Gemma knew personally that standinginthe tower was oppressive. It was soaked with desperation and sadness—standing next to it was hardly any better. She disliked it, and it raised cruel memories of King Torgen.
“Why are we here?” Gemma asked.
As if sensing her thoughts, Stil snaked a comforting arm around her and pulled her into his side. “Because this tower was built for Princess Rakel.”
Gemma paused. “What?”
“After her powers were revealed when she was three, King Ingolfr had this tower built for her. She was imprisoned in it until she was exiled to Ensom Peak at age ten.”
“But why?” Gemma stared at the tower with horror. It was a dark, ugly place, and theSnow Queen—the savior of Verglas—had been forced to spend her childhood in it?
Stil tenderly brushed her shoulder. “Because of her powerful ice and snow magic.”
“Who could do that to achild? Just because she had magic?”
“It was a different world then, Gemma. Magic users were hated and feared, but she changed it. It’s why we mages revere her today. But I thought it was known that the Snow Queen was exiled before the Allegiance of the Chosen invaded?”
“It is, but I didn’t know she was treated that poorly! I was taught that she was ignored—notabused.”
“I imagine that was a white lie, told to keep folk from feeling guilty and terrible,” Stil said as he thumbed through the copy of King Steinar’s journal. “When someone saves a nation as she did, no one wants to admit how poorly they treated their hero beforehand. And if the Snow Queen was even half as gentle as King Steinar professes her to be, I don’t think she would want others to feel sorry for her.”
Gemma shook her head. “We love her so much, but centuries later, her prison still stands?”
“It seems King Steinar wanted to keep the tower standing—So it might always remind me that blind hatred and fear lead only to sorrow,” he quoted. “It sounds like King Torgen should have read this journal a couple times, eh?”
Stil’s attempt at humor didn’t prod Gemma from her disappointed shock. “We’ve always boasted about her with such pride…but we did horrible things to her, didn’t we?”
“No,youdidn’t. Perhaps your ancestors might have, but you can’t take on this century-old sin.” Stil pulled her into an embrace. “She saved Verglas and its people—not because she had to, but because shechoseto. Take pride in that, Gemma. The Snow Queen loved this country so much, she fought for it and changed the continent as a result.”
“I wish we had somethingbetterto remember her by than this horrible tower,” Gemma said.
“You do. The journal claims Lake Sno was created by her when she melted a great iceberg.”
“It’s a sign of her power, not of our esteem in her,” Gemma said.
Stil’s face took on a contemplative look. “Esteem—oh! Then I know where we should go next. Come—we must return to the palace.” He strode off, towing Gemma in his wake.
“Why?” she asked.
“Wait and see!”
Gemma letStil tow her through the Verglas Royal Palace. He clutched the copy of King Steinar’s journal and wore a look of scholarly delight.
“You shouldn’t be steeped in guilt about the Snow Queen, Gemma,” Stil said as they marched along. “Not only would she not want you to, but sheknewhow much Verglas grew to love her.”
“But how can we know that?” Gemma asked.
Stil threw open the doors to the Verglas throne room.
The throne room was a beautiful masterpiece that overlooked Lake Sno—the snow-fed lake located at the west side of the palace. There were two thrones: a central one for the current monarch, which was made of wood and blue velvet and placed on top of a marble dais, and a second one made of glass and crafted to resemble ice. The ice throne was positioned in the far back of the room, and was tilted to give it a view of the lake as well as the room.
King Toril was seated in the throne. Two well-dressed men—merchants, if Gemma had to guess—stood at the base of the dais. Toril blinked at Gemma and Stil’s abrupt arrival. “Hello?”
Stil ignored him and flung his arms wide. “This, this is a symbol of how the peopleandKing Steinar esteemed and revered Princess Rakel.”
“I know King Steinar had the ice throne built for the Snow Queen,” Gemma said. She wasn’t much buoyed by the thought as it was a long-held tradition.
“Yes, but do you know why the palace and practically every home, shop, and stable in Verglas has carvings of snowflakes and reindeer?” Stil asked. He gestured to the marble floor, which was covered with blue rugs accented with snowflakes and reindeer. The room sparkled when sunlight hit the gilded silver and glasswork that edged the room, making it look like the walls were made of dazzling snowflakes.
