Page 31 of Of Snow and Sapphire

“My father was too shortsighted to even consider Zimyn’s importance in my life.”

“Maybe so,” he agreed. “Maybe we all are a bit shortsighted; we see only one way to things when there are various options to consider.”

Ludelle stopped him before he could continue spouting unhelpful nonsense. “So why tell me all this?”

“Because your father, like you, worried about the crown and his court, but also cared for the people in his everyday life, too. And he stood right before his Undertaking, scared that he would lose it all.”

“Well, he did lose it all,” Ludelle said, crossing her arms. “He died in vain on that stupid trip to the Solar Continent, dragging my mother with him.” Ludelle had tried so hard to convince him to let one of them stay in case something went awry. Even if her mother was only consort, having both members of royalty on one ship at the same time would only lead to trouble. Her father saw that it was the only way to convince the Solar King of a potential trade alliance.

“They died together because they knew that was the only way to go.”

“My mother and father were not in love. They had their fair share of people they bedded.”

“Oh yes, I know.” He laughed, his strong chest rising and falling. “I have walked in on them many times.” Ludelle internally gagged thinking about her parents in such a way. “It doesn’t mean there was no love. After all, your father’s Undertaking tested that love. Like I said, he had choices, and he always picked the one where your mother came back on the other side with him.” Seeing her annoyed face, he sighed. “I’m not saying he was a good man, or a good father, but he wasn’t entirely a villain either. I think your grandmother had a large role in that. She cared for Zimyn deeply.”

Before Ludelle could ask any further questions, Zimyn’s father walked away, leaving her with a cryptic message that confused her entirely. She had no idea her grandmother had a soft spot for Zimyn. Now, she might never know the full details.

Ludelle had assumed that the goal of her father’s Undertaking had always been to save her mother from the creature, like she was some damsel. Ludelle supposed her father also had the Heart of the court that required protecting, too. Could her father have been faced with the opportunity to pick only his crown over his wife? If so, Ludelle was shocked that he never left her mother to die, to be eaten up by the haunting monster.

And if that was the case, what did that mean once Ludelle entered her own Undertaking? She needed a consort, so what choices would she be offered?

Seventeen

Sveta guided Ludelle to her starting point. She anxiously pulled at her braid, her claws getting caught in it and ripping a chunk from her scalp. She let the wind carry the strands, like seeds feeding the earth.

Sveta said, “Once the horn blasts, you’ll make your way through this tunnel and your Undertaking will begin.” The minister blessed Ludelle as she created symbols of the court with her thumb on Ludelle’s forehead. “May the Weather Gods bless you. May the Snow Court continue to thrive.”

Ludelle took in the words and allowed them to coat her skin like a film of ice. She spared one final glance to all those behind her, each of them with hopeful eyes. She wished she could stare into Zimyn’s one last time, but apparently, Queens did not always get what they wanted.

Ludelle rolled her shoulders. She wielded no weapons and was stripped of her powers of ice. It was just her and whatever awaited on the other side.

She could do this.

She had no other choice.

The horn’s blast reverberated against the cavernous walls, and Ludelle ventured inside the small tunnel. She had to shrink her body and turn it sideways at points just to be able to get through, but she could feel cold, fresh air. This high up, Ludelle didn’t stall to discover what she had to face.

When she pushed her body out of the tunnel, it was both worse and better than she expected.

Large walls of ice formed a labyrinth so tall that Ludelle couldn’t see anything beyond it. It was eerily quiet, as if its height swallowed all sound. Even the wind from earlier couldn’t penetrate through. A shield from the elements maybe, but already she felt the world closing in on her.

Ludelle took a deep breath. At least it didn’t seem like she would need to fight against anything. It would just be her and her mind as she weaved through and found the Heart, and then her betrothed. Simple, she convinced herself.

Ludelle stepped forward and almost slipped on the icy floor, her arms making circles to gain her balance. She scrunched her brows, confused. Her home had floors made of ice and never before had she struggled with it. Could it be due to her powers being gone? She didn’t let that deter her from what she needed to accomplish. She moved forward, concentrating on taking it slow.

At the first fork in her path, she chose left. Most people would pick the right, their dominant side, she thought, so the less obvious choice made sense, and she didn’t question it beyond that. She worked her way through more paths, coming at some dead ends and digging her heels into the ice to mark where she’d already been.

The experience was dizzying. She had no idea how big this maze could be but she assumed the Heart would be at the center of it. The clouded skies provided her no comfort, as her heart leapt at every turn expecting something to jump at her, to dig its claws into her flesh. The unknown of it all was unnerving.

It was much easier to practice for the Undertaking than be in it. In her training sessions, she knew that she would come out of it alive. Here, the reality of it all made it hard to even think strategically. She had played card games with opponents so well their minds had spun, untied herself from mischievous knots that Zimyn made, yet it had all come to nothing now.

But Ludelle trudged on, her doubts bubbling up even more when she ended up back to where she started. Right at the beginning…fuck.

The tunnel back to the cave seemed like a warm embrace in comparison to going back into the labyrinth. How would her people react if she just walked back in—no Heart, no consort? The horror of it was enough to have Ludelle turn back around, even if she didn’t want to start over again. She recognized the test for what it was: a mental game. One she specifically asked the Gods for, so she didn’t take that blessing lightly. Nothing would come easily for her here, she had no one else to call for help. It was just her and her thoughts against herself.

She grumbled but smacked her own cheek to reorient her focus. Ludelle was greeted by only a thin layer of ice underneath her feet as she stepped back in. She heard a crack under her, so she lifted her foot back to the tunnel entryway.

She gazed down at the wet ice. It was melting. That’s why she was slipping around. The castle never melted, the ice strong and intact. It would have been too easy to just let Ludelle wander aimlessly.

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