Page 28 of This Frozen Heart

“Because my moral code includes avoiding failure. And that means the Snow Queen can’t have you when you’ve been requested by my commanding officer.”

Gerta sniffs at that and then glances at me again. “Do you need help with that?”

I narrow my eyes, not sure if I should trust her when our goals are so misaligned. Even if it is becoming more difficult to imagine a creature so free-spirited as Gerta in one of Commander Muller’s cages. He would have no care for her moral code; his only concern is cold, hard justice.

My prisoner rolls her eyes. “It would betomy benefit if one of your arms was tied up, so you don’t have to worry about this one thing.”

“Somehow, that makes me more worried.” Despite my words, I offer my arm to her.

Gerta straightens out the scarf, wraps it around my wrist, and then moves to clasp it around my shoulder before freezing. Her wide eyes are locked on my healed wound. “H-how?”

“What?” I glance between the gash in my tunic and her. “Do your cuts not heal as quickly? You should try visiting Upper Imparia. The air does wonders to the body.”

For a moment, she just gapes at me. Then Gerta rolls her eyes and playfully punches my thankfully healed shoulder before tying the sling. “You mentioned a Healer Bloodline, didn’t you?”

“You got me. That’s why I was adopted so quickly despite being ‘carved from ice and badly pretending to be mortal.’”

Gerta’s jaw drops gain, and I realize how close her face is as she leans in to tie the sling. Hopefully she doesn’t try to kiss me again, because I might not be able to dodge from this distance.

I might not want to.

NowI’msurprised with myself for thinking about such a thing. It’s perhaps the most illogical notion I’ve ever had.

Gerta finishes tying the knot and moves back to her spot, which still isn’t far enough from me that we aren’t sharing warmth. “I can’t believe you remember that so exactly.”

“Of course, I do. I remember every word from out of your mouth. My Healer Bloodline heals my body but not my soul.”

She just gapes at me, looking unsure if my confession was spoken in jest and reading nothing from my unchanged expression.

I learned long ago that sharing my emotions with others is a dangerous position to be in. And if you cry, your enemies will simply exploit that weakness.

It helps that I do not have many emotions to begin with. As it is, I had to teach myself how to detect them in others long before the Academy trained me how to manipulate them.

Gerta looks like she’s searching for the right words to say. However, the avalanche clears us before she can begin. Sunlightshines in, assuring us that the keeper of the Second Heaven still watched over us even when all we could see was snow, ice, and each other.

Cautiously, I move away from Gerta and peer over the ledge. The avalanche is still tumbling down the cliff to join the layers of snow at the bottom of the mountain. However, down there, it is of no further danger to us.

I turn back to Gerta. “It would seem that we survived the wrath of the Snow Queen.”

Chapter Fifteen

Gerta

Ithink I was Kay’s villain origin story.

Frowning, I glance at the discarded chain. It was used by a man loyal to the family that actually accepted him over the realm of his childhood torment.

As Granny would say, I have no one to blame but myself.

And as for what Smalls would say . . . I can definitely see why he calls me impulsive. Who else goes from stabbing a man to trying to kiss himin the same day?!

Kay is apparently unconcerned with either, as he leans way too far over the edge. He cranes his neck to look above. He either has too much trust in me or too much faith in his Bloodline Magic. “I don’t see any sign of the Snow Queen. Hopefully, she came to the logical conclusion that we perished in the avalanche.”

“One can only hope, but since she appears to fly on a breeze that sings for her, I fear logic may not be something she grasps.”

“Hmm.” Kay taps his chin. “Good point. We must proceed with caution.”

“Especially when considering how under the Three Heavens we’re going to get down from here.”

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