Page 29 of Of Snow and Sapphire

Zimyn tried untying the damn knots of his binds, but he only accomplished making his skin raw. “Then just throw yourself into the Undertaking. Why give her the second option?”

“I don’t know the will of the Gods. Perhaps, the people need to see where her loyalties lie. She’ll hesitate when she learns. This is, of course, if you dare to enter with me. Perhaps, you’d prefer to wipe your hands of all this madness and leave immediately on your travels. Why sacrifice yourself to an unknown?”

Zimyn shook his head. “I have to enter.”

“And why’s that?”

“So she can prove to everyone that she’ll alway make the right choice. She’ll pick you and the court.”

Balvan shrugged, unconvinced. “We will see.”

Fifteen

“You’re late,” Sveta said.

Ludelle waved her off, stepping into the small divine temple room. Although windows of shattered and reformed ice that formed a mosaic lined the walls, no sun peeked through. Candles of cold flame were the only source of light. A sanctuary of memorial. “A Queen is never late. Everyone else is just early.”

Ludelle had to beg one of the guards to call a maid for her in Zimyn’s room so that she could bring Ludelle some fresh clothes. It was embarrassing, but Ludelle refused to be caught wearing the same clothes as the night before, especially with the way Zimyn had left her naked and alone on his bed. She made sure to give them enough coin to keep quiet.

“Even the Weather Gods?” Sveta slammed her prayer book closed and rose from kneeling. Her white and silver robes swished behind her. “I would think you would not want to anger them the night before your first Undertaking.”

Ludelle winced. “I suppose not.”

“You haven’t matured much since your young days. Still no respect for the Gods that made you who you are.” The minister honed her gaze downwards. “I see you also still play with your hands when you get uncomfortable.”

Ludelle hid them behind her back. “I would like to get this over with. I need as much rest as possible for tomorrow.”

“You need much more than rest. You need the Gods.” Sveta opened up a small glass cabinet that housed many trinkets that Ludelle had never paid much attention to. “And you need me.”

Before Ludelle could speak, Sveta revealed the small object in her hands. The sapphires that covered the object glimmered. Sveta opened it.

“A mirror?” Ludelle asked flatly. “That is not impressive, nor very helpful.”

Sveta sighed. “It’s more than just a mirror. It’s a heart. The Heart of the court.”

Now that she pointed it out, the shape did resemble a heart. “Each ruler of the Snow Court has their own Heart to save and protect during their Undertakings. Not only are you tasked to survive and come out the other side with your consort, but you cannot let this break.”

“What happens if I do?”

“I see your curiosity hasn’t waned either…” Sveta gave her a sideward glance. “This holds the power of the court. As the year progresses, the powers that you use are fused into this.” Her steady hands unclasped something inside the compact mirror. “And this small sapphire glows.” She picked it out. It looked no different from the sapphires that were mined, the ones that decorated the castle. But it glowed, pulsed. “If it breaks, the power goes straight back to the Weather Gods, and they will curse the land as infertile. Then, we’d all die.”

“No pressure,” Ludelle quipped under her breath.

“Your first task will be to find the Heart, then you will wear this around your neck during the rest of your Undertaking as you save your consort. The people trust that you will do whatever it takes to keep it safe.”

Ludelle swiped the mirror from the minister’s hands. “That is obvious.”

“Then, I wish you luck Queen Ludelle. Please take some time to pray to the Weather Gods, submit your choice for consort. They’re waiting. Just like we are waiting to see you save this court.”

Without another sinister word, Sveta left.

“You looked about as excited as I did when I found out that my cousin was Queen,” Helena said as she dined on the fruit tray that was meant for Ludelle. “Which is to say, not at all.” She pouted as she missed her mouth and the berry rolled from Ludelle’s clean bed to the floor. Kotyn pounced for it.

“I am an hour away from my Undertaking. I think I deserve to be a little bit moody.”

“You’re always moody, though,” she said cheekily, as she burrowed herself further into the pillows.

Ludelle rolled her eyes, but sighed at her reflection in the mirror. Her whole entourage of ladies in waiting woke her up, helped her dress into her fighting leathers, and provided words of comfort. Now, only Ludelle’s cousin remained.

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