Queen of Ice (Through the Fire Book 2)

by Benjamin Medrano

  “Oh, that’s neat. I haven’t seen a wardstone this small before,” Tadrick said, stepping closer to look at it.

  “It only has to ward this room, so it didn’t need to be very big. I could have gone with something a bit smaller, but I didn’t trust myself to carve runes on something like that,” Ruethwyn replied, shrugging slightly. “It probably could ward most of the floor, if I’d designed it for that.”

  “Fair. So, how do I go about deactivating it?” Tadrick asked, frowning as he said, “It won’t blow up in my face, will it?”

  “Not if you follow my instructions, and even if you don’t you’d have to mess up at everything to do that,” Ruethwyn told him, smiling gently. She set a finger on one rune and explained. “Insert mana here, just a thread, though more doesn’t matter. You’d just be charging it, really. Then, follow the flow of the runes this way.”

  Ruethwyn traced her finger along one set of runes, a string of eight. Pulling her finger away at the end, she continued. “Along the way, you’ll feel a… a knot of mana. Once you find it, cut the mana flow to the wardstone, and it’ll deactivate. The knot is located randomly to make it a bit harder to find, so I can’t tell you where it’ll show up, but it isn’t hard to deactivate.”

  “Yeah, that doesn’t sound too bad. It not being very dangerous also helps,” Tadrick said thoughtfully. “What if I miss the knot?”

  “If you do, just go to the end of the line or you’ll get a minor amount of backlash. As long as you do that, you can start again. Otherwise, it’ll make your mana harder to control for a minute or two,” Ruethwyn told him approvingly.

  “Seems simple enough. Let’s give this a shot… right here?” Tadrick asked, laying his finger on the right rune.

  “That’s correct,” Ruethwyn confirmed.

  Smiling, Tadrick concentrated on the wardstone and began running his finger along the line of runes she’d shown him. In his finger’s wake, the runes lit up with a pale white light, showing that he’d inserted mana into it. About halfway done, he stopped and pulled his finger away. As he did so, the light in the stone flared and died, and Ruethwyn felt the faint, almost imperceptible, sensation of the wards around her die.

  “Did that do it?” Tadrick asked, looking around uncertainly. “I didn’t get any backlash, but…”

  “You deactivated it correctly,” Ruethwyn assured him, putting the lid back on the box. “Good job, Tadrick.”

  “It wasn’t exactly hard, you know,” Tadrick replied, his eyes brightening. “But hey, that means the wards will be back soon, right? I’m going to sleep better once they’re in place again.”

  “You certainly aren’t the only one. I’ll be happier once I can use magic, myself. I keep on starting to use it, then having to stop myself,” Ruethwyn said, sliding the box to the back of her desk. “Just a few more days for that, likely as not.”

  “That’s terrible. Still, at least you have good company, right?” Tadrick asked, grinning at her.

  “Fair, fair… now get out of the room, hmm? I need to get some studying in before we go to that dinner,” Ruethwyn told him, keeping her tone teasing to ensure he didn’t take her comment wrong.

  “Alright. I’ll let you know once we’ve settled on a time. Good luck with the studying, Rue,” Tadrick said, heading for the door with a slight bounce to his step.

  “Thanks,” Ruethwyn replied, turning away and slipping into her chair.

  She debated for a moment, then pulled out her book on shields. None of the shields she’d made so far had quite satisfied her, and she wanted something that would stand a better chance against a dragon’s breath. Ruethwyn might be hoping in vain, but she was mildly optimistic that she might be able to find something to help.

  Chapter 3

  “Navaan went to get a carriage, since the weather is so unpleasant,” Tadrick explained, his coat buttoned up as they waited in the academy’s foyer. “I think he’ll be here soon, but I can’t be certain.”

  “He went to get it? I would’ve thought he’d just send a messenger or something,” Korima said, looking outside and shivering. “It’s cold out there.”

  “It is, but Father and Mother came to town when they heard about what happened over midwinter. Since they’re here, Father roped Navaan into helping with making decisions about some of the edicts and other management back home,” Tadrick said, grinning. “I think he insisted on going out as a distraction, but I’m not entirely sure about that.”

