Ever Winter (12 page)

“Don’t worry; he’s quite alright. Shall we?” Corb waved toward the room and headed in. Shade spun around, realizing the hall she’d been waiting in with the fire was now a dead end hole in the wall. Biting her lip, she let her fury replaced the panic which had stunned her into place. There was nowhere to go but to follow the Ice King.

“Where’s Dylan?” she demanded as she entered the extravagant throne room of the Great Divide Palace. It was definitely enchanting−a throne carved from ice with intricate details, swirls and notches. Pillars of solid ice stood hovering over them like giants, built up to a domed roof which let in the light through its transparent, hard layer. A fountain lined one wall, made of small pools of blue water trickling down into clear as glass basins. They were so clean and see-through, the fluid inside appeared to be sitting in invisible bowls made of various shades of wavering blue water.

Corb sat on the throne and studied her with his pupil less eyes. It was eerie, for his orbs appeared to look almost all white except for the opalescence that reflected from the irises. “Miss him already? Don’t worry; he’s quite safe and unharmed.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Suit yourself. Shall we invite him in?” With a snap of his fingers the crack and pop of the ice
resonate once more made her jump in her skin. She shifted on her feet, her sword readied in case a horde of wild ice things decided to pour into the throne room. Instead, a large block of transparent ice shifted out of the wall and slid its way to the center of the room. Snow trickled off the top of it as it moved. The ice groaned as it shifted, finally coming to a stop, right in front of Shade.

Her horror left her frozen, as if she was the one encased in the ice, not Dylan.

“What have you done? Let him go!” She reached out and touched the hardened surface, gracing the area right outside Dylan’s unmoving face. He was stuck in attack stance, holding his sword as if waiting for something. He probably hadn’t even realized he was frozen. Why didn’t his magic melt the block? Why couldn’t his heat help him out now?

“He’s quite safe there, and harmless, just like I need him to be, for now.” Corb’s dry voice echoed in the room, ringing in her ears and making her turn toward him with her sword gripped tightly in her hand. “Now, now, princess. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Go to hell.” She swung her sword at the ice block, doing nothing but chipping tiny bits loose. Another hit failed to make any progress, and she realized pretty fast that it was useless. She’d have to sweet talk the king into getting what she wanted. “What do you want? You’ve taken so much already!”

So she wasn’t into a sweet talking mood. Being calm wasn’t a trait she seeme
d to possess.

Corb beamed at her. He looked amused at her frustrations. He didn’t appear to feel any bit threatened like he had when he’d first met her−riding his black kelpie and ordering his troops to kill her and Soap. He’d often confused her. His agend
a was cloudy for most times, his actions did not match his character. He’d been kind to her at the Unseelie palace. Healing and saving her from extreme harm from Darren. Yet, she had no idea what he was thinking behind those pearly eyes. She was sure that whatever he was thinking, it wasn’t what she wanted and he wouldn’t be too willing to just do whatever she asked.

“What do I want…hmmm.” Corb continued to observe her, fascinated like he was studying a pinned butterfly. She dropped her sword, signifying defeat and waited. He only shifted his gaze, never letting her out of his sight, just curiously watching her like a brand new toy. “There are many things I want. To keep your Teleen warrior encased in ice would be one thing on that list.”

“Let him go!” She shot him a deadly glare, hoping he’d understand how serious she was.

“Why should I? What do you offer, in return?”

Shade’s face fell. Of course he’d say that. She panicked, turning toward Dylan’s unmoving body. How could she get out of this one? They’d been ill prepared to face the Ice King. It was all so hopeless now. “I don’t know. What do you want?” She avoided looking back at Corb, afraid she would start to cry.

“You can trade yourself for his freedom. He will not be able to return, whatsoever, once he is banished. Do you want to never see him again?”

She shook her head, tears prickled at her eyes as she continued to stare at Dylan and reached out to touch the block of ice once more. “No.”

“Well then, you can keep him. I can erase his memory and yours for that matter. He can be your personal servant, your faithful watchdog as you rule by my side.” She heard the Ice King stand and make his way toward her, his boots crunching the crystals of ice under their feet. “What do you say, Shade? He could be your lover too, if that’s what you truly want. Would you like that? I’d even give you your powers back if you stay here, with me.”

“But I don’t want to marry you. I−I don’t even like you.” Shade hissed, finally turning back toward the pale faery who was now suddenly at her side, his cool breath brushing against her skin.

“I don’t need you to marry me. My love belongs to only one woman. You would rule with your powers
and more bestowed by me, by my side, the Ice Queen. You don’t have to be my wife. I don’t have to marry you to get what I want, though you might be disappointed to know that I’m not interested in pleasures of the flesh, like a mortal.” He traced an icy cold finger along her forehead and down her cheek, following her neckline across her collarbone. She dared not move, his touch made her shiver, and not in a good way. “Faeries do not just rule as husband and wife. You will remain here, though. Rule in in my absence, forever, and do as I say.”

His freezing finger tips reached for her chin as he pulled on it to make her face him once more. “You’d have all that you want, and more, Shade. You’d have your precious Dylan, and your faery powers restored. Wouldn’t you like that? Would it not be all that you seek, all you came here for?”

