolutely flooding the skies.

“It’s snowing,” the ogre child cried out excitedly.

“Already?” Herb said gruffly, adjusting his belt.

Vorthak laughed and clapped him on the back. “Don’t be such an old fart.”

“Iaman old fart.”

Still floating with my wings, Jack pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around my ass. Bits of his creature poked through his face, a more natural and welcoming occurrence for him after we were mated. He grinned at me with those pearly fangs, and warmth coiled in my belly. Pressing my hands to his cheeks, I kissed the icy ridges protruding from his forehead. “Welcome home, JackFrost.”

And with the snow falling in troves, neither of us bothering to use magic to shield it from collecting on our clothes or hair, Jack playfullynippedat my nose.