The Frozen Beginning (Elemental Diamond Book 1) (25 page)

“Stop.” He stops. She doesn’t turn around when she speaks again.

“I don’t want you to talk to me again.”

Don’t turn around. You won’t be able to say it.

“What?” His tone staggers, like he cannot even begin to comprehend her request. “If this is because of the Memory Wand, I’m sorry—”

“It’s not.” Glacier interrupts him, keeping her back straight but her head low. “I just need to focus on winning this competition. That is what I have come here for.”

Glacier takes what little comfort she can in the fact that she didn’t lie to him. Initially, Glacier
did
come here to win in order to protect a little boy back home.

I am not going to risk his life for anything. Or anyone
.

Fielder is silent for a moment. Glacier feels warmth clouding around her, slowly becoming hotter and hotter.

“Fine. But just answer one question for me. I just need to know…”

Fine. One question
.

When Glacier realizes he can't hear her thoughts, she voices them.

She hears him shift on his feet, and the urge to turn and look at him burns far hotter than her skin at the moment.

“Why did you never come back?” Despite feeling as though she should have predicted that question, Glacier is utterly speechless when she hears it.

No, not that question
…

Raising her head, she squares her shoulders, “Because my father asked me not to…” She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. “And now I’m glad he did…”

I need to say it to stop his advances. Even if it kills me
…

Glacier turns around to face him, her knees nearly buckling under the intensity of his gaze. Fielder’s eyes are lonely, his brows furrowed in sorrow, and his lips pursed in a miserable manner. He is the picture of undeserved rejection.

Just say it, Glacier!

“I would have wasted my days on you instead of making memories with him.” Her voice is steel, her eyes drained.

I can't risk Castor. He’s all I have left
.

Fielder is destroyed by her words, his darkest nightmare transpiring. Glacier turns her back and walk away, tears rolling down her face at the memory of his grief.

I can’t believe I said that to him
…

As the guilt eats away at her, Glacier walk down the carpet, which is now deserted. No photographer in sight. The carpet still runs from the entrance onto the road, so she follows it to the sidewalk. Vaguely remembering which direction she came from when driving to the event, she walks clumsily down the concrete path, with her arms wrapped around her torso in hopes to comfort her heartache.

You don’t even know him! Why are you so upset about it? He’s a Halen; you can't be with him anyhow. There is no hope where he is concerned
…

Glacier’s silent tears morph into soul sucking cries, as the memory of Fielder’s broken heart overshadows his song.

Not having any strength to move, she collapses against the side of a building, drawing her knees to her chest and cries loud and unforgivingly.

I don’t want to be alone
.

~

When Glacier finally arrives back at the hotel, it has already been two hours since tonight’s Gala ended. And apparently, her disappearance didn’t go unnoticed.

Stepping into the flustered lobby of the Persia, staff is running around frantic, some members from her team sitting at the steps leading up to the elevators.

Branch is sitting close to Neena, his suit jacket resting beside him on the steps. His tie is loose and his eyes are tired, but he doesn’t seem to be moving anywhere anytime soon. Neena is resting her head on her twin’s shoulder, her eyes closed and her hair falling down her back. Keena looks equally exhausted, with her head resting on her palm, as she leans on her knee. Her lipstick has disappeared completely, leaving her naturally pink lips untainted.

It is Branch who spots Glacier first. He gently taps Neena’s knee before racing over to where Glacier has stopped by the entrance. Neena and Keena look up at the same time, both disorientated from waking.

When Branch is within distance, he grabs Glacier’s shoulders and gives her a stern look.

“Where have you been? Your driver couldn’t find you at the end of the night, and everyone thought that Halen who played the piano tonight, took you. Did you leave with him? Are you hurt?” Branch’s words are fast and almost indistinguishable. Glacier’s eyes are sore and heavy, and her mind is close to switching off.

“Please, I just want to go to sleep. It has been a really long day.”

Branch seems angered by her words until Neena steps forward with Keena behind her, and places a hand on his shoulder.

“Branch, it’s OK. She’s really tired. Let’s just escort her back to her room, OK?”

Glacier smiles thankfully in Neena’s direction, following them to the elevator. Once inside, the four of them all lean back against the walls, resting their tired eyes.

“So, nothing to do tomorrow. Want to see the city? It’s not like we’ll get another chance?” Keena speaks for the first time tonight.

Glacier’s eyes remain shut as she assumes that Keena is addressing Neena and Branch. The other two whisper ‘yeah’ and ‘sure’. It is when the elevator signals that they have arrived on their floor that Keena speaks again.

“What about you, iceberg?”

Realizing that Keena is referring to her as ‘iceberg’, Glacier’s eyes snap open and focus on the shorthaired twin.

Keena’s eyes are closed, but her eyebrows are raised questioningly, indicating that she is not asleep. Without opening her eyes, she exits the elevator, followed by Branch and Neena.

Glacier nods her head in answer.

“Alright. Ten o’clock, we’ll all meet at the elevator.” With that, they all murmur ‘goodnight’s, and walk to their designated rooms. Glacier collapses on her bed, falling into a blank sleep.

SIXTEEN

QUICK VISIT

“How are you feeling, Miss Wardgrave?”

Doctor Cartmen asks, his eyes flickering from his transparent clipboard up to Glacier, then back down again. His inconsistent gaze unnerves her as he evaluates her condition. She notices the same grey circle pin beside his badge that he had worn the last time she saw him.

“Well, my wrist is still a bit sore, and I have a headache,” she answers truthfully, the memory of her last encounter with the doctor fresh in her mind.

‘Just know that there are people that will help you when you don’t feel safe.’

What did he mean by that?

“That is to be expected.” Glacier frowns at his remark, but says nothing.

