Page 3 of The Snow Queen

She wondered at her use of modern idioms for a while, before shrugging; she wasn't staying awake long enough to justify learning the correct use of this century’s slang.

By lunchtime, she was a quarter of the way up, when she reached a village she didn't recall.

Eira frowned, displeased.

She was used to finding new things outside, but her chain of mountains had been the one unchanging constant – no mortal was silly enough to wish to reside here, in the perpetually frozen wasteland she called home.

There were so many pleasant territories that she could have claimed, but pleasant meant populous, and she valued her peace and quiet.

Going to sleep for centuries wasn't easy; in fact, it was point blank impossible, unless she entirely emptied her mind and numbed her powers. Otherwise, she just took a nap and woke up within months, years at best.

Meeting people was the last thing she needed now; if she found any of them interesting, she might wonder about them and curiosity had already awoken her once.

Eira gave the town a wide berth and carried on, following the path.

She’d reached a clearing where a white bear was licking a dirty puddle, trying to quench his thirst.

Eira frowned again, when an unexpectedly acute pang of guilt made it through her mental shields.

There wasn't any large source of fresh water down these parts, because everything was frozen. Everything was frozen by her wishes. How many creatures had died of thirst here?Their fault for staying,she told herself; but it had been their land, before she’d taken it, stealing what she wanted like every god before her.

“Hey you! Come with me.”

She wasn't sure which tongue she used, but the animal lifted his head and enthusiastically ran towards her.

He was the very opposite of a pet yet, as he was bidden, he slowed down to follow her steps.

There used to be some sort of a pool around there, she was certain of it.

When she found it, it was entirely solid, as expected. She put both hands on the thick ice, and sent a jolt of her energy right through it.

The transformation was quick; the white, unchanging block of ice melted and soon, there was water everywhere.

Eira was already paying the price for it: she started to feel.

The beauty of the silver and blue world around her struck her afresh, and she smiled faintly at the beast, making a mess as he gorged himself.

Other things she’d blocked out were less pleasant. Now that her carefully constructed walls around her heart had faded, Eira found that she was cold, and hungry, too.

She looked down at her shaking hand, and tried to warm them by rubbing them together, blowing steam on her fingers – all in vain. Anything coming from her lungs right now was colder than the air around her.

It was an absolute disaster; cold and hungry meant that she wasn't even a little bit comfortable – and being uncomfortable meant she wouldn’t be sleepy.

She managed to control herself, firmly reminding her body that she could live without food, and that the temperature would not harm her.

But you’re hungry. Come on, a piece of bread wouldn’t hurt, either.

But it would; anything in her stomach would prevent her fall into eversleep.

You’re stronger than that. Don’t you give up now.

It was strange to recognize a dose of fear; she couldn’t understand why going to sleep was quite so important right now.

Sure, she knew she had to, and soon, but her mind was desperate to get there right now, as soon as possible, as though it expected a disaster if she failed to.

Eira knew better than to ignore it: there was something game-changing brewing under the surface.

She was no coward, but waiting for an unknown threat wasn’t in her nature, either.

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