Page 53 of This Frozen Heart

Stumbling backward, I wish I had escaped down the mountain while I still had a chance to be spared hearing that sentence. Mayhap true love doesn’t exist between Kay and me, but that doesn’t change the fact that for the first time in my life, I believed in thepossibilityof such things.

It hurts to let even new dreams die.

“And as your betrothal gift to me,” the Snow Queen continues like I’m not her reluctant witness, “please removehimfrom my sight.”

“Don’t marry him, my love,” Prince cries, falling to his knees in desperation. “If you want me removed from your presence, I’ll see that it is done. Just wedmeinstead.”

I glance back at Smalls and find that he’s sitting up and looking at Prince in utter confusion. He catches my gaze and I shrug.Of course, we all knew Prince was odd, but this is madness on another tier.

“I’m afraid I cannot do that, your Majesty,” Kay says coolly.

I whirl back around.

The Snow Queen stiffens, pursing her lips. “Whatever do you mean? Are you incompetent at all but conversation?”

“No; I shall happily remove this man from your presence before he bothers you further,” Kay assures. “It is your betrothal that I cannot accept.”

“I beg your pardon?” The Snow Queen stares down at him in a mixture of contempt and shock. The wind whips at her hair and skirt before pulling her upward so that she’s levitating again.

“Is this not something I have a choice in?” Kay asks calmly, like he isn’t a soldier questioning orders.

The Snow Queen wrinkles her brows, the contempt fading into pure confusion. “Itisyour choice, for you owe me only your servitude and nothing more. But why would you notdesiremy hand in marriage? I already own your heart!”

“And mine,” Prince whispers.

I glance back to find that Smalls and Prince have come to stand beside me. Smalls has a tight grip on Prince, like he fears he’ll go running back to the Snow Queen should he loosen his hold.

Smalls is wise.

“Let’s go,” Smalls whispers, nodding toward the stairs. “While she’s distracted and we have a chance for at least some of us escaping.”

“You go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

Smalls narrows his eyes like he doesn’t believe me. But I speak the truth. I’ll be right behind him— once I catch what Kay says next.

“Gertie,” Smalls hisses.

But I don’t hear his protests when Kay provides his answer. “Actually, my heart no longer belongs to you.”

My knees buckle, and Smalls grips my elbow with the hand not currently restraining Prince.

The Snow Queen’s gaze drops to his chest and then her eyes widen. “Impossible!” She glances between Kay and Prince, backing away a step. “What is happening this day? What is this chaos?”

“Kay . . .” I breathe.

He turns toward me, an actually full grin on his face as he pulls his collar wide, revealing unblemished flesh. Well, unblemished except for the goosebumps prickling over it.

“How can this be?” the Snow Queen demands. “The only way to cleanse my blessing is—”

“True love,” Kay answers, not looking away from me.

“True love also seems to protect from your blessing,” Prince offers helpfully, gesturing toward his untainted skin.

The Snow Queen narrows her eyes at him. “Do me a favor and trip off my mountain. As for you . . .” She turns back to Kay, who wisely meets her gaze. “You still owe me a debt.” She glances past him to make note of me at last. “As do you again.”

Kay steps fully between her and me, and I grasp his hand with my free one.

Sighing, the Snow Queen lets her shoulders slump for a moment before she returns to her perfectly regal stature. “However, neither of you shall live long enough to pay it off without my blessing you are now immune to, so I shall settle with the answer to a riddle as repayment.”

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