- Nikki, let me or Klaus help you. – Thea was worried that everyone was laughing while her friend was solving herself problem.

- It’s all right, I’ve already... - she squealed in surprise when Urum came up behind her and picked her up, literally throwing her on the horse’s back.

Her face flushed crimson and her nostrils flared as she puffed noisily in displeasure.

- No need to thank me. - Urum twisted his face in an ugly way to tease the haughty witch, after which he gracefully saddled his horse.

Thea and Adeline were playing at exchanging glances, holding back the giggles that tried to escape, because it’s not every time you see how Nicole was caught off guard.

The group moved forward to the cheers of the mourners.

It was early morning and finally Thea was able to explore most of Norland as they drove through the snow-covered streets.

After spending a few days here, she had the opportunity to walk only to Jake’s house and no more, and now she had a magnificent view of a small but rather progressive city, shrouded in the aromas of street food, the joyful cries of running children and the bustling life of local inhabitants.

The streets of Marro looked about the same, but here everything was more provincial in comparison and there was a colorful cosiness than in the capital of her native Riliya.

She pressed her head into her fur coat, hiding her face from the frosty wind, which left white pollen on her eyelashes, meeting her hot breath. Now her eyelashes were almost the same color as her hair, naturally changing her appearance.

- Does anyone know which way we should go? - Carrick’s voice was heard, who was walking ahead of the group and stopped at a fork in the road when they left the city.

Klaus rummaged in his saddlebag and pulled out a small map, drawn in crooked handwriting.

Before going ahead, Raphael met with Klaus, discussing with him the route that Klaus had drawn by ear, so they should not have any problems getting to the designated place exactly.

- Turn left. - Klaus shouted back.

The group had been moving for several hours without stopping and it was the most calm and peaceful journey that Thea had had in recent times. She knew that Raphael must have taken care of the safety of their movement, and this warmed her heart, at the same time causing it to shrink anxiously.

Despite the fact that he was a vampire, and also an immortal, she could not deny her feelings. What if he gets injured?

Like a meticulous mother taking care of her son, she worried about him.

"I miss you." - she whispered.

Looking at the couple in love with Adeline and Klaus, she enviously pursed her lips and dreamed of being in the same cozy embrace of Raphael.

Yesterday she was a little angry with him, so he didn’t even make an attempt to touch her at night and it stung her like a wasp, corroding her from the inside, because she so wanted him to give her unforgettable caresses again.

But it was her fault that she couldn’t control her emotions, so it was already impossible to change anything and it wasn’t worth regretting it.

She only hoped to see him well and unharmed as soon as possible.

The afternoon sun warmed her frozen hands a little and blushed her cheeks. But unlike the persistent Thea, Nicole was numb from the terrible cold.

Her whole insides turned into permafrost and even her teeth seemed frozen to each other, so her lips were tightly compressed while she breathed weakly through her nose, which was already frozen and dusty.

She was shivering badly, but her pride did not allow her to ask for help from werewolves, and she did not want to bother her friends.

- I suggest we make a short stop on that hill. - said Sean. - I want to take a leak. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Nicole rolled her eyes, is this really the kind of information that needs to be voiced in front of everyone? Especially with girls?

Disapproval was evident in her sharp glance thrown in Sean’s direction.

- I wouldn’t mind taking a break either. My butt is completely numb. - Adeline laughed, addressing her words to Klaus and he carefully rubbed her thigh, smoothly moving to the buttock.

When they reached the place, they tied the horses to a tree.

Thea approached Nicole and noticed that her friend had no face. It was so unlike her. Always collected, now she looked confused and devastated.

- Are you all right? You don’t look well. - Thea took her hands and immediately shuddered at how icy they were.

Barely moving her trembling lips, Nicole replied:

- I’m just a little cold.

- Why didn’t you say anything? We have extra clothes, you just had to say. - she touched her fluffy black hair, which was tousled by the tailwind and tried to smooth it down.

- It’s nothing. - she pulled away as if she was offended by the suggestion to turn to werewolves. – It’s not something that can break me.

- But this is not a reason to go to extremes. - Urum intervened, who had heard the girls’ conversation out of the corner of his ear. – Or are you thinking of breaking down if you get closer than 1 meter from any of us?

Their gazes met and collided in the air, displaying mutual contempt.

- I’m afraid I’ll stink like a dog if I take anything from you. – she said, instantly flushing with anger.

Thea gasped silently, thinking that with such a company and enemies are not necessary, so long as they do not kill each other along the way.

She rolled her eyes, covering them with her eyelids.

- Let’s all calm down for a start. - She tried to smooth out the conflict that was beginning, but fortunately for her, Urum was not going to continue to annoy Nicole.

- I built a fire. You can go warm up. – he said, turning around and leaving. – Don’t worry, it doesn’t smell like a dogs there.

A caustic prick was thrown in Nicole’s direction and she felt uncomfortable from the poorly chosen phrase. Not that she was loyal to them, but she probably went too far when she insulted him from scratch. But even this understanding did not make her apologize.

Urum and Cornel built another fire a little apart from the girls and warmed flasks of water over the fire to water the horses. Sean joined a little later and from time to time cast angry glances in the direction of Thea and Nicole.

- Well, wow, what a princess. – Sean said with venom in his voice. - she asks for help, but she can’t even sit next to us. I saw such help in the coffin.

An involuntary growl escaped from his chest as he stood up abruptly, but immediately Cornel grabbed his arm, prompting him to calm his anger, about the same time he noticed the princess approaching them.

- You don’t have to stay away from us. – she said in a gentle voice, which made Sean immediately melt. – I will not apologize for Nicole and her behavior, simply because it is new for her to communicate with those whom she has considered enemies all her life. But we discussed this point with her and she promised to keep herself in hand. Just give her a little time to get used to you, just like you get used to us.

- It’s all right, we’re fine here. - Cornel grinned, scratching his head. – In fact, we’re just not used to women’s company yet.

- But how is this possible? Irma was with you, wasn’t she? - she asked in surprise.

- Irma doesn’t count. Apart from Marcel, no one has ever taken her for a woman. She’s our bro. - Carrick commented, and then it was Thea’s turn to grin.

- Well, then I won’t disturb your male idyll. Just let us know when we will be moving out again.

- As soon as these two get fucked. Fucking rabbits ... – Sean snorted, completely without choosing expressions and immediately got punched in the gut by Carrick.

- Idiot, there are girls here, really ... - Carrick scolded him. – How does Asha stand you at all, you’re a cretin.

The blow was playful and painless, but instructive, and Thea only now noticed the absence of Klaus and Adeline.

Carrick was the oldest of the group. He looked to be in his early forties. He had been married to his first love for a long time and had two grown-up children already.

Therefore, looking at Thea, Nicole and Adeline, he involuntarily saw them as still children.

Sean was the most flighty of this group of werewolves and had absolutely no idea about the manner of speech. Thea estimated him to be about thirty-six years old. And although he was already mature enough, he still hadn’t married his "eternal girlfriend" Asha, who no longer dreamed that he would call her down the aisle.

Cornel was calm, but always wary, especially after the last wound received by bliar. He began to concentrate even more on extraneous things, even when it unnecessarily distracted him.

Therefore, when Irma suggested that he go with Thea, he immediately agreed, without thinking for a second and not paying attention to the presence of a meticulous vampire. And the reason was that his wife, just like Irma, was pregnant with their first child and he wanted only a peaceful future for them, and for this it was necessary to put an end to the existence of their enemies.