The Stepsister Scheme

unusual!” Snow shouted, yanking the reins as another cluster of vines reached for her. Others lashed up at Danielle. Wind flew back so hard that Danielle started to fall. She locked her legs beneath the aviar’s wings, clinging with all her strength, but it wasn’t enough. Her leg slipped.
    Wind lurched sideways, slowing long enough for Danielle to recover. In that moment, one of the vines caught Wind’s foreleg. Another snaked toward her neck. The aviar screamed and flapped harder.
    “Don’t fight it!” Danielle shouted, praying Wind would listen. “You’ll break your leg. Hold still and let me help you.” She twined her left hand in the thick mane. With her right, she drew her sword, trying to keep the blade away from Wind. She pulled herself higher until her face was at Wind’s ears, then swung. Despite the awkwardness of the angle, the blade easily severed the vine around the aviar’s foot.
    Wind leaped skyward as Danielle knocked the second vine away. Once they were safely out of reach, Danielle looked back down. Snow was in the water, swimming away from her trapped aviar as vines and weeds reached for her. Talia’s aviar was barely keeping his head above the surface. Talia crouched on Socks’ back, slicing at the vines with her sword, but her attacks had little effect. She could shove the vines aside, but she couldn’t cut them. Another group of vines shot out, and Talia dove into the water, swimming away from the cave.
    “Go,” Danielle said. Wind flew toward Talia, the tips of her wings skimming the water as Danielle stretched her sword toward the vines.
    Talia surfaced a short distance from the cave. “What are you doing? Fly away from the trap!”
    Danielle ignored her, waving her arm in ever wilder slashes as they neared Socks. She leaned down, her fingers clutching Wind’s mane as she tried to cut the panicked aviar free without hitting his wings. Wind whinnied, and her blue eyes were huge with fear, but she flew even lower. More vines reached out, but Danielle was able to cut them away before they grabbed Wind.
    “Got it.” Danielle leaned out, and the tip of her sword sliced through weeds and vines. Socks splashed to the surface. His wings were bloody, and many of his feathers had been torn loose, but he was free. Danielle guided Wind away, then turned to see Snow clutching one of the vines in her hand. She sat by the cliff on a slowly spreading patch of ice. The tips of the weeds poked through the ice. They quivered and bent toward Snow, but couldn’t break free to seize her.
    Talia clung to the edge of the ice with one hand as she waved Danielle away. Midnight splashed through the water, swimming away from the cave.
    “Get back to Arlorran,” Talia yelled. “Have him contact Queen Bea.”
    Danielle was already guiding Wind toward Snow and Talia. Given the aviar’s enormous wings, there was barely room for one to ride upon Wind’s back, let alone three. But if Danielle could reach her friends, they might be able to cling to her legs, and she could pull them through the water to safety.
    Several more of the vines snapped out. They appeared to be growing longer. Danielle cut one. Another wrapped around Snow’s forearm and immediately began to freeze.
    “There’s troll hair wound through these vines,” Snow said, sounding irritated. Puffs of white breath marked her words. She twisted her arm, and a new layer of frost spread up the vine. “Another purchase from Brahkop’s former shop. That’s what makes them so strong.”
    “Talia! Catch!” Danielle tossed her sword.
    Talia dropped her own weapon on the ice and reached up, snagging the sword by the crossguard. She bobbed beneath the water, then launched herself even higher. A single swing freed Snow’s arm. Another severed two more vines as they reached toward Talia.
    Fog had begun to rise around Snow. Danielle could see her teeth chattering, but Snow didn’t move. The spray of the waves transformed to flakes of snow. Talia grabbed one of the frozen vines and pulled herself up onto the ice.
    “Get Snow out of here,” Talia said.
    “What about you?” Danielle asked.
    “Your mount is exhausted, Princess. You can’t take all three of us. Snow’s as skinny as a child, and you’re not much heavier.”
    “Hey,” Snow protested. “I’m not all childlike.” She glanced down at her clothes. Soaked to the skin, they more than proved her point.
    Danielle shook her head. “I’m not leaving you alone.”
    “Dammit,