Page 101 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

The woman pulled Leah’s hand, then they were in that horrible darkness again, then in the pink bedroom.

She stared at Leah with a serious expression. “I helped you, but don’t think that’s the norm. Never seek the dead. You, of all people, were raised by a necromancer and should know better.”

That was true. But then… “I was desperate.”

“Don’t let desperation take hold of you, or you’ll make foolish choices in your worst hours. I saved you—and I showed you Ironhold’s secret—out of respect for your father. But I won’t come again. If the dead want to speak to you, they’ll seek you, not the other way around. Never, ever, the other way around.” Her dark brown eyes were set on Leah.

But the woman’s words weren’t totally true. “Necromancy lets you talk to a dead person.”

“When the body has just died, Leah. There’s a very small window where it can be done. Again, I shouldn’t have to explain this to you. Seeking the dead is foolish and dangerous. Best case scenario you’ll get a lost spirit following you, worst case scenario, they’ll trap you somewhere. Am I clear?”

“Yes.” Indeed. Of course Leah knew all that. And still, her foolishness had gotten her useful information—but she wasn’t going to mention that.

Ticiane eyed her for a moment, perhaps to double check that the yes had been sincere, then said, “Stay strong. No torment lasts forever. Now try to sleep again, but don’t go seeking what you aren’t supposed to seek. I’ll stay here until you’re asleep, just in case.”

“Thank you.”

Leah lay on her bed, thinking that it was odd to sleep within a dream, but perhaps that was the way to transition back to reality. She missed her dragon, but tonight she wasn’t going to try to find anything or anyone anymore.

What she had to do was try to find a way to warn her parents, warn other kingdoms. Perhaps this ironbringer army was meant to defeat the fae. And then perhaps… The little she knew about them made her doubt any chance of good intentions. But what were their intentions?

---