Contents
Winter
Overview
Isla and Grim retreat to Nightshade’s Winter palace in the Algid, where ancient Nightshade-reactive stone and empty halls evoke Grim’s past. Disguised, they visit a snowy village, indulge simple pleasures, and explore softer intimacy. Grim reveals how he discovered his portaling flair as a child. The chapter closes with the promise of the palace’s ancient library, which Isla covertly hopes to use.
Summary
Isla and Grim arrive at the Winter palace in the Algid, its lifeless façade and biting cold underscoring Nightshade’s perpetual winter. Inside, Nightshade-reactive stone glitters at Grim’s presence. He guides Isla through maintained yet empty halls, lightening as childhood memories surface. Isla resolves that they can be happy here despite her hidden agenda.
Grim produces warm clothing, revealing a tender attentiveness that contrasts with his usual severity. Isla urges him to relax and, seeking simple joy together, insists they visit the nearest village in disguise. In the snow-draped town, they share licorice and recollections of Grim’s strict upbringing and secret childhood thefts that gave him brief escapes.
Isla pushes further comfort by buying casual clothes for Grim, coaxing him out of armor and capes. Back by a small fire, they trade formative stories. Grim recounts discovering his portaling flair at seven—escaping a locked room to a southern beach and returning unseen—keeping it secret until it became a tactical advantage, then mastering it across realms.
They discuss the rarity of inherited flairs and Isla’s unusual match with her father. Banter about Astria’s hostility and the infamous romance books about Grim leads Isla to ask about the Winter palace library. Grim confirms it holds ancestral, ancient texts—not romance—prompting Isla’s quiet hope to use it for her private research.
Who Appears
- IslaProtagonist; visits the Winter palace with Grim, seeks respite, probes his past, and eyes the ancient library.
- GrimNightshade ruler; revisits childhood home, relaxes incognito with Isla, and reveals his portaling flair’s origin.
- AstriaMentioned; her hostility and teasing about romance books prompt Isla and Grim’s banter.
- ShopkeeperSells licorice and clothing; facilitates Isla’s push to dress Grim casually.
- AttendantsBriefly appear maintaining the Winter palace; signal it remains ready for visits.