Gerta slid off the settee they were perched on. “Do you promise?”
“Gerta, she’s a princess. Princesses don’t have to promise,” Kai scolded.
Rakel outright laughed. “I promise.”
The children turned expectantly to Phile. “There’s a maid in the hall waiting to take you to Granny Hilda,” she said, a strangely thoughtful expression smoothing over her face.
“Thank you, Phile, Princess,” the pair chorused.
“The book wasbeautiful,” Gerta said worshipfully before Kai pulled her away.
Rakel watched them leave and was about to stand when Phile plopped down next to her.
“So, tell me about drawbridges,” Phile said, sliding close.
Rakel frowned. “After you questioned my reading choice and all but called it boring? I think not.”
“I was only joking.”
“You were not.”
“You’re right, I wasn’t. But if Gerta and Kai found it interesting, I’m sure I will, too.”
Rakel’s frown grew more pronounced.
“Please, Little Wolf?” Phile batted her dark eyelashes.
Rakel sighed. “Fine.” She opened up the book and swiftly found the right page. “What?” she asked—almost crossly when she saw the soft smile on Phile’s face.
“It’s just nice to know that even in your isolation, you had things that brought you joy.”
Rakel smoothed a fragile page like a mother soothing a child. “Yes. But if it is pity that has you wanting to learn about drawbridges, you need not worry.”
“It’s not,” Phile promised. “I want to learn about it because it makes you happy.”
Rakel stared, almost dumbfounded, at her friend.I don’t deserve her friendship—or that of Gerta and Kai…but I’m going to accept it anyway.
Phile whistled. “Okay, I’m sold. We need to build a fort and construct a drawbridge. They look slick—and imagine how satisfying it would be to pull it shut in someone’s face!”
“I cannot construct a drawbridge of ice. It requires moving parts.”
“No, no. We want it made with wood so it can stand year-round. Idiots are native to all seasons—not just winter.”
Rakel smiled.Yes, I am blessed indeed.
The End
CHAPTER 2
SCOUTING
This short story also takes place after the events of Heart of Ice and before Sacrifice. It was a fun little bonding trip I imagined that—like some of the other shorts—didn’t fit well in either of the books, so it became a standalone short story. I hope you enjoy it!
Rakel mindlessly staredat the book open on her lap—a tattered fencing manual. It was one of several books she had selected as research material in her quest to learn more about edged weapons. (It still bothered her that her ice replicas were beautiful but imperfect.) She had chosen this particular copy because the childish scrawl in the book showed it had once belonged to her father.
She held in a sigh and shut the book.What am I doing? Steinar won’t leave his room, and we haven’t found detailed information about the mirror; yet I’m hidden away in the library, reading.“I should be doing something,” she murmured.
“Great! I’m glad to hear you’re aware of that—because I didn’t know how I was going to nicely tell you all this reading is making your face pinched.” Phile popped into Rakel’s peripheral vision.
