Crown of Ice

by Victoria Gilbert

  “Not a friend.” I take the reins from his hands. “But in this instance, possibly an ally.”

  We take off, sailing into the heavy banks of clouds. I can’t see anything but the whiteness enveloping us. I concentrate and conjure a wind that swirls about the sleigh, breaking up the clouds just enough for me to guide the ponies toward the mountains.

  “Kai, I must warn you—this storm won’t be easy to navigate, even for me.” I glance at the boy, who’s peering into the heavy clouds.

  He turns to gaze at me. “But you can control the snow and wind.”

  “I can, but this is no natural storm. And not one of my making. It’s Voss’s creation, and that makes it more difficult for me to master.” I urge the ponies forward as the winds buffet the sleigh, swinging us to and fro. “Stay down, Luki,” I command. The wolf’s gray head disappears as he drops to the floor.

  Kai’s gloved hands grip the edge of the sleigh. “His power’s greater than yours? Even over wintery weather?”

  “Yes. He gave me my magic, remember. And taught me to use it. He knows how to create a blizzard that will challenge my powers.” A gust whips my hood back, exposing my head. I blink as tiny ice crystals sting my face like a spray of needles.

  Kai leans over and pulls my hood back over my hair. As I shoot him a grateful, look, I’m surprised by the searching gaze he’s leveled on me. “You’d better hold onto something.” I turn until my profile is hidden behind the edge of my hood. “We’re in for a rough ride.”

  I focus on keeping the sleigh, and us, aloft. The ponies push bravely against the headwinds as snow swirls about their straining bodies. I concentrate all my magic to keep the worst of the blizzard at a distance, but all I can achieve is a bubble of lighter snow and wind. There’s no glimpse of Gerda or Bae. Of course, we can’t possibly see them, but even my attempts to sense their whereabouts are futile.

  After some time I glance at Kai and notice the blue sheen veiling his face. He’s huddled down in the seat, one hand gripping the side of the sleigh. The other hand clutches at the blanket that covers our laps and legs. His gloved fingers twitch, digging into the heavy fur. I redouble my efforts to warm his body with the shield I’ve cast over him, but logic tells me I can’t provide enough protection, whatever the enchantment. Voss’s unnatural storm is too powerful.

  “We must find shelter,” I say, but my words are lost to the roaring wind.

  Kai turns to me with a questioning look. There’s a violet tinge to his trembling lips.

  “Shelter!” I shout and point toward a cave that’s a barely discernible blot on the face of the looming mountain.

  Kai shakes his head violently, but I hold the reins. I direct the ponies to land on the wide ledge skirting the cave. As they pull up before the dark opening, Kai leans in to me, gesticulating wildly.

  “What are you doing?” His voice is rough as new-cut timber, and oozes anger like sap. “We can’t stop. We haven’t found them yet.”

  “You’re freezing.” I jump from the sleigh, throwing Kai the reins. He fumbles and drops them into his lap. “Your fingers will soon be blighted with frostbite, even in your gloves. We must seek shelter and wait for this storm to die down.”

  “We’ve no promise it will dissipate anytime soon.” Kai crawls out of the sleigh, his whole body shaking. He stumbles and falls back against one of the ponies.

  “Look, the ponies are also trembling with cold. We must wait this out. If my ally fulfills my request”—I unhitch the sleigh and grab hold of the lead pony’s harness—“the storm will die down soon, and we can resume our search.” I wait for Luki to leap out of the back of the sleigh before leading the ponies toward the mouth to the cave. “Come on. You’re no use to Gerda, or me, or anyone, dead.”

  “But they could be freezing right now.” Kai takes hold of the other bridle and aids me in guiding the ponies into the cave. Luki trots behind us, his nose twitching and his eyes alight.

  “Bae knows how to survive a blizzard,” I reply, as we move deeper into the darkness. The cave is shallow, merely an indentation in the cliff, but it offers protection from the worst of the storm. “I’m sure he’s found shelter, as we have. And he can use his body to keep Gerda warm.” I release the ponies, who wander over to one side of our stony shelter and huddle together.

  Kai trails me to the back of the cave, the fur blanket draped over his arm. “I thought we might need this,” he says, as he sinks to the hard stone floor. He presses his back against the cave wall and pulls the blanket over his trembling limbs.

  Luki pads up to Kai and drops to the ground, curling his body into a tight ball as he nestles against Kai’s right side.

  “Good thinking.” I sit on the other side of Kai. My skills allow me to avoid some of the biting cold but even I’m chilled. Voss’s magic is too powerful to ignore completely.

  Kai shifts and throws a portion of the blanket over me. “I wish I had your confidence in Bae. He’s just a beast, after all, even if an enchanted one.”

  “Beasts can survive better in the wild than humans.” I rest my back against the stone wall of the cave. “Gerda’s safer with Bae than she’d be with you.”

  “Yes, I’m certainly not the safest person, as far as Gerda’s concerned.” There’s a bitter edge to Kai’s voice. “If it weren’t for me, she’d be home.”

  “That was her choice.” I lean in to Kai. “It might help if we’re touching,” I say, as Kai turns to look at me. “My magic might warm you better.”

  “Oh.” Kai’s dark eyes survey me with interest. “Well, that sounds logical.” He places his arm about my shoulders and draws me close to his side.

  My decision to rest was the correct choice. Kai’s no longer shivering. I glance at his profile, relieved to see the blue tint fading from his face.

  It’s strange, feeling another human body close to mine. I close my eyes for a moment and recall the last time I was physically close to a mortal for any length of time. In the sleigh, pressed between my mother and father ... I jerk upright.

  “Something wrong?” Kai adjusts his arm until the back of my head is resting against his chest. Luki examines us for a moment before dropping his head across Kai’s right leg.

