Page 12 of This Frozen Heart

Grunting my confusion, I try to turn to face him.

“Your capture, that is.” All trace of bashfulness leaves from Kay’s voice, making him sound as cool and emotionless as his face was when I first laid eyes on him.

I’ve been duped.

My left hand might be chained to him, but it’s freer than my right. I desperately reach for my belted sheath . . . but it’s not there, and neither is my knife.

Still holding my right wrist, Kay rounds me so he can look into my eyes with his that are too warm of a color to belong to a heartless being like him. I see the dagger I was just wearing a moment ago tucked intohisbelt.

That would explain the embrace that seemed so out of character. I wonder what he took from me while we danced. My dignity?

“Gerta of Gaelia,” Kay says, shamelessly holding my gaze, “by the power vested in me from the Holy Emperess of Constantinium, you are under arrest.”

The next few moments are among the most awkward and uncomfortable of my life.

Kay is determined to carry me away from the camp, but I ammoredetermined that it won’t happen. The further complication comes from the fact that he’s trying to restrain both my hands while chained to one.

“Please just comply,” Kay grunts as he hoists me over his shoulders a second time.

Not while I have breath in my lungs. Or I should say, not while my blood still flows since I’m currently breathless. But I can’t actually say anything with the gag, so I just make it clear in my body language.

I kick him in the leg and then knee him in the chest.

Kay doubles over, and I use his moment of weakness to throw myself over his shoulder.

Unfortunately, the chain makes it hard to go far at all. I barely hit the ground before it goes taut and nearly yanks my arm out of its socket with how tangled it is around Kay. And due to those tangles, Kay topples after me.

I gasp as what air was left in me leaves me the moment he crashes across my middle. His eyes nearly roll backwards as he realizes how close he came to bashing his head on a latrine cover.

It’s his own fault for trying to abduct mehereof all places.

Kay rolls his head to face me. “It doesn’t have to be this way, Gerta. I assure you that no harm shall come to you under my care. You will be protected with all the rights offered to political prisoners.”

That was what I was afraid of.

Since I am still gagged, I poke both his eyes to give him my answer. Then I reach to finally free my mouth. I don’t know if any of the fellows can hear me from over here, but Wolf might if she didn’t wander too far.

And I plan on screaming loudly enough for even the Snow Queen to take notice.

Choking on his own cry of pain, Kay twists away from me. And continues to twist until the chain is wrapped around him twice and my left arm has joined it in coiling around his back.

I realize what he’s doing and realize time is running out. I tug on my gag harder, but then his right hand, that despite its chainis freer than my left hand that is anchored to his body, grabs hold of it.

Still clutching my hand, Kay wraps his right arm behind my shoulders. His left arm slides behind my legs.

Writhing, I try to pull away, but the chain has me securely attached to him. Then Kay pushes himself to his feet while cradling me like an infant.

I give a few stubborn wiggles, but Kay just turns and starts walking away from the latrines.

“Once again, I must apologize, ma’am,” Kay adds as he blinks rapidly. My eye jab didn’t leave him as unscathed as he’s trying to make it seem. “I don’t normally manhandle prisoners.”

Grunting as much as I can past the gag, I hit my head into his chest just to be spiteful.

Kay keeps walking, undeterred. What is he? Made of ice?

I stop fighting. He’s going to exhaust himself carrying me sooner or later, and I’ll need to conserve my energy until I have the chance to escape. I still have the key to the shackles, after all. At least, I think I do. The ale from last night gave me a headache in exchange for the memories I lost to it.

I glance down at my pouch as the ice king continues to maneuver us through the forest.

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