Page 71 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

Two rows of guards wearing gray uniforms lined the way until the main door of the castle. Quite an exaggerated door, as if they were expecting a giant to visit or something. The thought amused her, and Leah figured that if she found little things to laugh about, she could survive until she found a way to go back home.

Venard’s two older brothers were there too, waiting for them. Leah recalled her cousin Mariana, who wished she could marry Cassius, the eldest. Sometimes not getting what you wanted was a blessing, and she wished Mariana knew that.

Walking in that path surrounded by guards made her feel threatened again. Or maybe she was overreacting. Again, perhaps it would be fine from now on.

When they were almost reaching that humongous door, a girl came running towards them. She had reddish blond hair and was dressed like a noble. Leah’s first thought was that it was some family member who missed Venard or the other brothers, but her face was in tears.

“Venard!” the girl yelled. “It’s true, then? You’re married? What about us? What about everything you told me?”

Leah felt him stiffening beside her, and was taken by pity of the girl. She wished they could make a deal right then, and let her marry him, if she liked him so much. Let her be tortured by his grandmother. His grandmother, who muttered, “Venard.”

Leah flinched, having heard that tone twice now. Such a quiet voice, such a harmless word carrying the threat of violence. Venard stiffened even more, and stared at the girl.

Oh, no, Leah didn’t want to see her getting hurt, getting beaten. What were they going to do to the poor girl?

The answer came quickly. The girl was wearing a gold chain around her neck, and, in a quick motion, it strangled the girl, who fell down, her face turning purple.

“No!” Leah screamed, then, by instinct, tried to reach out for the fallen girl, wanting to take that chain from her, wanting to do something… even if it was too late, even if the girl was already dead.

Instead she felt two guards grabbing her by the arms, dragging her inside the castle. Hear ears were ringing and everything was blurry. This couldn’t be real, but it wasn’t one of her dreams. She knew it even if she couldn’t try to cross her hands, with her arms being held like that, as she was being dragged like a prisoner. Would they put her in a cell, in a dungeon? Would they hurt her?

The halls here had granite floors and wooden walls, meaning that it wasn’t the entire castle that was made of metal. Metal, like the girl’s necklace. The girl who likely once had loved Venard, who was Leah’s husband. She wished her mother were here, she wished she could ask her if it was possible to make it work with a cold-blooded murderer. Somebody then put a blindfold on Leah and the only reason it didn’t make her more scared was that she was probably as scared as she could be.

Leah felt as if she was somewhere moving up, then she was pushed some more, and heard a door closing.

“You can take the blindfold off.” Venard’s voice, which now felt as if maggots were crawling into her ear.

But Leah did what she’d been told, and was astonished to find herself in a completely pink room. Walls, ceiling, chandelier, rug, bed, beddings, tables, chairs. Her breath paused for a moment, that awful feeling of anticipation as she found Venard staring at her, hatred in his eyes.

He pulled her, then his lips were by her ear. “Do what I tell you, or else I’ll make you,” he whispered. “Scream now. Yell for me to stop.”

Leah truly didn’t understand what he was saying. “What?”

“They expect me to punish you for your insubordination. And I will if I have to. I won’t if you help me. Now scream, or I’ll make you.”

The message was clear. The memory of the trip back here, of being hit, then bound, then seeing that young woman murdered all came to her mind at once, and came out in a horrifying scream.

There was a glint of delight in Venard’s eyes, as if he enjoyed it. “More,” he said.

Leah was nauseous. The idea that she was living with a family that expected him to hurt her was horrific. She yelled again, as tears ran down her eyes.

He nodded. “A little more.” He then gave his back to her and kicked a drawer chest. Not only kicked it, but took out a drawer and threw it against a wall. Perhaps it was to make some noise, but then, there was real anger there. He glared at her, and then she started yelling all the words she could come up with. Please, stop, don’t. Please. And perhaps part of it was true. What she meant was “please let me go back home.” “Please nightmare, end.” And yet her screams just echoed on the walls, hopefully crossed them, to be heard by some sadistic loony in the hallway. Her new “family.”

* * *

Fel stared at Arry,standing across from him in the fort vault. This was a room that could double up as a deposit and as a safety chamber for royalty, but the floor was just packed earth, and it was large enough to allow magic practice and, most importantly, wrestling.

That was what Fel was doing. He’d chosen such a secluded place because he wasn’t using any magic and wasn’t that comfortable being seen without hands by strangers.

His friend had his light brown hair in a ponytail, and stood still, staring at him, both of them waiting for an opening. Sweat was dripping down Fel’s neck, even if he had also pulled his hair up, as they’d been at this for over an hour.

Arry tried to trip him, but Fel ended up with the advantage and tossed his friend on the floor.

“Ouch,” Arry grimaced. “You’re gonna end up killing me like that.”

“Not quite. Another round?”

Arry sat and put a hand up. “Give me a break. I need to catch my breath, you know? And why are you so worked up?”

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