Crown of Ice (21 page)

“Is it?” I rise to my feet and stride to the cave opening, acutely aware that Kai’s following right at my heels. “You’re right. I can see farther now, and the snow’s much lighter. Perhaps Sephia has fulfilled my request, after all.”

“We should resume our search for Gerda and Bae.” Kai turns and heads toward the ponies. “I’ll hitch them up, if you want.”

I nod, absently patting Luki, who’s trotted up beside me. “That’s a good idea. It’ll give me a moment to concentrate and see if I can pick up anything.”

I close my eyes, chasing an image of Kai’s face from my mind before focusing on Gerda and Bae. A flicker composed of their combined essences touches my thoughts and I concentrate all my power to evoke an image of their location.

“I see it!” I shout, startling the ponies.

Kai swears and yanks down the animals’ tossing heads. I run to the sleigh and help him tighten the straps of the harness as Luki dances about us, yipping in delight. “Yes, we’re headed out again,” I tell the rambunctious wolf. “Hop in the sleigh and cease that racket.”

Luki bounces over to me and gives my hand a lick before leaping into the back of the sleigh. He perches on the bench seat, panting with excitement, his mouth slightly open and his tongue sliding over his sharp white teeth.

“You know he adores you, right?” Kai tests the last buckle of the harness before climbing into the sleigh.

“He sees me as his pack leader.” I settle onto the front seat and take up the reins. “No more, no less. Don’t go assigning emotions to creatures that don’t have them.”

Kai makes a strange, strangled noise as I call “Starward” and slap the reins against the ponies’ flanks, sending them sailing into the swiftly clearing sky. As Kai throws the fur blanket over our legs I turn to give him a quick smile. “We’ll find them now. I know exactly where they are. Clever, clever, Bae.”

“And clever, clever, Thyra.” Kai gazes into my eyes, as if searching for the answer to an equation. “Sometimes.” He turns and stares down at the snow-drifted landscape.

***

My vision leads us to another cave, on the other side of the mountain. Deep in the recesses of the cave we discover Gerda and Bae. The reindeer’s lying on the ground in a jumble of long legs and shaggy fur. Of course he’s chosen this awkward position to allow Gerda to nestle next to his warm torso. As Kai and I make our way to his side, Bae looks up at us with a pleading expression.

“Please, Snow Queen, do not harm the little miss. She has suffered much already.”

Kai kneels before the sleeping girl. He lightly brushes back the dark gold hair that’s sprung free from her braids. Her plump, cheery beauty has been transmuted into the pale perfection of a marble statue. Shadows lurk beneath her lower lashes and hollows sculpt her cheekbones.

“Gerda,” he says softly as Bae nuzzles the back of the girl’s neck.

She wakes to Kai’s concerned face. I shift from foot to foot, glimpsing an expression in those blue eyes that reminds me of Luki. A look that speaks of adoration. Perhaps Kai was right about the wolf. Gerda’s gazing at Kai with an identical expression and there’s no question what it means.

“Kai!” Gerda throws her arms about his neck and buries her face in his shoulder.

He takes her in a close embrace, rocking her gently back and forth for a moment before holding her at arm’s length. “You’re much too thin.”

Gerda brushes the tears from her face. “Where have you been, Kai? Our families have been so worried.”

“And now they’re equally worried about you,” Kai chides, before releasing her and sitting back on his heels.

“I had to find you, Kai. I couldn’t go on, not knowing …” Gerda rubs at her eyes.

“Very well, it’s done.” Kai rises and holds out his hands. “Come, let’s get you somewhere safe.”

Gerda takes his hands and allows him to pull her to her feet. Behind them, Bae lumbers to his full height, shaking his shaggy body as if dispelling any stiffness.

“I found the little miss wandering on her own, about to cross into your realms of ice and snow,” Bae says, his liquid eyes fixed on me. “I could not convince her to turn around so I offered to escort her to the palace.”

Gerda’s face lights up and she claps her hands. “Kai, he flies! Can you imagine?”

“Yes, I can.” Kai places one arm around Gerda’s shoulders and turns her to face me. “Gerda, this is Thyra Winther. You met her once before, long ago. In the church, remember?”

Gerda examines me carefully. “Yes, but …” Her bright blue eyes narrow. “She looks quite different.”

“Yes, she’s changed.” Kai keeps his arm about Gerda as he walks her closer to me. “She’s the Snow Queen now, Gerda.” His fingers tighten on her shoulder as she instinctively stiffens. “Don’t worry, she’ll not harm you. We’re working together, reassembling a magic mirror that can save Father.”