  “I can’t say as I blame him, if he’s having to deal with helping manage the earldom. I’ve done a little to help my father with Waterstone, and it’s pretty complicated even with a small town,” Sella said, pulling her coat a little closer.

  “I can only imagine,” Ruethwyn murmured, standing halfway into an alcove. It kept anyone from running into her from her blind side, as well as making it easier to see the others.

  “Well, it isn’t like I haven’t made my opinion of inheriting known,” Tadrick said dryly, grinning at them. “Father considered petitioning Her Majesty to grant me a barony inside the earldom, but I protested loudly. Hopefully I can keep it up. If anything, a knighthood would be enough for me.”

  “Is this one of those things associated with you wanting to be a mage-knight?” Sella asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing. “I mean… my father has often said that he regrets his title only being a life title. It means that there’s no security for me or any other children my parents might have.”

  “Um, well…” Tadrick paused, looking slightly taken aback and confused. Ruethwyn held back a smile and caught Korima looking at her in amusement. The luxury of being able to refuse the offer of becoming a baron was a touch mind-boggling to Ruethwyn. After a moment, Tadrick spoke, a hint of relief in his voice. “Oh good, there’s the carriage!”

  The change of subject was a bit of a surprise, but Ruethwyn followed his gaze to see a carriage coming down the small road into the academy. The carriage was modestly elaborate, it’s body smoothly contoured and with green paint and brass fittings, and was pulled by a pair of horses as it moved on large, spoked wheels. The driver looked surprisingly comfortable, and Ruethwyn’s eye narrowed as she saw a shimmering bubble of sorts around the man. Likely a spell to keep him warm, she realized, which wasn’t a bad idea in the weather. It was why she was wearing her enchanted dress, after all.

  The carriage pulled up in front of the doors, allowing them to see the heraldry emblazoned on the door, an image of a hawk holding a branch with cherry blossoms. Navaan Daskar opened the door, the older student looking almost immaculate in his blue robes, with his brown hair brushed back and down to the middle of his back as he looked down at them.

  “Hello, everyone! Come in, come in… it’s time to go relax, thank all the gods,” Navaan said quickly, startling Ruethwyn with his enthusiasm. She wasn’t the only one surprised, either.

  “What’s going on? You’re usually more reserved than this,” Tadrick asked, climbing up into the carriage and offering Sella a hand to help her inside.

  Korima quickly climbed the steps, ignoring Navaan’s offered hand, then offered one to Ruethwyn with a grin, saying, “Come on, Rue, it’s time to go!”

  “Thank you,” Ruethwyn replied, feeling slightly awkward. The kiss Korima had given her in the infirmary on Midwinter Night flashed through her head, and Ruethwyn found herself unsure of what to do, even though she took the kitsune’s hand.

  As Ruethwyn took a seat opposite Navaan and Tadrick, with Sella taking the far seat on the same side, Navaan replied to Tadrick’s question. “Oh, Father just decided to spring a nasty surprise on me. Apparently, some noble from Kalpher, who I’m not going to name, decided that she had to have cherries, strawberries, and other fruits from Daskar. She was so insistent that she sent a full-fledged ambassador to meet us, along with two wagons with preservation enchantments!”

  “What? It’s the middle of winter, though!” Tadrick protested. “I mean, we have a few greenhouses enchanted to produce some fruit back home, bu
t that’s barely enough to keep up with the orders here in the capital.”

  “I know!” Navaan agreed vehemently as the carriage started moving, rattling across the cobblestones. “Father decided that it was a good test for me, though, and dumped the problem into my lap. A foreign dignitary that’s been on relatively good terms with Selwyn requesting something that most people would consider ridiculous… it’s a right mess, I’ll tell you that much.”

  “You have fruit in a greenhouse?” Sella asked, frowning. “Aren’t those the glass houses that people grow plants in, sometimes?”

  “I hadn’t heard of those…” Korima murmured.

  Ruethwyn smiled and whispered back. “I have, but only vaguely.”

