Page 100 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

He kissed her cheek, then whispered, “Sleep.”

Naia wanted to say something, ask what was going on, but her mouth wouldn’t move. Then she leaned against him, unable to stand anymore. Then there was nothing.

* * *

Leah stuffeddown the scream coming to her as she felt herself falling, falling, falling. She didn’t know if a scream would be heard for real, and didn’t want to see what would happen. Then she felt a hand pulling her, as she was getting close to the abyss below the castle.

“You have to fly,” the woman said.

“I don’t have wings.”

“Just float. Or we won’t get anywhere.”

Just float. Sure. Such an easy piece of advice. But this was a dream, and Leah should be able to control it. A dream. Soon she stood in the air as if it was water.

Ticiane nodded. “Follow me. Don’t worry, nobody will be able to see you.” She then shot up in the air.

Leah tried to imagine she was in the bottom of a deep lake and had to swim up, and that was how she followed the mysterious woman, who stopped at a balcony in the castle. They were still down below the valley level, deep in the abyss around the castle.

A large patio door led to an inside garden. Leah was about to try to open it, but Ticiane stopped her. “Let’s not go in. What do you see?”

It wasn’t truly a garden, now that she took a better look, and it made sense, considering that this part of the castle didn’t get that much sunlight. There was a large room with a fountain and some fake plants around it, illuminated by sconces, leading to two hallways.

“A fake garden.”

“Come to the window.”

This meant stepping out of the balcony again, and Leah’s insides were about to freeze, but she did it. A window showed a room with a large engraved double bed, and a young woman in it. These could be some kind of servant quarters, except that the decoration was too lavish, with paintings on the wall, silks and velvets. Maybe Ironhold treated their servants well? Now that was an idiotic thought. Of course they didn’t.

“Who’s she?” Leah asked.

“An iron mother. They are handpicked and chosen to come to the castle to bear ironbringers.”

Leah tried to think. “Wouldn’t their children belong to the royal family?”

Ticiane shook her head. “Not if they’re not married to the princes, not if the children aren’t recognized.”

“Are they… forced to come here?”

“That’s an interesting question, Leah. They come from poor families. This is their chance to give them a better life. So you could say they chose this. But between starvation and this, how much choice did they have? Although it is true that at least they’re not dragged here against their will, which is surprising for Ironhold standards.”

“Why would the Ironholds want illegitimate children?”

“Take my hand.”

They were in that oppressing darkness again, then Leah was above a forest and saw a large stone building with an immense courtyard surrounded by high walls. Some kind of fortress.

“They come and train here.”

Even though it was night, a group of some six young men were doing something. Leah had to look twice to be sure of what she was seeing, but they were floating metal bars above them. That was an iron magic practice. But the building was so large…

“How many of them are here?”

“Hundreds.” Ticiane kept looking at the fortress, some sadness in her voice. “Ironhold has been doing this since shortly after the Fae War. Their first children are becoming adults now. They can pass for normal soldiers.”

Leah was still somewhat incredulous as to how they could have birthed so many ironbringers, but the issue was what she recalled from the royal meeting. “If they send ten, twenty of them to each kingdom, these ironbringers could do a lot of damage, even in small numbers.”

Ticiane sighed. “I know not of their current plans. Do what you will with this information. Let’s go back.”

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