Chapter 32: First Snow

Posy knocked on the door at six in the morning, holding a box with a bow on it.

"Open it," she said. "And don't set it on fire."

I sat up in bed with my hair in my face.

"It's December. Nobody gives presents in December before the twentieth."

"I'm a shadow-walker. I make my own calendar."

I pulled off the lid.

Inside was a winter coat.

It was long and wool and the color of rich plum.

The hood was lined in grey fleece, and horn buttons ran down the front.

I touched the collar.

"I know you don't need it," Posy said quickly. "I know you can't get cold."

"But I walked past a window in the village, and I thought, Mira has never owned one."

She was twisting the hem of her cardigan.

"I wanted you to have the choice."

My throat closed up.

I put it on over my pajamas.

It fit across the shoulders, and the sleeves were exactly right.

"I love it," I said.

Posy burst into tears and hugged me so hard we both fell back on the bed.

The window was already glowing white.

I pushed it open and looked out.

It was snowing.

It was coming down thick and slow over the black ruin of the hall.

It settled on the scaffolds the wolves had put up to rebuild the roof, and on the clock tower, and the long grey slope of the hill.

Every roof was wearing it.

I had grown up with a window always open.

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