Page 97 of Frost and Death
The room is surrounded with books stacked high on built-in shelves, and I remain quiet in my conflicting thoughts, touching the oak bookcases that hold volumes of history, art, journals, and maps of Palaena and Draymenk. Scanning the titles, some deal with religion, trade, and stories—even dabble in composition and music.
Joy lifts my mood as I trace my fingers across each music book, craving to read and memorize every score of Palaena’s artists.
“You play?” Jerrick’s whisper sends the hair rising along my neck, his presence made known.
My hand falls away from the texts, feeling like I was caught doing something wrong.
But his question brings back memories of my past and how it used to be surrounded with harmony. My resentment wavers slightly.
“I used to,” I confess.
“Used to?”
“Before I froze over my piano back home.” I, again, seek distance from him.
I ease into a high cushioned chair across from another, separated by a table piled with paperwork. I cross my arms at the small vulnerability I offered, unsure of why I even admitted that.
But the memory of playing on each key of the piano sets my determination straight, another thing capable of being fixed if I train with him.
Jerrick’s sits, leaning back. He studies me carefully, tenderness leaving his features, replaced by that cocky ego I so easily remember.
“Your powers are what bring us here today,” he says.
The kernel of calm and peace drains from me. “Maybe if you had upheld your end of the deal, my abilities wouldn’t have to be mentioned.”
His face hardens at my venom, and he inches forward and rests his arms on the table. It trembles as he says, “Oh, I still plan to train you, Frostbite. But all in good time. I, first, had to see how bad your winter was coming into my kingdom.”
I never considered it affecting Palaena. The veins of snow and ice from the lake near my home sprouted in the opposite direction of their borders. But traveling through Biala Forest showed me that my powers were spreading.
I did not get to see how bad it was, my injury speaking for itself. But my own negligence and lack of awareness of it to begin with coats my throat with nausea.
My skin heats, and my palms turn clammy as I reach out for something else to focus on. I lean into the lack of an apology from him about our wedding night, aware he is seeking to brush his outburst under the rug, blaming everything on me, like everyone does.
I scoff. “Isthatyour reason for avoiding me this entire time?”
“Who said anything about avoiding?” he coos dubiously.
I roll my eyes at the taunt as he adds, “It is heartwarming to see you’ve taken your new role seriously. But I have returned and have cleared your schedule to work with me.”
“I still have to work with Jonas and send correspondence to Axidoria. I can’t simply ignore those duties to work only with you.” I run my thumbs through my eyebrows as a dull ache forms in my head.
The meetings with Jonas are already long, and while I’ve grown to enjoy his company, it doesn’t make theunifyingof two kingdoms any easier. Not to mention the masquerade.
Will I get any time to reach out to Betina and Niko?
I might have to sacrifice time with them if I am going to get the answers and training I need from Jerrick. Darkness and misery cleave at my chest at my decision when footsteps recede toward the exit.
I lift my head as Jerrick reaches the door.
“Then you mustn’t be trying hard enough,” he says.
The fury coursing through me moves faster than my words.
I grab a rumpled piece of paper to throw toward Jerrick and histousledonyx hair. But the harsh reality of my terrible aim and awful strength shows as the crumpled parchment hovers in the air for mere seconds before dropping to the ground—faraway from the door.
The monster himself laughs cheerfully, haunting my thoughts and sending my rage to unravel even more. I stand, needing to expel my anger, and shove everything off the study table.
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