Page 137 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

27

The Battle

Leah lay down on the cold, hard floor, hoping sleep would find her, hoping her dreams would give her an answer. But she knew the answer. She had to go to Umbraar, to Isofel. Just the thought felt like going home. But it wasn’t home. He had rejected her. And yet, perhaps her mother was in Umbraar, and they were the only kingdom standing against Ironhold. And still, part of her was still in love with their handsome prince—despite everything.

She took the mirror and tried to contact the Umbraar king, but to no avail. Something was wrong.

Leah sighed, then tried to relax the same way she’d done when she had ended up in Umbraar. And she kept thinking about Isofel. Isofel kissing her, Isofel’s skin against hers. Those thoughts were not helping her sleep at all. And she felt ashamed and angry at herself realizing how much she still wanted him. And yet she had to find him.

Sleep only came much later, after many slow, deep breaths, after Leah tried to think about nothing and bury all her fears and worries.

Leah found herself walking amidst mountains. Oh, no, this was where that creature had attacked her. She tried to put her hands together—and they crossed. Still a dream. But this was a dangerous place, and she had to leave. The issue was how.

A movement in front of her turned out to be one of those creatures with sharp teeth. Leah heard sounds behind her, and saw two more of them. Surrounded. Great.

“We’re not going to eat you,” one of the creatures said. “This time. Follow me.”

Leah turned the other way and ran, but her arms were caught, and then she was dragged to a cave inside a mountain. The walls had torches with eerie green light on them, and in the middle stood a dark throne, with a woman wearing all black, her face veiled, sitting on it.

“Finally you’re here.”

Leah frowned. “It helps when your servants don’t try to eat me.”

The woman chuckled. “Dismissed.” The creatures scurried away on all fours, like mice. “Leah, my darling. I have a proposition for you. You can be all powerful. The queen of all Aluria, the entire world. And I can help you.”

“I just want Frostlake, but I’m listening. Who are you?”

“Call me the Queen of Darkness. It sounds nice, doesn’t it?”

Leah just stared.

“Use the power that’s yours. By birthright. Stop with this nonsense of trying to control it. You deathbringers are so boring.”

“I’m a necromancer.”

The woman burst out laughing. “So silly. You know what? You can be weak, you can be pathetic. But know that it’s by choice.”

Then the image dissolved. Leah opened her eyes and found herself in the cellar, while someone was banging on their barricade.

Valeria and her brothers were asleep, and she shook them. “Let’s hide him. Quick.”

The young woman woke up, and she and Leah put the guard in the tunnel leading up to the royal quarters. He was moaning and partially awake, and the tunnel had narrow stairs and wasn’t a place where anyone could rest, but it would have to do for now.

A voice came from behind the boxes. “Anyone there? We won’t hurt you, we just want your version of the facts.”

Leah looked at Valeria. “I’ll come with you,” she whispered.

The woman pushed Leah. “Hide. I’ll come and check on you. Hide him, too.” She pushed Lago, her younger brother.

Like that, Leah was in a dark staircase with a wounded guard and a child. She held the boy’s hand and whispered, “You’ll have to be quiet.”

“I know. And if they find me, I’ll say I never saw a thing.”

Leah squeezed his hand, as if to bring him some comfort.

He then added, “I’m not afraid of the dark.”

“You’re smart.”

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