Frost Arch (43 page)

“I will try.” She smiled, and at once I felt very calm.

Jack and I plugged our ears at once and clapped our hands over them for good measure. Ræven got closer to Hawthorne until the ice chain holding him back was at its tightest and would not allow any more movement in her direction.

Ræven took a deep breath before letting out a long, beautiful note of pure bliss. The ear plugs worked very well but I had the over whelming urge to pull them out and listen to the beautiful song. Ræven continued the calming melody for several minutes but Hawthorne showed no signs of calming down, or feeling drowsy. He remained the same, growling; the hair on his back standing on end, and his eyes bright red.

Ræven, utterly perplexed turned to Jack and I, somewhat crestfallen. This was the first time her power had ever failed.

I really didn’t know what else do to. How could we rescue Hawthorne if he wouldn’t let us?

“Jack, I … I don’t know!” I said panicked as Ræven came back and stood by us.

“I don’t know either Avalon. We didn’t really plan for this.”

“We can’t just leave without him! They’ve done something to him!”

“We don’t know how to reverse it.” Jack whispered carefully.

I felt the tears burning now. They stung my eyes as I tried to hold them back but it was no use. They spilled over and rolled down my face freely. When Jack saw the glistening tears he winced and looked away. He couldn’t bear to see me cry.

“Please Jack. Can’t you … can’t … can’t you heal him? Fix him Jack, fix what they’ve done!” I was begging now.

Jack looked down at me sadly, “You know I can’t heal things like this. His memory of us is completely gone. I can only heal physical wounds.”

Of course I already knew this but I was grasping for anything at the moment.

We couldn’t lull the beast into a calm state, nor could we overpower him or get close enough to free him from his tether. Even if we did manage to free him we were sure he would rip us to shreds. I was simply stuck for ideas and panic was beginning to take over now. My Hawthorne. My Hawthorne. They took my Hawthorne and changed him, and now I wouldn’t be able to have him back. Yet how could I just leave? The guilt would stay with me forever.

I felt Jack’s warm hand close around my tiny, freezing wrist. I hadn’t realized until now how badly I was shaking. I looked up at Jack, my eyes welling with tears.

“Come on.” Jack whispered, “There’s nothing more we can do.”

“No!” I wrenched my wrist from him, “No! We can’t leave! He needs us!”

“Ræven, help me.” Jack sighed.

Ræven took a step towards me and I rounded on her, “Don’t you dare!” I told her, “I won’t leave until Hawthorne remembers!”

“We could be caught in here at any moment.” Jack hissed at me.

“That. You. Could.” Came a cold, hard voice.

The three of us spun around in shock to see a complete stranger flanked by two beefy men standing in the doorway. The two men I assumed at once were the Creeley brothers. Their arms were crossed over their chests in a menacing way yet their mouths were smirking identically. But the woman in between them was of such a curious appearance I could hardly believe it. The very sight of her sent chills down my spine and I felt the temperature in the room drop by twenty degrees. I could only assume that this was Mistress Elvira Frost; the level nine Ice Mage who dominated Frost Arch and its people. Her hair was long and a silvery blue, which cascaded down her back elegantly. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent. I could see every blue vein behind her petite skin. She was tall and slim with long bony fingers. Her thin lips held no colour what-so-ever. If I hadn't just seen her move I would have assumed she were a very realistic ice sculpture of sorts. She seemed to be radiating sub zero temperatures and emitting an eerie blue glow. Yet none of these things were what frightened me most. Her eyes. They had no milky whites. They had no pupils. Where there should have been life there was nothing put pure darkness. Within her eye socket was nothing more than shiny black eyeballs. I couldn’t help but stare. I was frozen to the spot with fear. Clearly this looked very bad indeed.

“Well, well, well, wot do we ‘ave ‘ere?” Said one Creeley brothers.

“A trio of thieves, me thinks.” Said the other. They both guffawed loudly as though highly intelligent.

