The four left the Ice Castle a few days later for a seemingly small and run down little hut – at least on the outside. The inside was just as tastefully decorated as the Ice Castle had been, walls adorned with tapestries and weapons, floors covered with antique rugs and fancy tables and sofas, and corners and windowsills decorated with potted flowers that sparkled under a sheer layer of glittering blue ice.
Meghan cautiously stepped through the door, her eyes widening at the interior.
"Another one of your hideouts? Or is it some kind of hunting lodge?" Meghan asked Ash. Ash and Isilee shared a glance. There was no answer.
Suddenly, Isilee's eyes flashed towards the door, and her hand went into a hidden pocket in her dress. Puck tightened his grip on Isilee's hand, his green eyes flickering to the open door. Ash stepped in front of Meghan, his body between her and the unseen danger just outside the open door. There was a moment of tensed silence.
"Puck… I have a bad feeling about this," Isilee whispered, her voice wavering, her blue flecked mercury eyes trembling.
A shadow moved across the grass.
"Its fine, Isilee. Probably just some human… one of the brownies…" Puck murmured, but he positioned himself similar to the way Ash positioned himself by Meghan; in front of Isilee. Isilee's hands went to a fold in her dress, and she eyed the darkness warily. The shadow came closer, and stopped by the doorway. The body to which the shadow belonged to wasn't seen.
Yet.
"I really hope Isilee gets her chance to say 'I told you,'" A snide, and, unfortunately, strikingly familiar voice replied. Ash's voice went low, almost like a growl.
The figure to which the shadow belonged to resembled Ash in height and build. His black hair spiked atop his thin, pointed face and his eyes glittered like blue ice. His skin was dark and flaky; burnt, and an iron ring glittered, crowned atop his index finger, as he waved at them, his charred face pulled into an eerie leer.
"Rowan," Ash said, his voice betraying no emotion.
"Sister," Rowan said to Isilee, completely ignoring Ash. His arms opened, as if to embrace Isilee and the distance between them. Puck's arms circled around Isilee's waist.
"Still with the summer brat?" Rowan asked, almost mockingly. Isilee shot him a poisonous glare and turned away.
"What do you want?" Ash asked.
"Her head skewered on a plate," Rowan said, pointing one burnt finger at Meghan.
"And why not me?" Isilee asked. She held up her hand. The silver bracelet of the Iron Queen glimmered, encased by a sheer layer of ice, around her wrist. The same bracelet glimmered around Meghan's wrist, too.
"She killed Ferrum. You didn't," Rowan said, his eyes bubbling with murder and hate.
"While your army of corpses nearly killed Nevernever," Puck shot back.
"You aren't getting Meghan," Ash said.
"I can take care of myself," Meghan said, but everyone ignored her.
"I was afraid you were going to say that," Rowan said, almost sadly. He snapped his fingers, causing flakes of burnt skin to flutter to the ground, and more half burnt winter fey piled into the clearing before the hut.
"Join me, sister," Rowan said. His voice was hard, but a pleading tone leaked into his voice, mixed with desperation. Isilee shook her head, and Puck drew her closer to him.
"Fine," Rowan said, his voice was hard and emotionless. The hate and murder was back in his eyes as he pointed at the four.
"Kill them. Kill them all."