Page 51 of The Alien's Cruel Starfrost Domain

“Of course,” I manage to say, even as cold, sparkling violence surges up inside me on a tide of frustration and anger.

The baron is practically giddy with delight, far too excited to notice my hesitation, I initially think—though come to think of it, I’m not certain whether he’s excited because he can finally tell me the reason for his visit, or if he’s thrilled by my less-than-enthusiastic response.

The snow cat beneath me begins to twitch, the magic controlling it responding to my emotions. Inhaling deeply, I rein in my anger, tying it down, working to dominate the construct as I would one of my own creatures. Without thinking, I touch the ruff of icy fur around its neck, sending some of my personal power through the touch to bring it back under control. The creature instantly stills.

It’s a beginner's mistake, one I never would have made if I weren't so discomfited by Svalkat’s announcement of Prince Jonyk’s intent to invade my home, bringing along the worst of the Icecaix Court.

But I should not have been able to use my power on the riding cat. No Caix could control another’s constructs—not without great effort and a large expenditure of magical power.

Worse, I see it when Svalkat jerks at the feeling of my magic flashing against his. I tamp down on my magnetics immediately, just in time to catch the baron casting a quizzical glance in my direction. I ignore his expression, and ask my own question instead.

“And what, if I might ask, is the purpose of His Highness's visit?” I pause and clear the frost from my throat. “So I might aid him in whatever he needs, of course.”

The Baron pauses for a long moment, his gaze searching mine, and I can practically smell him wondering if he felt what he thinks he did—the impossible sensation of another Icecaix’s magic coming through his bonds with his constructs.

I keep my own expression guileless and open, waiting for him to respond to my question. But beneath that expression, I hold myself ready.

I don’t want to kill the baron—not now. It will raise too many questions.

But I’m prepared to do so if necessary.

Finally, Svalkat shakes off his concern enough to respond. “His Highness,” he says, “is taking a small retinue to parlay with the firelord king. He’s hoping to broker a new peace with King Kavan.” He waves a hand in the air. “But that’s neither here nor there—it’s only important inasmuch as it means that he has decided to break his return journey here, in your domain, at Starfrost Manor.”

The baron’s voice goes up a full ten-note between “Starfrost” and “Manor,” and he claps his hands together, then raises his shoulders around his ears as if hugging himself.

I force myself to smile. But this is even worse than I anticipated. If I’m not careful, my entire plan could come crashing down around me—and with it, my whole world.

I have to figure out how to salvage my carefully constructed plans—and quickly. Otherwise, my entire planet will be destroyed.

It’s time to move up my timeline.

Time to force Lara to reveal her powers to me.

CHAPTER 16

LARA

When the duke and his odious houseguest return from their ride, they come in through one of the side doors just as I’m passing through the same hallway. The baron leers at me, and it’s all I can do to stop myself from kicking him in the shins.

Ivrael, on the other hand, turns one of his more intense gazes on me. I tell myself I want to kick him, too—but that’s not entirely true.

I have to get out of here, as soon as possible.

I know Kila wants to go with me when I raid Ivrael’s study for the map. But if I get caught, she’ll almost certainly die. I wouldn’t put it past Ivrael to hurt her in order to punish me.

So once night falls, I wait until finally the household is entirely asleep, until the house is quiet and Kila is curled up, fast asleep in the crook of my shoulder.

For once, I’d stoked the fire after everyone left the kitchen instead of banking it as I was supposed to. I’d also snagged a tea towel earlier,and it has been warming by the fire all day. Now I take it and wrap it around Kila’s tiny body as I remove her from her spot under my sweater. She whimpers in her sleep, snuggling deep into the warmed fabric.

My heart squeezes as I stare down at her, biting my lip and second-guessing my decision to leave her behind. She won’t fare very well if anything happens to me. But if I don’t come back for Kila, Adefina will do her best to protect the tiny Starcaix.

As I move out of the kitchen, the chill of Starfrost Manor bites at me. And for a moment, the idea of stepping out into this land of permanent winter and making a run for it sends a frisson of fear shooting through my limbs. But I shake it off.

I don’t know why Duke Ivrael bought me, but I know that ever since that day in the Trasqo Market, I’ve been miserable and terrified. Even as I grew accustomed to both those feelings, slipping into an uneasy acceptance of what staying alive here meant, those emotions sat inside me, weighing me down like stones in my chest and my gut. And no matter how I try to harden the rest of me to match their inflexible mass, they remain separate from me, unwieldy weights I carry everywhere I go—and worse, every so often they crack and blossom, like seeds of some unholy plant, sending out new tendrils of heavy dread.

I will do everything in my power to keep Izzy from ever having to experience that.

So I inhale once deeply and shove my anxiety down until it’s almost dormant. The bitter, metallic taste of adrenaline floods my mouth anyway. I’ve grown used to that flavor over the last year and recognize it for what it is. I swallow, hoping it will at least make me sharper and more aware.

---