บท 123: Warm awakening

Trace woke with a slight shiver and a wide smile on his lips. Playing in the snow with Anaisa all night had been exactly what his soul needed. No plots, no deception, just laughter and exertion of the best kind.

After the snowball fight, they'd built a snowman together. When she'd teased Trace that the round creation looked too feminine, he snapped his fingers and suddenly a beard of icicles graced the snowman's face.

"No powers!" Anaisa had chastised, nudging him aside with her shoulder. He cherished the easy banter, giving her a glowing smile.

The pull of consciousness was unwelcome, but he couldn't resist it forever. He woke reluctantly, but with the knowledge that he would get to see Anaisa. His smile faded as something slipped under the door next to his head.

It was not a particularly comfortable place to rest, right in front of the door to protect the princess from intruders, but this had never happened before.