  “Yes, though it tends not to be as good as most fruit grown in season. That’s why the Daskar family has spent centuries perfecting spells to try to keep the environment within the greenhouses as close to natural as we can. We produce the best fruit during the winter within a few hundred miles,” Navaan explained to Sella, smiling broadly.

  “Ah, the best regional fruit within a few hundred miles. You can get some of them in the coastal regions, so our family focused on cherries and other fruits that don’t grow quite as well there,” Tadrick corrected. “Although cherries do grow decently elsewhere, they’re part of the family emblem so we can’t exactly give them up.”

  “True enough. It’s interesting to hear what your family business is, though,” Ruethwyn said, a bit intrigued. “Since I’m from the opposite end of the country, I don’t know much about it. Not that I imagine I’d have heard much anyway… Mellesyn was too small to afford anything you might have sold.”

  “Fair point,” Tadrick began, and at the same time, Navaan spoke.

  “Huh, well—” Navaan stopped, looking at his brother.

  As a bump jostled the carriage, sending Ruethwyn almost sprawling into Korima’s shoulder, Tadrick smiled. “Go ahead and explain. You’re the one inheriting, after all.”

  Ruethwyn pulled away from Korima with an apologetic smile, wishing she was on the other side of the carriage where Sella was sitting so she could see outside more easily. It wouldn’t give as good of a view of the others, but it would’ve been nice. Korima just smiled in return, her expression reassuring.

  “Right, well… Daskar is in a more fertile part of the kingdom, and a few nearby nodes of fire and nature magic help extend the growing season slightly more than that of most of the country. Our ancestors realized it was excellent for crops and built enchanted towers that extended the benefits of the nodes even further,” Navaan explained, though Ruethwyn noticed that he was mostly looking at Korima and Sella rather than her. “The king and queen of the time took notice of the work they’d put in and decided to grant an earldom to the family. If you look at a map, our lands are slightly oddly shaped, but that’s because it followed the old border of where the enchantments extended. It’s an enormous part of Daskar’s economy, so we’ve focused on expanding on it as much as possible over the years.”

  “Interesting. So, is that why you’ve focused on air magic?” Ruethwyn asked as Korima stretched next to her. “If you were to modify the weather a bit, you might be able to help with growth, I’d think. I’m no expert, mind you, but I picked up a few things about wild herbs from my mother.”

  A hand dropping onto her right shoulder startled Ruethwyn, and at the weight of an arm along her shoulders she glanced over to see that Korima had casually wrapped her arm around Ruethwyn and smiled slightly at her.

  “Interesting as this is, I have to ask where we’re going?” Korima interrupted, glancing over at Navaan as she continued. “Tad said that you were choosing, Navaan, so I’ve been curious ever since.”

  “Oh, well… I thought that Ivy Vines would be a good place to relax after the day I had,” Navaan said, looking like it took him a moment to refocus.

  “Ivy Vines? That’s a bit more impressive than I was expecting,” Tadrick said, looking at Navaan skeptically as he added, “More expensive, too.”

  “It isn’t that expensive, especially not after the deal I struck earlier,” Navaan retorted. “I deserve a chance to relax, and Father agreed with my choice. It’s a fine place.”

  “Hmm… what type of place is Ivy Vines? I hope it isn’t too upscale…” Sella asked, her voice growing a bit nervous.

  “No, no, don’t worry about that, Sella. Ivy Vines is…” Tadrick paused, frowning for a moment, then finally continued. “Think of it as a really exclusive pub for the upper class. It’s where a lot of nobles and merchants go when they want to relax, eat good food, and generally not have to worry about appearances. The prices are expensive for their discretion, so I’ve only been there a few times myself.”

  “Do they have any good meat dishes? I’ve noticed that a lot of elven restaurants tend toward vegetables and the like more, so that’s important,” Korima asked, licking her lips.

  “More than most,” Navaan said, smiling as he added, “I think we’re about to stop, so you’ll be able to see for yourself soon enough.”

  Ruethwyn had been debating what to do about the arm around her shoulders, but after a moment, she leaned in and murmured to Korima, “You know… I think we need to talk later. Not tonight, but soon.”

  “That does seem like a good idea,” Korima replied softly, her eyes glittering with mirth.

