Page 102 of A Shard of Ice

No!

Why didn’t I say morning?

Why?

I smile. “I traveled for over a week. Yesterday was a blur. We climbed the mountain. My hands were so cold I couldn’t feel them. We had run out of supplies. I was absolutely exhausted. I could have gotten it wrong. Perhaps it was morning.”

“You say ‘we.’ Who did you travel with?”

“It was a small group of humans. We hoped to find asylum here at the Ice Court.” I’m saying too much. I don’t even know if you can get asylum.

“Names, girl! I want names.”

“I don’t know. I joined up with them a day before. By then, my mind was half gone from the cold and the sheer fatigue.”

He narrows his eyes. “You mean to tell me that you can’t give me even one name?”

Someone clears their throat at the door. They wave their hand, and the icicle bars disappear. Then they step inside the space and whisper into Vander’s ear.

“Fine,” he says, leaning back. “You may take her.”

“Take me where exactly?”

“Stand,” the new guard says, his voice deep.

I want to argue, but I know that there is no point.

Instead, I push myself up from the ice chair and follow the new guard out of the room. The two guards from before fall in behind me.

“I’m not sure what you did, human. It had to have been bad,” he says.

“I didn’t do anything.”

He makes a noise that tells me he doesn’t agree.

My heart is pounding in my chest as we walk down a long corridor, the walls glowing softly with an ethereal light. I steal a glance at the guard beside me – his features are stern, his eyes unreadable.

I want to ask him a question, but I bite my tongue instead. He’s not going to answer me.

We walk down several corridors and up a grand flight of stairs. They are, just like everything else, carved from ice, except this time, there are silver patterns within the ice, making each step shimmer in the soft light. If I wasn’t so nervous, I wouldmarvel at the craftsmanship as we ascend higher and higher into the heart of the Ice Court. The air grows colder with each step.

We finally reach the top. This part of the castle is different. It feels even colder than the rest, the air nearly freezing as I take in my surroundings. The landing is vast, with walls made entirely of ice that seem to glitter like diamonds in the dim light. The ceiling is glass, showing the moon and all the stars. It’s quite beautiful. My eyes would be drawn up if not for the large throne at the center of the room. It, too, is made of ice.

“This way.” The guard grabs my arm and yanks me toward yet another corridor. It’s wide and leads to a set of double doors that are intricately carved with swirling patterns. The guard pushes the doors open, revealing a room bathed in a soft blue light. I step inside, my eyes widening at the sight before me.

There are five guards standing at attention. They are not dressed in the same way as the ones escorting me. They are clad in armor made of shimmering ice, their weapons glittering in the light; they, too, are carved from ice.

“We’ll take it from here,” the guard at the front states. His beard is thick and white.

“She’s all yours,” the guard holding my arm says. “Good luck, human. I would recommend that you tell the truth. She always knows when you are lying. Always.” Then he smiles at me and turns to leave.

She.

No!

Surely not.

It has to be her.

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