Atticus spluttered as he coughed out a mouthful of snow, only for Daphne to grab another handful and shove it down his shirt. The cold caused him to let out an undignified shriek; he immediately channeled his powers through the sunstone in his pocket, suffusing his body with a warmth that melted the offending snow.
He bared his teeth, ready for battle. Even if the opponent was his wife, he wasn't going to show her any mercy!
But when he was about to strike, he was struck dumb by the sound of her laughter. His wife, who had scowled and grumbled and snarled at him in no small measure ever since she had arrived at Vramid, had her face tilted to the sky as she laughed uproariously. She was practically wheezing with laughter.
He stilled his hand, all of a sudden captivated as though he was stuck in a trance.