Gerda gazes up into Kai’s face. “What do you mean, Kai? How can a mirror help your father?”

The absolute trust in her eyes makes my fingers curl into my palms. Luki’s nose bumps at one of my fists and I release my clenched fingers to stroke his head.

“It’s complicated, Gerda.” Kai pats the girl’s shoulder. “I’ll explain later. Now, don’t panic over the wolf. He’s quite tame.”

Gerda’s face has gone white as a sheet of paper. She clutches at Kai’s free hand, drawing him closer to her. “You must come home with me, Kai. You can’t stay here, in this wilderness of ice and snow.”

“I’m sorry, Gerda, I can’t return yet. We must complete the mirror. I’ll explain as we travel to the palace.”

“Palace?” I stare at the young couple. Kai’s arm is still about Gerda’s shoulders, but his eyes are fixed on me. “What are you thinking, Kai?”

“I’m thinking that we can’t waste any more time. The mirror must be completed, for your sake and for mine.”

I meet Kai’s implacable stare with a glare of my own. “Gerda should return home.”

“No, Gerda can travel with us to the palace. Both she and Bae will be safe there, despite Voss, if you’ll offer them your protection.” Kai drops his arm from Gerda’s shoulder and steps forward until he’s toe to toe with me. “You know it’s the only way.”

“Bae can take Gerda home.” I poke Kai’s chest with my finger. “It isn’t your call, Master Thorsen.”

“If they are out of our sight, can you guarantee their safety, Snow Queen?” Kai takes hold of my finger and wraps his own fingers about my hand. “Can you, Thyra?” he asks, more softly.

I shake my head. “No. Very well, we all travel back to the palace.”

“What palace is this, Kai?” Gerda moves to Kai’s side, laying her hand on his elbow.

He looks down at her. The tenderness he displayed in his first moments with Gerda is slipping away. Now irritation appears to wrinkle his brow. “It’s the Snow Queen’s castle, Gerda. Thyra’s home. You’ll be perfectly safe there.”

I think about the wraiths and our strange servants. “Well, let’s go before Voss realizes he’s been fooled. He’s likely to conjure another blizzard out of spite.” Kai’s still clasping my hand. I wiggle my fingers until he releases his hold, then turn on my heel and stride out of the cave. Luki leaps about, circling Kai, Gerda, and Bae as they make their way outside.

Kai insists that Gerda sit in the front of the sleigh, while he settles in the back with Luki. He leans against the front seat, one hand gripping the top edge. Gerda casts furtive glances at me as I snap the reins and urge the ponies forward.

“Hang on,” I tell her. “We fly as well.”

Gerda’s blue eyes widen and she whips her head around to look at Kai. She fumbles for his hand, but he pulls it back before she can take hold. “You’ll be fine, Gerda,” he says. “Just hold on and don’t lean over the edge.”

“I’m not likely to do that.” Gerda grabs for the right edge of the sleigh. She keeps her eyes fixed on the horizon as we head into the sky. Bae sails along beside us, his legs moving in rhythm with the pace set by the ponies.

“Do not fear, little miss,” he calls out to Gerda. “I won’t allow you to fall.”

I glance at Kai before I focus on urging the ponies toward home. It’s strange how pensive he appears. Gerda’s presence hasn’t lifted his spirits like I thought it would.

“We should make much better time,” I call back to him, “now that we’re not fighting the weather. You and Gerda can share a real reunion soon.”

My hood is pulled back. Kai leans forward and whispers in my ear. “We can continue reassembling the mirror soon. That’s what truly matters. Trust me, Thyra, I won’t allow Gerda to interfere with our work.”

My hood is gently pushed forward to cover my springing curls. I don’t turn around, but cast a glance at Gerda. Tight-lipped and wide-eyed, she’s staring straight ahead. I know she’s scared but as if she senses my interest she turns and give me a tremulous smile.

A brave child, if nothing else.

CRACKS IN THE ICE

I know Gerda’s terrified.

She cowers on the bed that’s shoved in one corner of the small bedchamber. The room is clean and furnished with the necessities, but the very fact that it remains locked at all times is enough to rattle anyone, much less a young, inexperienced girl.

Gerda shrank into her heavy cloak when we arrived at the palace. She gasped when she caught her first glimpse of our transfigured animals. Thank goodness the wraiths made no appearance when I marched her to her room. She’d probably have fainted, and I would’ve had to command a bear to carry her, Kai having vanished the moment we entered the palace.