  Turning her head away, Ruethwyn paused as she saw they were coming up on a building as the carriage slowed.

  Sella spoke first, sounding stunned. “Well, I guess the name suits the building. How much work did that take to build?”

  The building was strange, Ruethwyn had to admit. The roof was made of ceramic tiles, from what she could see of them, though the snow obscured most of the green tiles. The walls, though, were made up of what looked like tens of thousands of interwoven vines, ivy leaves scattered across the surface of the moderately sized structure, which was composed of two floors. The truly strange thing was that all the leaves and vines were made of wood, which would be a staggeringly complex project to carve.

  If one were to carve it, at least, Ruethwyn realized, and a stab of guilt lanced through her as she remembered Anara and felt Korima’s arm over her shoulder. She glanced at Korima, almost saying something, but stopping as she saw how raptly the kitsune was staring at the building.

  “It’s beautiful,” Korima breathed out.

  “Let me guess, a woodsinger?” Ruethwyn asked, looking at Navaan and Tadrick, both of whom looked at her in surprise.

  “How did you know?” Tadrick asked, looking taken aback. “It took someone telling me before I realized that it was a woodsinger. They’re so rare that not many people consider that possibility.”

  “I’m not close enough to look at it properly, but the two possibilities I saw were either a druid or nature mage, or a woodsinger. A project like that with normal carvings… while possible, I just didn’t see it happening, even for an expensive restaurant,” Ruethwyn explained, then hesitated before admitting softly, “One of the girls who was kidnapped in Mellesyn… she had the talent, too.”

  “Ah, I see. It means you had more experience with woodsingers than most people, then,” Navaan said, his eyes lighting up with understanding.

  “Woodsingers? Aren’t those the elves who can shape wood with just their voice and a thought?” Korima asked curiously.

  “Actually, some humans have been known to possess the talent as well, but yes,” Tadrick confirmed.

  “Hardly a thought, actually. Anara… she took a lot of time and work learning to control it,” Ruethwyn corrected quietly. “Still, there’s nothing to be done about it. Shall we go in?”

  “Oh, of course,” Navaan replied, opening the door and stepping down from the carriage.

  Ruethwyn began to stand, but before she could, Korima bounced to her feet and darted down, grinning as she quickly turned and offered a hand to Ruethwyn.

  “I don’t need that much help, Korima,” Ruethwyn said, holding onto the side of the door
as she stepped down, then taking Korima’s hand for the last step to the ground.

  “Maybe, maybe not,” Korima replied, a smile flickering over her lips again as Tadrick followed and helped Sella out of the carriage.

  Navaan turned to the driver and spoke softly, but Ruethwyn could just hear his words. “Go ahead and find yourself a warm meal and food, would you? I expect we’ll be an hour, possibly a bit more, so you’ve that time to yourself.”

  “Thank you kindly, sir,” the man replied quietly. “It’s a mite bit brisk out here.”

  Navaan turned back to them and smiled, nodding toward the man by the restaurant’s doors as he said, “We’d best get going before they take the table I reserved, hm?”

  Ruethwyn smiled slightly, following him, with Korima by her side. Tadrick and Sella slipped ahead of them, and as they did, Ruethwyn slowed down and glanced at Korima before asking, quiet enough she hoped the two in front of her wouldn’t hear anything. “So, what’s with the sudden… emphasis on things, Korima? I know I said we needed to talk, but this is a little weird.”

  “It’s partly to ward off Navaan’s advances. Hopefully Sella won’t get overwhelmed, but Navaan is too polite to try to flirt with me much if he thinks I’m with someone else.” Korima’s reply was just as quiet, but amused. “Sella and Tadrick, on the other hand… sibling rivalries. They can be amusing.”

  “You’re… alright, I suppose. Just don’t overdo it, please? You’re confusing me,” Ruethwyn said, letting out a soft sigh of frustration.

  “I’ll try. Let’s get moving, though… I’m curious what sort of food someplace nobles relax in has,” Korima said eagerly.

  Ruethwyn followed along obediently as the guard opened the door for Navaan and the others, feeling entirely confused and a bit off balance. She wasn’t sure how she felt, but it wasn’t bad at least.