Page 103 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

“And how do you plan to get there? The path in the hollow across the ocean has been lost for generations.”

He ran a hand over his head. “Not for humans. Since I can pass for one, I might as well make use of it.”

“Humans can’t… wait. You’re going to take a boat?” She said it as if it was the most horrific idea ever. “With the enemy?”

“Tell me you’re astonished at my ingenuity.”

She snorted. “I know you’re smart, River. It runs in the family. Now figure out the lapse stones. And let’s hope for the best.”

Even if Ciarahad told him to be careful, even if perhaps she didn’t trust he’d be able to retrieve the staff, her words had encouraged him. The lapse stones encouraged him. Perhaps they were just pebbles, but it was his family legacy, a strange family heirloom passed on through generations.

With that recently-found confidence, River moved to one of the circles in Umbraar. Fewer and fewer of these passageways were available for his people, now that humans were targeting them, but some of them were still intact in kingdoms with extensive forests, like Umbraar. But the fae settlement here had been abandoned recently, everyone retreating back to the safety of the Ancient City.

He didn’t have to walk much until he was in the magnificent city of Formosa. Ciara always said it was powered by greed, but it was also beautiful, with cobbled streets and houses on an uneven terrain bordering a huge cliff, as if it was hidden by a huge wall. A wall housing golden turrets, as if the castle had been partly embedded in the rock. All the ships going to Fernick docked here, as it was the center of trade in Aluria.

A lot of gold left this port, thanks to the ironbringers who could sense the metal in the earth. They would destroy anything and everything for gold and precious stones. Perhaps this city was powered by greed. It was still untouched by war, which had been raging rather in the kingdoms of Ironhold, Wolfmark, and Wildspring, but it didn’t mean Umbraar wasn’t sending soldiers and supplies to kill River’s people. The thought that everyone there would like to see him dead made the city ugly, but what mattered for him was that it had ships, and one of them could take him across the sea.

Wearing gloves and his hair down, over his ears, the only glamour River needed was in his eyes, and it wasn’t that big of a difference. He had considered turning them blue or green, but brown was the easiest—and was practically his real eye color.

Despite having a body of water for a name, River knew nothing about boats. Even then, he found a job in one of them as a guard. He had a sword, after all. A bronze sword, but it might as well have been a wooden sword, considering how much they checked it. In truth, he’d used his persuasive magic to convince the captain. He’d always wondered why his people didn’t just come up to some important humans and convince them to quit this silly war. Or slaughter each other. Or something. His grandparents had told him that he could infiltrate the human courts, but it had always annoyed him to think that his strength was in his human looks. Still, now he was taking advantage of it, on his way to the continent, on a hopeless quest.

* * *

Leah wokeup and knew two things. First, other kingdoms could be in danger, if Ironhold was sending ironbringers to them. Probably not Frostlake, if Leah and Venard were returning so soon. Still, it was something she would need to tell her parents.

Second, Isofel was alive. Alive! Leah was sure it was true, and couldn’t keep her heart from leaping in joy. True that him being dead or alive made no difference in her life, but at least she wouldn’t need to pity the fool who had rejected her. Yes. That explained why she was so happy.

Perhaps if she hadn’t been so taken by Isofel she would have paid more attention to Venard, she would have realized there was something wrong with his family, she would have made a better choice. What choice? His had been the only proposal. It had been all set up. Since the Ironhold king was her father’s friend, it was unlikely that her family would oppose the union. And Venard seemed decent when he wasn’t near his unhinged grandmother or sadistic brother.

Then there was a third thing in her mind. Venard’s request and what would happen after the wedding party. If she thought too much about it she would eventually puke. She knew that she wanted to return to Frostlake as soon as possible, and knew that it would only happen if his family trusted her. That would be a way to gain their trust quickly—unless she could convince him to lie. Maybe. If he was her friend, maybe he would help her.

She got dressed, which was good because soon her husband came in, smiling.

“Excited for your great day?”

“Yes.” What was she going to say?

He offered his arm. “Come. You’re to have breakfast with us.”

Leah trembled, dreading facing his brothers, her hand still hurt from the burn she’d gotten last time. “Are you sure it’s necessary?” Her voice quivered.

“It will be fine. Come.”

Leah satbetween Lady Celia and Venard, glad to be away from Cassius, but then he was right across from her. She looked down at the one toast they allowed her to have, and tried not to gobble it too fast, as wasting a perfectly good piece of bread by puking it would be horrible. Then there was whatever punishment the freaks would inflict on her if it happened, which she wasn’t looking forward to either.

Leah nodded while Celia lectured about propriety, modesty, and good manners, congratulating her on having acquired them, as if she had been some wild animal that was now being domesticated. Well, an imprisoned animal, a bird with its wings cut, those were some appropriate descriptions to the way she felt in Ironhold.

But apparently, according to them, Leah was learning to behave and become a decent person. That was good to hear, as outrageous as the whole thing was, as her hope of returning home was alight in her heart. If acting like a submissive bootlicker was what it took, Leah was ready to do it. Especially now that she wanted to tell her parents about the ironbringer army. She had to.

Celia put a hand on Leah’s arm. “You’ve been such an adorable, good girl that we have a gift for you. Cassius.” Her tone was different, not a threat this time. It was impressive how Leah had gotten good at decoding the woman’s inflections.

The prince passed a box to his grandmother. Inside it was a choker gold necklace with encrusted diamonds, a necklace that made her entire body shiver remembering Serine being killed.

“It’s lovely.” Leah smiled, hoping the fear wasn’t audible in her voice.

Cassius smirked. He knew. Venard was eating and pretending he didn’t see anything.

Celia stood behind her. “We’ll put it on now, as you’ll wear it for your wedding, dear.”

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