The frazzled doctor continues to write quickly on his board, occasionally glancing at her as he does. Tired of the silence, Glacier asks him the question tickling the forefront of her mind.

“Doctor Cartmen, what did you mean the last time I was here? Right before I was checked out, you said that people will help me when I don’t feel safe…”

Glacier monitors him for any change in demeanour. The doctor’s hand pauses, and his eyelids squeeze tightly together. His spine stiffens and his jaw ticks. Glacier’s concern blooms as she worries she has asked him a question she shouldn’t have.

The doctor suddenly turns, and quickly strides across the room to the door.

Thinking that he is going to leave, Glacier is surprised when he quietly closes the door and makes his way back across the room to where she is seated on the cot.

“Miss Wardgrave, I need you to understand something important,” Cartmen starts, as he runs a thick hand through his wild hair. “You cannot breathe a word of what I said - what I
say
, to anyone. It is for your safety and knowledge
alone
that I am telling you this.”

Glacier, now completely confused, remains quiet as she waits for his next words. The frazzled doctor runs a now sweaty hand down his face before straightening his coat. He watches Glacier intensely, his gaze unwavering.

“There is only one person you can trust in Alluvium.” That was not what Glacier was expecting.

Her eyebrows furrow with confusion, “What? Who? I don’t under—”

The doctor interrupts her, gripping her upper arms with sudden, unpredicted strength.

“There is always an endgame for everyone. There is only
one
person who is on your side, who you can
trust
.” His words unsettles her. Glacier shakes her head, not understanding.

I don’t have anyone. I can’t trust
anyone.

“What you are telling me isn’t making any sense…”

The doctor releases an aggravated breath, covering his face with his hands, “All I can say is that he is like you.”

Brink
.

Glacier watches Cartmen closely, looking for any sign that he isn’t just crazy. “Doctor, what aren’t you telling me? Is there something that I should know?”

By now, Glacier’s brain is running in loops of confusion.

What the hell is going on?

Cartmen lowers his face and cools his expression. He walks over to the bench cabinet across the room and collects a needle and disinfectant.

He returns to the cot and grabs her arm gently, cleaning the fold in her arm where her veins lay prominent. Glacier begins to panic as Cartmen raises the needle to her skin, and pricks her. She releases a small gasp from the small pain, and watches at the doctor fills the needle with her blood.

“You don’t need to worry about a thing,
Miss Sparrow
. I will have the blood tests back by the end of the day, and I will give you a call with the results.” He gently removes the needle before taping a cotton ball over the small needle mark.

Miss Sparrow? Who is he talking about? And why on earth did I need a blood sample?

“Sparrow—?” The doctor is already walking about with the vile of blood before waltzing out the door.

What on earth just happened?

~

Ever since her check up with the doctor, Glacier hasn’t been able to get the encounter out of her mind. Not even as she readies herself for bed. Her head is swarming with the memories of the last few days.

Mr Michaels. Discovering my element. Dad dying. Castor kidnapped. Fielder. Brink. Care’s death. Glacier’s first battle. Alue’s death. Winter gala. Sasis. Mink’s song. Bran. Doctor Cartmen.

Now dressed in a nightgown similar to the one she wore her first night in the hotel, she climbs into the large bed. Her wrist aches as she jolts from side to side to slide under the covers. When she is settled in the large bed, her mind reels with tiredness.

The Harvest starts tomorrow. Just stay focused – don’t think about Fielder. Don’t think about Brink. Don’t think about anything apart from winning.

I need to win
.

SEVENTEEN

THE HARVEST

PART I

Glacier discovers the next morning that during
the Harvest, they have to wear a different uniform if they had won their Seeding battle.

Instead of the blue tank top and black pants, she wears a wrist-long sleeved blue shirt with 2 golden sashes sewn from her left shoulder to her right hip, with navy blue trousers and heavy boots. Her beauticians tame her hair into a beautifully twirled chignon, with thin tresses to frame her face. With her wrist now strapped in a tight black brace, she finds moving the limb an impossible feat.

She unintentionally stomps her way down to the lobby, and into Lien’s company. Once she enters the Hover, she catches his odd smile.

“What is that look for?”

He simply shakes his head before he starts the drive towards the Terrain Stadium. There is quiet chatter between the two of them throughout the short journey, but nothing about her battle is mentioned, much to her relief.

Despite the building fear inside of her, Glacier remains impassive and unfazed.

Two people. I’ve only got to fight two people
…

At the same time
…

When they reach the stadium a guard is ready at the door of the Hover awaiting her arrival. The man is surprised when he opens the back door and doesn’t find Glacier. She instead opens the passenger’s door where she sits, and exits the vehicle. The guard closes both doors and escorts Glacier into the stadium. Walking with her head held high, she marches through the open gates towards the staircase to the side of the building that leads up to the team rooms.

As she climbs the stairs to the top, the cheers of the audience grow louder. She turns around and finds her face projected onto four screens, one on each wall of the stadium. The same floating camera that was used in the introductions hovers behind her, streaming her video to the screens. A small smile lights her face as she realizes that the crowd is cheering for her. She gives a small wave to the camera before continuing up the stairs and through the door.

Everything from then on passes in a blur. On the elevator ride down, Glacier’s palms become clammy and her heartbeat accelerates.

You can do this. Just control it. Don’t let it consume you
.

Her teammates say nothing as the platform finally reaches the ground, and they all head towards the arena. The crowd bangs hand on the tunnel walls, like they are hoping to break the barrier. Their excitement is overwhelming as they rill up for the Harvest battles. Glacier keeps her head down and her mind calm.

Control it. Win the battle
.

When they finally reach the cube in the arena, they all sit with their hands held tightly in their laps. Glacier discreetly looks down the line of her teammates, and finds that both Tric and Keena are the only two wearing the same uniform from the Seeding battles.