Page 12 of Ties of Frost

“That’s to be expected with an ice curse,” a new, unfamiliar voice said.

My chest tightened. “Ice…curse?”

A squat man wearing the close-fitting blue robes of a senior physician slipped around Kyrundar, a tense expression on his ruddy, freckle-dusted face. “Apprentice Banor told me you were struck by an ice curse.” He peered up at Kyrundar. “And then you used your magic to keep it from reaching her heart, is that correct?”

Kyrundar made some reply to the physician, but my ears were ringing. Ice curse? They’d taught us about those at Harcos. Rare, dangerous ice magic that took a lot of malice, intention, power, and time to refine into highly volatile bolts. When activated, the curse would seek to smother the closest heat source. As a wyveri with dragon heat in my heart, I’d had nightmares for days after that lecture.

“Rengir Eilmaris?”

I blinked. “Sorry?”

“I was saying, I’m Senior Physician Quillan. I’m a fleshmage, so I’ll examine you and see what, if anything, I can do, but I’ve sent for Physician Mirlanwen as well. She’s the ice elf on our staff.”

“Is she a senior physician?” Kyrundar asked, his tone causing dismay to spike in my own chest.

Quillan shook his head. “Ice elves don’t often study here, and those who do mostly return to Glacori.” He held up his forefinger and made a spinning movement. “Would you turn so I can inspect your arm now, Rengir Eilmaris?”

“Oh, right.” Heat suffused my skin. I turned so my right arm was facing Quillan and crossed my legs on the bed. “You may call me Zidra.”

“Thank you, Zidra.” The physician loosened andunwrapped the fabric binding my arm. Only when he set it aside did I recognize the material from Kyrundar’s blue tunic. My gaze cut down to the jagged hem of his clothing, then back up to his face.

The moment our eyes locked, I felt a tug deep in my chest. An odd sensation zinged through me, sending an exhilarating shiver from the top of my head down to my feet; my toes curled in my boots.

Kyrundar’s head jerked back. His ice-blue eyes widened, and a bit of pink overtook his pale complexion.

A stab of pain as Quillan did something to my arm broke the unsettling moment, but then Kyrundar hissed in pain at the same instant I did. Curiosity and confusion rose in my chest, but I could now recognize that those weren’tmyfeelings—not solely.

They were Kyrundar’s.

My jaw fell open. “Oh. No. What did youdo?”

Quillan hummed and adjusted his hold on my arm. “I only—”

“Not you!” I pointed at Kyrundar. Red tinted my vision. My fangs elongated and my blood heated, and I felt his panic filtering through my emotions. “You used your magic on me. What else did you—”

I cut off with a cry of pain as something cold stabbed at my right arm.

“Zidra!” Quillan cried. “You must control your dragon fire!”

Every breath heaved in my lungs as I glared down Kyrundar.

He held up his hands in a placating gesture. “I don’t know! I didn’t do anything, Zee.”

I leaped to my feet, ignoring Quillan begging me to calm down. “I was unconscious, soIdidn’t do anything, and I don’t want this, soyoumust have done something!”

Kyrundar winced, and I hated that I could feel how offended and frustrated he was, but he also had no right to be offended. The icy pain in my arm increased, and Kyrundar grabbed his own arm.

“Zidra!” Quillan shoved against my breastplate, but I didn’t budge. “Your dragon fire is burning through Kyrundar’s ice magic, which is holding the ice curse in check. You need to calm down, or you will die!”

That shocked me enough that Quillan was able to force me back onto the bed. I willed myself numb, blocking out my own emotions as well as Kyrundar’s. Quillan lifted my arm and prodded the wound, then sent a surge of human magic into my skin that tingled in a soothing way.

“Rengir Ilifir,” he said, his voice too level. “I need you to block the ice curse again. It’s escaping back into her bloodstream, and my magic does not affect it.”

Kyrundar stepped forward, but I recoiled involuntarily.

“Zidra,” Quillan said softly. He waited until I looked at him to continue. “I don’t know what’s going on, but Kyrundar Ilifir saved your life, and right now, he’s the only one who can save you again.”

All of my wyveri pride rankled at the words. I clenched my fists until my fingers ached.

---