“Silence.” Elvira Frost hissed to the Creeley twins before rounding upon us. “So.”

We remained silent, too scared to utter a single syllable. The only sound in the room was Hawthorne’s constant growling.

“So.” Frost repeated, her thin lips curving into a malicious smirk.

The only thing I could think of was how to escape. Elvira and the Creeley twins were blocking the only door in the room, and Hawthorne was behind us, preventing our retreat.

“So, I would ask you to explain though I fear your reason for being here is quite clear.” Elvira Frost took slow steps around us. The Creeley twins remained in front of the exit. I kept my eyes on Frost as she began to pace around us in the direction of the ice throne and Hawthorn.

“Is that Ræven Blacklock? Well, I expected more from you, young one. I thought you were quite faithful. Such a quiet little thing. Who would have guessed it? I don’t believe I’ve seen you in your human form before. But of course I could tell who you were. It’s the way you stand, see? Like you’re not used to being on two feet.”

Ræven’s face remained blank as her eyes followed Elvira Frost.

“And is that little Jack Greenwood I spot? Oh dear, oh dear. You look so much like your daddy, Greenwood. Tell me, have you seen your father lately?”

Jack scowled and I saw his fists clench at his sides. Everyone knew Jack’s father had vanished years ago, a topic which he did not like to talk about.

“Unfortunately not.” Jack’s voice was quite calm considering he was shaking.

“I do not believe I have met your lady friend, Jack.” Frost continued, “Very rude, not introducing us, don’t you think?”

I held my breath and glanced at Jack worried, though it was clear he was not about to give my name to Elvira Frost.

“Of course, I can only assume that she is Miss Avalon Redding, eighteen years old and a level five Fire Mage from the town of Mortlock. Recently imprisoned and escaped with the obvious help of Greenwood. Though I hadn’t expected Blacklock to be part of this.” She said thoughtfully as she reached her Ice throne and sat down next to Hawthorne, who did not bat an eyelid at her. His full attention was still upon Jack, Ræven and myself.

My eyes widened at how much Elvira Frost knew about me. I hadn’t expected it.

“Don’t look so shocked, my dear. After all, your face is all over the city. Although I am to hear that you are being called a Human these days.” Frost smiled showing rather sharp, white teeth.

“I am not a human.” I was beginning to shake uncontrollably now.

“Yes, Fire Mages are quite known for their hot tempers.” Frost mused to herself, referring to my unstable state.

“So you know that my imprisonment for being a human was not justified.” I said, my voice full of contempt.

I felt my anger rising every second. This woman really did know how to push my buttons.

“Oh?” Frost laughed, a high cold laugh, “What else do you call one who is Powerless? I’ve seen this before you know … weak Mages who lose faith in themselves and never regain their Power. You’ll be lucky to even produce a spark again at this rate. If your Power has been gone for this long, I’d say it’s gone for good.”

I did not want to hear this. I hadn’t come for mind games.

“I don’t care about that.” I was trying to control my breathing and remain calm.

“Quite the group of trouble makers it seems.” Frost continued without listening, “Yet not to worry, after today you won’t be getting up to much trouble anymore. I shall see to that. I do not have time for those who defy my laws. Nor do I have time for people who want to steal my prized possession.”

Frost indicated to Hawthorne with a slight nod of her head and I could not stop myself from bursting out angrily.

“Your prized possession!?” I exploded.

The Creeley twin’s stupid grin’s faltered but Elvira Frost did not look surprised at my outburst.

“You have something to say, my dear?” Her voice was as cold as ice, “First you break into dearest Sebastian’s private room to try and steal his property, and now you have broken into my topmost tower, a very brave thing to do indeed. Also quite foolish. Yet let me assure you that you will not be stealing anything from me today.”

“It wouldn’t be stealing.” I tried to control my voice, “Merely claiming what was once mine.”

At this point Elvira Frost became quite stern, “Excuse me?”

“Hawthorne. My fox. Your little body guards stole him from me and teleported him here, and I’ve come to get him back!”

