Chapter 38 Snowbound Morning རཱ ( 59 ) +20 Free Coins With the roads clogged by ice , the carriage jolted and lurched . Fiona rose half an hour earlier than usual , layers of wool and velvet shielding her from the predawn chill , just to reach Sweetbriar Academy on time . Lilith's punishment had ended ; she , too , needed to return to class . Her own small carriage threatened to skid on the slippery lanes , so she climbed into Fiona's larger coach , clutching a fur muff for warmth . Fiona rarely wasted a journey . The moment the ox - hide curtains were secured , she opened a slim volume of Classical Poems , murmuring verses under her breath . Faced with such diligence , Lilith dared not idle . " Fiona , that gown is exquisite ," Lilith breathed , her eyes abandoning their page for the embroidered plum blossoms along Fiona's sleeve . Among all the young ladies in Jexburgh , none dressed with Fiona's effortless grace . Lilith envied the strong , indulgent mother who had nurtured Fiona so well . From glossy hair to skin smooth as silk , Fiona seemed sculpted from privilege itself . Her own mother , Isabel , cared only for birthing a son . Neglect was the air Lilith breathed- scolding the thunder that followed every fragile misstep . Fiona tapped her chin as though auditioning fabrics in her mind . Lilith was nearly of age to be engaged , and girls that age adored pretty things . " Once lessons are over , come to my rooms and pick two dresses you like , " Fiona said , her tone light yet decisive . Lilith's eyes lit up . " Truly ? " Fiona laughed , a quiet spill of music in the corridor . " Of course , " she said . Then curiosity stole into her voice . " But tell me - why are the gowns your aunt makes for you so plain ? " The question pricked something tender . Lilith lowered her gaze , fingers twisting together . " My aunt worries only about finding me a good match ; beyond that , she hardly spares a thought . Everything else - my clothes included - is arranged by my mother , and she does not care for me much " The mother Lilith meant was Joanna , the principal wife of the main branch . Fiona could not help judging Joanna's pettiness . Had it been her , she would never have Chapter 38 Snowbound Morning 58 +20 Free Coins rationed silk to a half - sister . An extra ribbon cost her nothing , and a well - married girl might one day bring favor back to the family . Family harmony , Hannah always said , was the soil from which every blessing sprouted . Those words still rang true . Fiona then leaned closer . " Spend more time with Grandma . She may not dote on you , yet you are her blood , and she will see that you have what you need . " It was not stinginess that held Fiona back . The second branch had long learned that meddling in the main branch invited suspicion . She could help , but she would not be drawn into scandalous rumors . After her friendship with Naomi turned as fragile as frost , Fiona felt the chill each time she entered Sweetbriar Academy . Desks that once formed easy circles now seemed to edge away . Naomi had simply planted herself at Roxanne's side and stopped speaking to her . Even so , the silent declaration was enough . Other girls copied the stance , choosing sides with the swiftness of falling petals . Had Yolanda remained - she was home preparing for her wedding - she might have broken the ice . Without her , conversations drifted around Fiona like smoke . Fiona had never been quarrelsome . In two lifetimes , she had not tasted real exclusion . She was grown now ; the hurt did not cut deep , yet it lay there , a small stone in her shoe . Classes lasted only a few hours . The true loss was the lively chatter that used to lace every break . The annual snow viewing would begin in a few days , the prime season on Frostenden Mountain . Invitations fluttered through the academy like winter birds , but none perched at Fiona's desk . If she were to miss it now , she would have to wait another year . Lilith , on the other hand , had received one of those gilded cards and now fretted over whether she should go . " You should ," Fiona said to her , voice warm despite the chill outside . " The snow on Frostenden Mountain is at its finest , and making friends will serve you better than hiding at home ." Good companionship was never a burden . Most girls were kind at heart . Once familiar , they happily traded small favors . Lilith nodded . On the appointed day , she fastened the lavender skirt Fiona had given her and left in a flurry of anticipation . 2/3 14:45 Fri , Oct 10 Chapter 38 Snowbound Morning 58 +20 Free Coins She came back that evening sparkling with stories - waterfalls of words about crystal pines , hot tea in mountaintop pavilions , laughter that echoed off the snow . Each detail struck Fiona like a tiny regret . In her mind , the tally of blame unfurled . The first name etched in bold was Soren's . The Zonfrillo Estate , she decided , was far too vain , presuming every girl dreamed of marrying into it . She had never once entertained such a notion . For now , though , her greater worry was the shop she meant to open . Harriet had yet to send word , and business arrangements were a different ledger from the bargains she kept with Soren . Days dragged under that waiting . Thankfully , the answer did arrive before impatience hardened into despair . Under the pretext of sharing the season's first snowfall , Harriet sent word to Fiona . The invitation carried enough warmth - and perhaps a flicker of curiosity - that the two young women soon found themselves face - to - face once more . Frostenden Peak , prized as the kingdom's finest vantage for winter skies , charged a steep fee and required reservations secured months ahead . Others would gain entry only through the combined influence of Roxanne and Naomi , earning one coveted day upon the summit . All the long ascent was wrapped in white. Snow blanketed the road so deeply that even goose- down seemed dull beside it . Petite flakes drifted from an overcast sky like ten thousand blossoms unfurling at once , turning every bare branch into a living latticework - alive with promise , yet hushed beneath a cathedral silence that stretched to the horizon . From within the swaying carriage , Fiona pressed a gloved hand to the window , her breath fogging the glass . " Such beauty ... Makes even the busiest heart fall still ," she whispered . " Just wait until we reach the crest . From there , the valley runs on for what feels like a thousand miles . And there's a lodge kept so warm you can sip hot tea while watching the snowstorm without feeling a single chill . " Harriet flashed a smile .