Page 1 of This Frozen Heart

Prologue

Gerta

Gaelia, during the nineteenth year of Emperor Augustu’s reign . . .

“Once upon a time, many eons ago, the Snow Queen was known by a different name that was forgotten by all our ancestors.”

I snuggle closer to Smalls, but not because I’m cold— the main room of Granny’s orphanage is warm from all the other children packed inside. For once, warmth is not why I draw close to the boy who has become a big brother to me— in size not age.

No, I am driven closer to Smalls because the new boy is sitting cross-legged on the floor on my other side, and I don’t want to catch his strangeness. For one thing, the new boy is sewing a button back on his shirt instead of listening to Granny’s story.

Despite the boy’s rudeness, Granny continues with the story. “She was called a princess, but she was not kin to the King who rules today.”

Smalls raises his hand. “My Da used to say that our King is a puppet king, so is the Snow Queen apersonprincess instead?”

Granny purses her lips, making three more wrinkles appear on her weathered face. “Both these royal families were ‘people’ families with powerful Heritage Magic running through their veins. But instead of using their power to help each other, theystruggled against one another instead. Gaelia has never known true unity.”

The strange new boy lifts his head. “What were they doing?”

I narrow my eyes. “If you were listening, you would know.”

“Iwaslistening. I just missed a word.” He turns to me, looking as thin as a gyst. Maybe heisa gyst, and that’s why the older kids call him strange.

“Then listen better,dummkopf.” The insult tastes foreign to my tongue, and I almost feel like a traitor to my people for using an outsider’s insult.

However, it hits its mark, and the boy’s eyes widen. “You’re not supposed to use that word. Granny said so. It’s against the rules.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do.”

“Who cares thatyoudo? No one.”

He frowns at me. “Granny will.”

“Who’s going to tell?”

The boy lifts his chin and his hand. “I will.”

“Don’t you dare—”

Granny lifts her raspy voice a little higher. “Listen up, children. You need to understand why the Snow Queen lives alone on her mountain except for the new family she has made for herself from those who owe her a debt, those who have failed to answer her riddle, and the naughty children she’s spirited away.”

I stiffen at the reminder of why I must always behave.

The dummkopf slowly lowers his hand.

And Granny smooths out her apron. “You see, she longs for a family of her own.”

“What happened to hers?” Smalls asks. “Did they die like mine?”

Granny leans forward, making sure she looks at each corner of the room where a kid is listening. “The Snow Queen wasbetrothed to her enemy, the ancestor to our king, to bring peace to their people. On the night before the wedding, both clans came together to feast and celebrate. But it was all atrap.”

Thedummkopfis listening now, because he says, “Her true love betrayed her?”

“Not her true love,” I hiss. “There’s no such thing, and true loves don’t betray you, anyway.”

Frowning at me, thedummkopfstabs a needle through his jacket as forcefully as if he were imagining me.

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