All three of them laughed at me now and I glanced at Jack for some sort of support. Would manners get me anywhere in a situation like this?

“Well it seems you don’t know much about your, uh, fox.” Elvira said in a very condescending tone.

“What do you mean?” I growled.

“Well for one, this Vulmessian does not belong to you. It belongs to me.”

“Vul-mess, what?” I spluttered.

Elvira’s smirk widened, “It was created specifically for me by a cross-breeder in Concord City. The cross-breeder is a very powerful Mage who has the ability to modify animal genetics and shape them to his will. Your, uh, fox is no more than an experiment and has no real place in the animal kingdom.” She reclined upon her ice throne.

“He’s more intelligent than you or I.” I defended.

“He was designed to be vicious and powerful. He was supposed to be my brand new weapon that I could raise and shape to my liking.” Elvira continued as though I had not spoken.

“Weapon?” The words barely escaped my lips.

“The Vulmessian was stolen on its transportation to Frost Arch as a baby. The man who was supposed to deliver it to my quarters was quite baffled when he discovered that his precious cargo was missing.”

This was sounding far too familiar for my liking. It had been Elvira Frost who Jefferson was delivering Hawthorne too.

“Jefferson … Jefferson was delivering Hawthorne to you? He was meant for you all along?”

“Naturally. The old man came to me, sobbing and spluttering. He said he didn’t know where the animal had gone. That it had simply ‘vanished’. So of course the man was dealt with. Seeing as he refused to give any information about the thievery of the precious cargo he was tortured until death. I was so angry at the loss of my weapon, my rage shook the whole city.”

My heart stopped beating. Jefferson was murdered. They killed him because he wouldn’t say who had taken Hawthorne. Obviously he knew very well who had taken him. Why hadn’t he said? He might have lived. With a jolt I realized that Jefferson’s last act had been to protect me. Although I had stolen from him he had remained silent so I had not been hunted down. I had caused his demise. My throat felt tight and I thought I might throw up. I noticed Jack watching me out of the corner of my eye. I recalled on my very first day in Frost Arch how the ground had shaken beneath my feet. I now knew that it was the rage of Elvira Frost at losing her so called ‘Vulmessian’ to a thief.

“So obviously,” Frost continued, “I now know who it was that stole my Vulmessian. Tell me, how does it feel to be a murderer?”

“No.” I whispered. My stomach was churning as I remembered more. My parent’s letter … they spoke of a missing person from Mortlock. Jefferson. All my fault.

“Ava?” Jack spoke softly, reaching a hand towards my shoulder. Ræven was standing silently next to me, her face perfectly calm.

Elvira Frost let out a laugh just as I found my voice again.

“Why are you telling me all of this?” I said shakily.

“Well, you don’t actually expect me to let you go after all of this?” She said in an obvious tone.

Jack’s grip tightened upon my shoulder.

“Why?” I blanched.

“Not only did you break into my premises but you are trying to steal my pet, again.”

“You’ve done something to him!” I burst out. Jack muttered to me in a warning tone, but I ignored him, “You’ve taken him and brainwashed him!”

“No.” Elvira Frost cut across me, “We simply made him into what he was always designed to be. A weapon. Intelligent like a Mage. Powerful like a bear. Fast like a cheetah with the flight of an eagle. The beast was meant for me all along, and now he is in his rightful place, at my side and in my service.”

I was so angry now my whole body was shaking, “You’ve turned him into a monster!” I cried.

“No. The monster was always within him.” Elvira disagreed, “We merely released it.”

“Change him back!” I was yelling at the top of my lungs now, “Change him back!”

Elvira’s face became suddenly stern and her black eyes glared at me. I felt myself recoil involuntarily.

“You will do well to watch who you are talking to.” She said in a low voice. My breathing quickened and I looked to Jack and Ræven who were equally afraid.

“Please. We will leave.” Jack said pleadingly to Frost. I snapped my attention back to him angrily.