The tears spilled hot against her cheeks, freezing in the cold air as they slipped off her chin. He wiped them away, leaving crystals of ice wherever he touched her. She was shivering from the cold, from her fear, from her desperation.

“But you’ll erase our memories…,” she whispered, her voice faded with the cold air.

Corb smiled. It made him look almost kind, but Shade knew better. He’d been healing and kind to her at the Unseelie fortress, but there was no mistaking the madness that this ancient faery possessed deep within. She could still feel his power swirling around her like a tornado−an old, ancient power which came from the old worlds that she’d never seen, never would experience. Why did he want to enslave her so badly? What did he really seek from all this?

If she wanted to save Dylan, she had to do what he asked. Otherwise, he’d b
e frozen in this state, forever, or worse. The ice all around her felt unbearable. Its impenetrable cold slithered through her clothes and made her teeth chatter and her jaw stiffen. What would it be like to remain here forever? It would be a miserable, dark, solitary death; that’s what. But, she would’ve saved Dylan, wouldn’t she? Would that ever be enough for her to remain here, trapped forever?

“Fine. I’ll do it.  As long as Dylan is safe with me, I will do what you ask. As the Land of Faerie binds me, I accept your terms, but…” She paused, knowing she was doomed to whatever he wanted now, now that she had spoken her oath. She waited to see if he stopped her from continuing. After all, she was at his mercy now. Surprisingly, he waited patiently for her to speak. “First, before you erase our memories, I want to know one thing.”

Corb smiled even wider, amused at her daring request. “Of course, my princess. Anything you want, besides escape, of course. I shall grant it, as the Land of Faerie binds me also to my words, Shade.”

She sniffed, rubbing at her face where it felt frozen and burnt from the frost. Taking in a deep breath, she exhaled the words which would finalize her world or end it. Either way, it was all over. “Why do you need me? What are you searching for that you’d keep me here imprisoned forever?”

It was Corb’s turn for his face to fade from that taunting grin to a tight frown. He seemed pretty upset at her request. He had to answer her now, the oath left him no other choice but to comply to her request. He was bound to his promise. A moment passed as he contemplated what to say.

“Very well, princess. If you must know, I need you by my side to help me find the Summer Ancient. She was my queen, my love for hundreds of years, before you or your ancestors roamed the land of Faerie. Before most of the world was even created. Her name is Kilara, and she’s as old as the earth, as am I. We’re two of the four Ancients, and you will help me find her again.”

“Why can’t you find her by yourself?” Shade threw in before he could work any magic on her.

Corb turned, letting out a grunt as he returned to his throne chair. His long, straight, white hair rippled with his movements, exposing his ears. He had pointed ears, unlike a lot of the faeries she’d met. Only some races remained which still had traditional faery ears. He represented the oldest living faery in all the land. To see him angry was not a good thing at all.

Exasperated, he huffed out his answer. “She disappeared. She was supposed to rule with me when she woke me from my two hundred year slumber. But she wasn’t there. She hid herself from me. I−I…” he paused, his voice sounding somewhat unsure. “I’m sure she had her reasons.” Leaving it at that, he stood once more and moved so fast, in a flash, he stood next to Shade once more.

“Now, enough with this endless banter. I grant you your powers back as Faerie and my blood unbind you from restraint of all your powers.” He breathed out the words quickly, sending a jolt through her as he pulled out his sharp, elven dagger, stabbed her hand and then his own, clasping the wounds firmly so his own crimson blood mingled with hers.

She pulled to no avail, feeling his icy magic swirl into her veins, filling her with a rigid pain. Gasping, it was over in a moment. Her hand slowly mending before he even let go as her healing ability returned. She felt the magic pouring out, breaking through the binds he’d laid on her. She felt exhilarated, whole and suddenly happy, but realized it was all so temporary when she caught sight Dylan’s face behind the ice prison. She turned to throw fire on Corb, but he held his hand out, freezing her fires before they even left her fingertips.

“I bind you, as Faerie has bound you to your spoken agreement, Shade:

‘Forget your past life,

Forget of things you seek,

Remember not a memory,

Nothing adrift to keep
.”

His words hit her in a blast and her head felt like a thousand needles had been plunged into her brain. Falling to her knees, she heard herself scream. It echoed across the hall, a deafening death screech which rumbled the shifting ice all around them, making it roar as it cracked and popped in the vibration of her voice. She slumped to the frozen ground, still grasping her head. The white illumination of the ice palace grew more and more intense until it swallowed up her vision and everything else with it.

Chapter Eleven

BLOSSOMS LEFTOVER FROM
a summoned
spring filled the meadow in all directions. The withering heat of summer had yet to arrive to scorch the delicate petals, which felt like soft peach skins on her fingertips. As Shade continued to walk, unknowing of where she was now, a woman appeared with long, light golden-brown hair braided into an intricate design and pinned to her head and tumbled down her back. She stood in the center of this meadow, watching the sway of grass as the breeze pushed along it with its fingers.

“Hello?” Shade called out. She continued toward the woman and hoped she would have some answers for her. Where was she? Where had Dylan gone? How did she end up in such a place?