“Where’s Kai?” Gerda huddles on the bed, buried under a pile of furs.

I lean against the door. “Working on the mirror, I suppose. At least that’s where he was when I last saw him.”

“He hasn’t come to talk to me. I thought he would.” Gerda’s voice breaks on the last word.

“Well, he wants to complete the mirror as much as I do. To save his father, you know.”

“I know.” Gerda straightens and throws off the blankets. She looks very fragile, cocooned in a pile of brown and white fur like a butterfly just breaking out of its chrysalis.

Butterflies.
I rub my forehead. I haven’t seen a butterfly in years. “He’s quite determined when he puts his mind to something.”

“Yes, I’m aware of that.” Gerda’s blue eyes are clear as a summer sky. “It worries me.”

I walk toward her. “Why?”

Gerda slides over so that I can perch on the edge of the bed. “I wonder if he’ll ever be happy, ever be satisfied.”

“In the village, you mean.” I lift one foot and survey the well-worn tip of my soft leather boot.

“Yes. I know he wants to attend the university, and I hope he can. But I worry that when he’s there, he’ll become so absorbed in his studies that he’ll forget to eat and sleep. That’s why,” Gerda meets my gaze without flinching, “I think we should be married before he leaves for school. I can keep house, and cook meals, and make sure he stays well. I can take care of him.”

“Very commendable, but what about your own life?” I absently bounce my foot in the air as I twirl one strand of my white hair about one finger.

“Kai is my life. I mean, my love for him is what really matters to me.” Gerda looks away.

“You’re entirely too young to decide that.”

“I’m not.” Gerda stares at her clasped hands. “Lots of girls in the village marry at my age. And this would be next year anyway, when I’m sixteen.”

“Oh, sixteen.” I drop my foot and tap it against the stones. “Really Gerda, don’t you think it’s best if Kai goes off to the university by himself? You can wait a few years, surely, before you two get married.”

“I can wait forever, but …” Gerda glances up at me. Tears glisten on her lashes. “It’s just—sometimes I think that Kai will never come home, not once he breaks away.”

“You’ll have your answer then.” I rise and pace the room. “If Kai loves you, he’ll return for you. Otherwise, why would you want him?”

Gerda sighs deeply. “You really don’t know much about love, do you, Thyra? I suppose that makes sense, though.”

Of all the impertinence.
I wheel about and fix her with a fierce glare. “Why is that?”

Gerda eyes me speculatively. “Well, you were orphaned, and raised by that horrible woman …”

“Inga? I thought everyone considered her a saint.”

“Not everyone,” Gerda replies mildly. “And of course, you were stolen away by some wizard and brought here, to this horrible place.” She shivers. “Living all alone, I’m guessing, for many years, with a terrible curse hanging over your head.”

I stride to the bed and loom over her. “What do you know about my situation?”

“You must reconstruct some enchanted mirror before your eighteenth birthday or you’ll be turned into a wraith. Bae told me.” Gerda’s eyes are brimming with something that looks like pity.

“It’s no concern of yours.” I head for the door. Pressing my forehead against the silky wood, I close my eyes for a moment.

“Do you really think this wizard, whatever his name is, will let Kai go when the mirror’s complete?” Gerda’s voice pierces my concentration.

“His name is Mael Voss and why wouldn’t he?” I turn slowly, resting my back against the door.

“I don’t know. I just imagined he’d kill Kai, and me, when all was said and done.” There isn’t even a trace of self-pity lacing Gerda’s voice.

“And you came anyway.”

“That’s what love is, Thyra.” Gerda pulls up one of the blankets and arranges it about her shoulders.

“No, that’s foolishness.” I examine the girl’s drawn face. “Anyway, I won’t allow Voss to harm Kai, or you, for that matter. What useful purpose would that serve?”

Gerda smiles. “Is everything sensible in your world, Thyra?”

“I try to make it so.” Laying my hand on the doorknob, I reach in my pocket for the key. “Anyway, I’ve a very logical proposition for you, Gerda, if you’ll agree to listen.”

“I’ll listen.”

I point toward her with the hand gripping the key. “You can leave now. Travel home today. I’ll even send Bae with you to make sure you arrive safely. All you have to do …”

“Is give up Kai?” Gerda tilts her head and continues to gaze steadily at me.

“Yes. Well, for now. He’ll return to you eventually, after the mirror is complete. Simply go home and wait for him.”