Page 111 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

“Something strange happened,” Fel said. “To her magic. She was dreaming, then she appeared in my room. I think her necromancy might have made her walk in the hollow.”

The Umbraar king stared at her. “Is that true?”

“Yes. I have no idea how I got here.” And now she was almost completely sure this wasn’t some weird dream, which was mortifying.

King Azir kept looking at her, as if seeing her for the first time, then he got up and held her shoulders, urgency and agony in his face. “Are you sure you are a necromancer? Can you talk to the dead?”

Fel pushed him. “Let go of her.” His tone was calm, but there was something so terrifying and threatening about his voice that even Leah trembled. Fel and his father then glared at each other. That was quite a disrespectful way to treat a parent, but it was true that the king was being a little too intense. Fel then added, “I saw her revive a rat. Satisfied?” His voice was calmer, but there was still a dangerous edge to it.

Azir closed his eyes and turned to her. “You’re absolutely, completely sure you’re a necromancer?”

What else would she be? “Yes, I’m sure.”

He was still staring at her.

“Dad,” Fel said, “I think necromancy works like deathbringing. That’s the only explanation.”

The king looked at his son, then back at her.

Fel continued, “She’s saying that Ironhold has an army of ironbringers. This can’t be good. And that she fears for her parents in Frostlake.”

It was as if all the air was sucked out of the room then put back at once, but this time heavier and darker. “What?” Azir asked. He turned to Leah. “Is that true?”

He sounded as if he was going to murder her right then if she said yes.

“I don’t know,” she croaked. “Maybe. There are Ironhold forces in Frostlake, I mean, maybe it’s nothing, but I want to go back, just in case. It’s just… I don’t know how to go back.” The words were jumbled, as she felt the tension rising in the room.

The king glared at her. “I’m getting your mother out of there right now. And you stay here.”

She felt panic rising on her. “It will only make things worse. And I need to go back. To my husband.”

“No,” King Azir insisted, and she noticed his eyes were turning black. “You’re going to stay here and stay safe.”

Fel then said, “If she wants to go back to Ironhold, let her go back. Help her.”

The king’s eyes became green again and he turned to Leah. “Are you safe there? Are you sure?”

No, Leah wasn’t sure, but she didn’t want to risk her mother’s life, not when she was so close to going back home. “Yes, I’m safe.”

Fel then added, “Dad, if you go to Frostlake, it’s going to cause an inter-kingdom commotion.”

The king waved a hand. “I’m not an idiot. Nobody will even see me.” He stared at Leah. “You’re absolutely sure you’re safe in Ironhold?”

“I’m safe,” she insisted, thinking about her parents, thinking that she was so close to returning home and wasn’t going to ruin everything now.

Azir took a small communication mirror and gave it to her. “If anything happens, anything slightly suspicious, contact me, and I’ll get you out.”

“All right.” She took the object, surprised that this stranger suddenly cared about her. Then, it was probably because of his son.

“Thank you,” Fel said, confirming what she thought. The issue was that Fel only cared about her enough not to want to see her hurt—or dead.

“Can you get me back?” Leah asked King Azir. “And if you go to Frostlake, can you tell my parents to be careful with the Ironhold retinue, that there might be ironbringers among them?”

The king nodded. “Yes. If that’s what you really want.”

“I do,” she said. “I don’t think my parents are in danger, but if I disappear, they might be. I’ll contact you if anything happens.”

Fel held her arm. “Leah. Are you sure?”

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