Page 45 of This Frozen Heart

“My bloodline is gone, but I have taken a tithe from the lands that betrayed me. All of Gaelia knows of my code of hospitality, and no one shall ever take what rightfully belongs to me again.”

Which would be me, I suppose, and the other poor souls trapped here as well. What great tragedy has befallen her to make her think that those who never did her wrong must pay the price?

Thankfully, I don’t care enough to ask, since it would deviate her attention to a negative subject, anyway.

I trail a finger over the ice table. “The craftsmanship of this home you built for your family is superb.”

The Snow Queen lights up, and then she finally loses herself in the conversation. She describes the details of her work and how little power she needs to exert to keep everything in place since Gaelia is cold enough most days to be in no danger of melting.

Smiling and nodding, I insert questions at all the right moments, just as I was trained to.

When the woman in gray furs opens the door, the Snow Queen blinks in confusion at the passage of time she didn’t notice but I felt keenly.

The interloper curtsies deeply. “You asked me to prepare you for the ball, my Queen.”

“So, I did.” The Snow Queen purses her lips, but then she glances at me, and there’s a hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth. “I quite enjoyed our conversation.”

I bow my head. “As did I, my Queen.”

When I lift my gaze again, she is no longer across the table but standing just beside me. “Youmustsave me a dance, little soldier boy.”

“As my Queen wishes.” Taking her hand, I press a daring kiss to her knuckles.

She does not flush, but her smile escapes. Then, without another word, she turns and strides out of the room with her maidservant.

I stare after them for a moment, mentally running through our conversation and ensuring I did not deviate from strategy. I did not, so the Snow Queen must be playing coy. However, I strongly suspect exactly who she will announce as her betrothed tonight. After all, it is impossible to be bored by a conversation partner who listens.

Standing, I stride toward the chambers that were pointed out as mine. Apparently, the Snow Queen has already arranged for me to have a change of garments, which is excellent.

It would not do for the future King Consort of this palace to be found in a dirty uniform, after all.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Gerta

It is one thing to see a glimmer on top of a peak and thinking it might be a palace. It is quite another to actuallyseethe fabled ice structure up close.

Never have I seen something so formidable yet so lovely. It matches its mistress well.

“Don’t just stand there and gawk,” Wolf hisses, dropping to all fours like she doesn’t still wear her mortal form. “Ice istransparent.”

“Oh!” I tear my gaze away from the magnificence and quickly follow Wolf’s example. The snow immediately invades my leather breeches when my long coat rides up. I feel the sting of the cold through my gloves as well. However, the path Wolf crawls through gives us cover from the palace behind a long snow mound.

It’s also easier to crawl with my belongings stuffed in a snow cache Biggs made for us partway up. Hopefully, we can return to it before a new snowfall buries it all.

Behind me, my clansmen follow suit, with Biggs complaining loudly about being “just an elf.” Prince would also normally whine for such an activity, but he must be too excited with his precious Snow Queen so nearby.

“There is aservants’ entrance we can use,” Wolf says as she creates a path for me to crawl through.

“Do you think the servants’ quarters will be locked?” I ask.

“Against what? Bears?” Wolf snorts. “The Snow Queen doesn’t exactly get a lot of guests, and those of us who dare to trespass must be very clever if we want to live to tell the tale.”

“Now you tell me,” Biggs mutters. “If I get killed by a fabled vixen—” He suddenly yelps.

I look back to glare at him, and find him already glaring at Prince, who looks ready to throw him off the mountain.

“She’s alegendary beauty,” Prince counters, “and you’ll show her respect.

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