Page 50 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

10

Through the Hollow

“Fel!” Naia pleaded, afraid of what her brother would do to River. She let her magic connect with the bent pokers pinning River to the wall and tried to remove them, but her brother was still using his ironbringing, and the pokers wouldn’t budge.

River waved a hand and smirked. “It’s fine. I’m quite comfortable here.”

She gave up trying to set River free, but then glared at Fel. “What are you doing?”

“Really?” Her brother raised an eyebrow. “You’re asking me?” He then turned to River. “Who are you and what do you want with my sister?”

Even though River was against the wall and had two iron sticks around his neck, his face and body were relaxed and confident. His horns and red eyes were still visible as he gave Fel a broad smile. “Delighted to meet you, prince Isofel. I’m River, and—”

“River what?” Fel spat.

He paused and his eyes widened for a second, then he smiled. “River Ancient.”

Fel frowned. “That’s not a last name.”

“If I’m saying it is; it is.” River shrugged. “And what difference does it even make?”

“I want to know who is here to take my sister. I think I have that right, don’t I?”

“Fel.” Naia tried to calm him down. The amount of magic in that room felt like heavy clouds, and she didn’t want it to become a storm.

Her brother raised a gloved hand. “Let me talk to him.” His voice was calmer, though, as he turned to River. “What are your plans? What do you want with her?”

River now looked comfortable standing on the wall. “She agreed to marry me.”

Fel stared at him as if he were some disgusting insect. “Do you even know her?”

“Not as much as I would like to.” River sighed. “But some knowing needs marrying first, right?”

There was pain in Fel’s eyes as he turned to Naia. “Is that what you want? You’re leaving with this… This fae?”

“Yes.” She looked down, unable to say any more, unwilling to face her twin, to see the hurt in those eyes.

Fel turned to River again, his voice clipped. “Do you promise to honor her?”

“Absolutely.” River’s voice sounded calm but firm. She dared glance at him, and saw him looking at her brother. No malice, deceit, or mockery in his expression.

For a moment, it was as if Fel was frozen, staring at River, perhaps unable to counter his words, unable to find fault in his promises. Then he glared at the fae. “Listen, if you are playing with her, if you cause her any harm, I swear I’ll find you and kill you—slowly. And if you’re dead, I’ll find the ones you love.”

River tilted his head, glanced at Naia, then turned to Fel. “I’m absolutely sure you don’t want to hurt the people I love.”

Love? Had he just suggested that he loved her?

“Not Naia, of course!” Fel said.

River nodded. “You want her safe and I want her safe.” He then turned into black smoke and reappeared right in front of Fel, extending a hand. “We’re of the same mind, human prince.”

Fel frowned, seeing that River was no longer pinned to the wall.

The fae looked back at the pokers. “Oops,” he said, then returned to where Fel had pushed him, smirking behind the bent pokers now surrounding his neck again. “I guess you prefer me here.”

Fel shook his head and turned to Naia. “This is your choice? This was what you were talking about?”

“Fel, I…” Why were these words so hard?

---