Ember Frost’s POV

The instant it came in contact with my skin, agony exploded through my skull, as if something had been struck with a hammer from the inside. Heat rushed upward, and the markings carved into my skin flared to life, glowing like streaks of burning light.

My body failed. Strength drained out in a heartbeat, and I collapsed into the snow, limp and useless. From all sides, the writhing creatures rushed in at once, drawn by my weakness, piling over me in a frantic wave. In ...