“Ronnie,” I squeak, my ice fading as shock hits me. “Did… did you just call my mother, the Dowager Queen,Ronnie?”
“It’s fitting.”
“It’s an insult,” I hiss. “Snedronningen is the former Queen of the Frostlands. Show some respect.”
Ban shrugs, and the itch to strike him returns. If he tries to get closer, I will. This monster shouldn't be anywhere near me. Swallowing, I try to switch topics. “How did you get in here?”
“Magic,” he replies vaguely.
I hesitate, glancing toward Nyra. She’s watching our interaction but her eyes seem unfocused. “That will be all, Nyra. Send Kael to find me when my room for the evening is prepared. Do not breathe a word of this to him.”
Nyra bows, her eyes still cloudy. “Yes, Your Majesty."
She leaves the room, closing the door with a quiet click, and I’m once again alone with Ban. I cross my arms before throwing them out to either side, letting my ice magic roll through me. “What kind of magic, mage?”
He smirks, crossing his arms. “I’m not just ice anymore, Neve. I’ve gained the power of the shadows too.”
As though to prove it to me, he holds up both hands, and, like on the mountain, snowflakes dance atop one and inthe other floats a black haze. I stare at his hands a beat too long before changing the subject.
“I’ve never heard of a Reaper before.”
“A hundred years changes things,” he replies, dropping his hands. Both types of magic fade with the movement. “Perhaps tonight while you…adjustto your accommodations, you might question some of what you see.”
“Like you?”
“Like your mother, sitting proudly on your throne until you walked in.” I open my mouth to argue but he keeps talking. “You’re weak from sleeping for a century, Neve. You need some time to heal while you seek out the truth of what’s happened here.”
“That’s Queen Neve to you,King Killer,” I spit. “Do not speak as if you are familiar with me.”
“I know you better than you think,” he says with a sigh, pivoting to look around the room. “In fact, once upon a time, I think there was a spinning wheel in the corner. Somehow, a trinket you held so dear traveled far away to Midas’s kingdom.”
Growling with frustration, I throw my arm forward and shoot ice across the room. It only serves to damage the wall as Ban vanishes, my attack striking nothing but my old memories.
How does he know what was once in my room? And Midas… His name sounds familiar, but I can’t seem to recall why I know it. In my frustration of being unable to remember, I find myself spinning around slowly, watching for the mage to come back. Which of his powers allows him to hop in and out of existence at will?
I’m about to start screaming into the room like I did my dreams, when a knock sounds at my door. An unfamiliar voice calls to me, “Queen Neve?”
I take a deep breath and smooth my hands down my skirt to center myself before opening the door a crack. Kael isstanding outside, his expression respectful, his eyes not quite meeting mine. “Yes?”
“The royal guestroom has been set up to the Dowager Queen’s approval for you to stay in until your suite is restored. I’m here to escort you.”
“Thank you, Kael. I am ready.” I sneak a glance behind me as I shut the door, checking to see if Ban has reappeared. I’m surprised to realize I almost feel disappointed that my room is empty. He might speak in riddles, but at least he provides some answers. That’s more than I’ve gotten from anyone since I arrived.
And once he’s answered everything, I’ll strike him dead.
As we move down the hall, I swear, for just a moment, I feel the calming breath of a cool breeze. It’s just enough to center me, and lets me focus on the big picture.
I need to figure out what’s happened over the last hundred years, and who my enemies truly are.
Chapter 10 Ban
All is not well in the palace of ice.
I knew that Ronnie had some… interesting approaches to her leadership. I sort of remember what things were like when Andor was around, but it wasn’t a whole lot better than it is now. The difference is Ronnie relies so heavily on her magic it's become part of her lifestyle.
The Icebound spirits are new. Usually, the floating entities stay far from the palace, but she’s managed to encase at least two within her snow magic, using them like marionettes. Most times when I see an Icebound, there are distinguishable qualities that set them apart from a regular spirit, such as horns, wings, or an enormous size. Features I can only attribute to the changes a soul experiences when they linger and become Icebound.
Ronnie’s two henchmen seem to do her bidding without question. After observing the two for a day, it’s clear that they don’t have any will of their own.
