Page 43 of This Frozen Heart

Smalls seems a little more skeptical. “So, we’re going to just climb up the Snow Queen’s stairs and demand she give back one of her servants?”

“She’ll appreciate the audacity.”

Doubts swirl in me at the thought of meeting such a powerful woman again on her terms. She has without a doubt had all the power from our first interaction.

But so has Constantinium, and that never stopped me from rebelling against them.

Striding past Wolf, I step onto the mountain and begin to climb.

Kay:

No matter how much I try to ignore the woman wearing a black bear fur gown, she does not leave my side. Not that she looks any more thrilled with my company than I am with hers, but apparently greeting new additions to the Snow Queen’s staff is her duty to fulfill whether or not she finds any joy in it— or in life at all.

“Our chambers are on the ground level of the palace,” the woman drones, looking as bored with her words as I am. “As is the kitchen, the lavatorium, the tannery, and the sewing room. The second story houses our Queen’s private quarters, the ballroom, the dining hall, the music room, and the library.”

I don’t even care to nod politely as I watch through the glass ceiling above us as the woman in the gray dress approaches a third man.

The last man who entered the Queen’s chambers strides out with his head low and his hands stuffed into the pockets of his blue-dyed fur coat. He either thinks he did poorly, or the momentary excitement already wore off and he’s returned to the numbness that remains.

“Your chambers are in the men’s barracks, which are to the left of the throne room,” adds the guide I never asked for. “Not that you need to know this, but the women’s barracks are to the right of the throne room.”

I glare at her, annoyed almost unto death. Every word she says scratches at my brain. Why couldn’t the Snow Queen’s palace be a little more isolated? It seems to defeat the purpose of having an impenetrable ice fortress looming over the world, only to let the world walk right inside and annoy you.

Then I turn back to where the second man to visit with the Queen is now speaking to the first. He frowns, looking defeated. His companion nods wearily, appearing to share his pain.

Then again, that’s the only thing that all mortals share, regardless of station or nation. Pain. Pain and numbness. Both are encapsulated in ice.

Ice is beauty. Ice is life. Ice shall shortly be my wife . . .

Gerta:

“So, what are we going to do when this is all over?”

I look up from the next step in front of me, not expecting that to be the first question after Wolf and I hash out our strategy for once we reach the summit. “What are you talking about, Biggs?I figured we would work on surviving this before deciding where to move next.”

“That’s the part that concerns me.” Despite his words, his tone is light as he ascends past Smalls, who is panting, and Prince, who has slowed his pace. “How many of us will be voting on which village to lie low in?”

I glance up at Wolf, who is several steps ahead and showing no signs of slowing thanks to her werwölfe endurance, the like of which I’ve only seen in Kay. Then I turn back to Smalls. “Do you think this is a suicide mission?”

“No, but you’ll be running off to Constantinium with your true love, and Prince will be whisked away with the Snow Queen, and Wolf and I . . .” He looks past me hopefully.

“Still not happening,” she calls.

Biggs sighs and turns back to me. “There won’t be very much left of our merry band, will there?”

I scowl. “First things first,nothingcould prevail upon me to leave Gaelia.”

“Not even ‘true love’s kiss’?” Biggs bats his half-frozen eyelashes obnoxiously.

For a moment, I consider pushing him back down the mountain. The others like me more, anyway; they’d claim it was an accident. “No, not even for that. I suppose if our relationship is going to work, Kay will simply have to stay here. He’s from Gaelia originally, so it could work.” Not that it would. Kay has ambition that is always reaching upward, while I have roots always digging downward.

No, I must not let myself think of such impossible things. I’ll give Kay a kiss and his freedom just like he tried to give me. Then we’ll go our separate ways because that is where our destinies pull us.

“So, I should expect your jolly captain bold to be joining our ranks to replace Prince?”

Snorting, I shake my head. “The only thing you can expect, Biggs, is the snowfall.”

Despite my exhaustion, I make myself climb a little higher. I put distance between Smalls and myself by just focusing on my next step.

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