Page 112 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

She wished he didn’t talk to her like that, she wished he were either cold or sweet all the time, as this back and forth was driving her insane. “What else can I do? What’s gonna happen if I stay here?”

“We’ll keep you safe.” There was no warmth in his eyes, though.

“Until what? Until when?” she asked. “I’m not going to start a war because of a dream turned wrong.”

Fel let go of her and sneered. “Fine, then. Go to your dear husband.”

“At least he married me.”

“Let’s go,” Azir said. “We’re wasting time. Hold my arm.”

Like that? Right now? She held it, then barely had time for one last look at Fel before she was engulfed in darkness.

* * *

Fel’s thoughts were a complete,illogical mess. And his feelings? Made no sense. Stay here until when, she’d asked. The answer was still in his throat. Until forever. Until we die. I’ll honor and respect and love you until the end of our lives.

If only everything were so simple. If only he knew this wouldn’t turn into humiliation, that she would stay, that she would choose him. If only he weren’t so weak and foolish to still want her after she’d humiliated him.

Fel was consumed with guilt. Of course he had noticed the dream had been too realistic. But it was like some gift from the gods. How could he have guessed? And yet, he’d almost gone too far. But he was also consumed with shame. She’d seen him as he was; no gloves, no shirt, nothing hiding him. And yet she hadn’t seemed to mind. She’d been almost his. So close. And it would have been wrong. It just made him wistful for what could have been. What would never be. Because of her. And then it all turned to anger.

And why was his father taking her back? He’d given her a communication mirror, but was it going to work? Naia’s wasn’t working. What if Leah was sent back to danger? What if it was his fault? They could have kept her in Umbraar regardless of what she chose. But that would be terrible. If she wanted her husband, they had no business preventing her from returning to him. So much confusion. Driving him insane. No, one thing he knew: the moment she’d been gone, he wished she had stayed. Now he had to regret his harsh words, regret his anger, and live with the knowledge that he had wasted his chance to make things right.

* * *

Azir was takingUrsiana’s daughter through the hollow. Ursiana’s daughter, who looked like her mother except for her blue eyes. The necromancer king’s eyes. And yet. The girl’s magic didn’t strike him as necromancy. It opened a locket of forgotten questions.

“You’re sure you’ll be safe there?” he insisted.

The girl nodded, seeming certain. Azir wasn’t going to put Ursiana’s daughter in danger, not if he could avoid it. And then, Isofel loved her. The fool. None of his warnings had worked. But perhaps warnings didn’t work. His son was going to love this girl until the end of his days. All Azir hoped was that it didn’t consume his joy, his life, his dreams. Perhaps Fel would still find happiness despite his broken heart.

She touched her pocket. “I’ll contact you if anything happens. Is this normal? I thought you couldn’t bring anyone across the hollow.” It was as if she wanted to change the subject.

Azir decided to ignore his misgivings about where she was going and answer her. “It’s a bad idea. When they don’t have the magic allowing them to cross. It’s like when you’re swimming and you try to drag someone who can’t swim. They can pull you into the depths. But you have that magic, so it’s different.” He took another look at her. “You’re absolutely sure you can revive a dead animal?”

The girl frowned. “Why do you keep asking me that?”

“Curious about your magic.”

She shrugged. “Well, it’s my father’s magic.”

“Fair.” He focused on the paths in the darkness, then traced the steps to the Ironhold castle, this place he hadn’t visited in years. The strange part was that the memories were sweeter than bitter, sweet with the memory of the two babies he had taken from that dreadful family. Isofel and Irinaia. Then his breath hitched thinking about Naia. With a fae. Gone. Saying she was spying on them, but what was she really doing? Fel suggested she should still be welcome home, she should be forgiven if she returned. Perhaps he was right.

With his daughter gone, here he was with Ursiana’s daughter. Another man’s daughter. But that was not the girl’s fault. And she wasn’t a girl, but a married woman. A married woman who’d just been unfaithful.

“Leandra,” he said. “If necromancy is like deathbringing, you need to learn to control it. You will have dreams in the hollow but sometimes they will be real.”

“Like what just happened.” Her voice was shaky. No wonder. The idea was terrifying. It had been terrifying to him once, before he knew how to control it.

“Yes. You can slip into your dreams. It’s rare but it can happen. Your father never mentioned any of that?”

“He taught me to understand when I’m dreaming.”

Maybe necromancy and deathbringing were similar after all. “What about walking in the hollow? Has he taught you that?”

“No.”

This wasn’t good. This was extremely dangerous. “Be careful. There are things out there. Dangerous things. But the biggest danger is not you getting hurt, but unleashing something.”

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