  “No. Just a memory.” I hear his heart thudding through the thick layers of clothing separating our bodies. “Nothing significant.” My own heart’s fluttering like a moth mesmerized by a candle flame. I’ve never wanted so much to stay and to flee at the same time.

  “This ally of yours,” says Kai after a moment. “Who might that be?”

  “Her name’s Sephia. She’s an enchantress and was once Voss’s mentor. No friend of mine, I can assure you, but she does care for Gerda.” I plunge ahead, telling Kai of my encounters with Sephia and the assistance she’s provided his friend. “So you see, she wouldn’t help us if it meant aiding me alone, but I suspect she might do as I ask to help Gerda, and to thwart Voss.”

  Kai tightens his grip on my shoulder. “What can she do, though? You say she can’t travel into realms of ice and snow.”

  “No, but she can draw Voss to her, away from here. If his attention’s diverted he won’t be able to perpetuate this blizzard.”

  “Sounds like a gamble.”

  “But a calculated one.”

  Kai glances at me. “Logical Thyra Winther, always calculating.”

  I raise my head and adjust my position so I’m leaning against Kai’s arm instead of his chest. “And what’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing, nothing at all.” A faint smile flits over Kai’s face. “It’s just unusual, in my experience.”

  “Oh, and you have such vast experience?” I lift my chin and meet his steady gaze.

  Kai looks away, staring moodily at the storm raging just beyond our shelter. “No, not really.”

  We sit in silence for several minutes before Kai speaks again. “I want that experience very badly.” His voice is so low I must lean in close to hear him. “To learn, to discover, to really understand ... ”r />
  “Yes, I could tell at the university how much you want that.” I allow my head to rest upon Kai’s shoulder.

  He sighs deeply. “It’s that obvious?”

  “For anyone with eyes.” I reach out and lay my right hand on Luki’s head. The wolf opens his eyes and gazes up at me.

  “It is my dream to study at the university.” Kai uses his free hand to stroke Luki’s back.

  Luki’s tail beats rhythmically against the stone floor of the cave.

  “And then what? Aren’t you supposed to run the mill someday?”

  Kai’s shoulder twitches beneath my head. “Well, yes. But if I can learn enough during my schooling I plan to continue my studies on my own once I return home. Sure, I can run the business, but I can also conduct research and work on mathematical theories in my spare time. It won’t be perfect, but it’ll be better than just staying in the village with nothing but the mill to occupy my thoughts.”

  I close my eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation of being held close. Despite my power to temper the cold, I’ve never felt so warm.

  “You should be a professor. Like Dr. Daman. Let someone else run the mill.”

  “There is no one else.” Luki stops wagging his tail in reaction to the tone of Kai’s voice. “I’m the only boy, you see. Between the two families, I’m the only boy.”

  “And you’re an only child.” I remember this from my observations.

  “Yes, and Gerda has only sisters.”

  “But one of them might marry someone who could eventually run the business. I mean, if we’re being perfectly rational, that could be your way out.”

  Kai’s laugh holds no humor. “I’m the one who’s marked for that task. You see, if I marry Gerda it will please our families and protect our business interests. Oh, don’t get me wrong”—Kai covers the hand I’m resting on Luki’s head with his own gloved fingers—“Gerda’s a truly sweet and loving girl. And pretty, too. I could do a lot worse.”

  “And you love her.” I fight to keep this observation from turning into a question. It’s none of my business, of course. But I must know.

  “I do, actually. I love Gerda as much as I love anyone I’ve ever known, up to now.” Kai glances at me, his brown eyes unreadable. “But I wonder if that’s enough. I feel like there’s something more. Something I’d be missing if I just follow the path laid out for me.”

  “You have a great hunger to learn, I understand that.” I gaze down at Luki, who’s fallen asleep. His muzzle twitches and he whimpers, obviously chasing some creature in his dreams.

  “Yes. Sometimes I think if I don’t get that chance, if I have to stay in the village, with no real education, with nothing but the mill and work and family and all that—wonderful as it can be—I’ll go mad. I’ll wake up one day and just walk off into the wild and let the winter take me.”

  “I’ve been given to the winter. It’s not what you want, I can assure you.” My tone is as acrid as the scent of pine needles.

  Kai looks at me with curiosity. “So, what about you, Thyra? Once we complete the mirror and you’re free from the curse, what will you do?

  I shift, attempting to pull away, but Kai’s hold on my shoulder keeps me pressed to his side. “I’ll be the Snow Queen. Forever and ever.”

  “I know that. I mean, what will you do with your forever?”

  I look away from his penetrating stare. “I will learn as well. Gather all the knowledge I can. Study about every land, every language. Fill the palace with books and read them all. Work out my own mathematical formulas, solve unsolvable equations.” I look back at Kai. “I won’t be able to leave the realms of snow and ice, you understand. Voss granted me that ability only for a limited time. But I can still learn, and study, and discover the answers to so many questions ... ”

  “And when I’m a famous mathematician”—Kai’s eyes are brighter than I’ve ever seen them—“I’ll send you my theories and you can proof them. Then you can wing your calculations and ideas my way. Just imagine the sensation it’ll cause on campus when a falcon delivers messages to me.” Kai slides his arm out from behind me and points from my head to his. “We’ll be mysterious geniuses, collaborating to provide answers to equations others can’t solve. No one will ever guess my partner is an immortal queen.”

  “No, I don’t suppose they will.” I focus on Luki’s sleeping form. “A very nice dream, but we must finish the mirror first.”

  “We will. Of course we will. Then my father can be brought back to health and I’ll be able to take my place at the university. We must succeed, and we will.” Kai places his hands on either side of my face and tilts my head so I’m forced to stare into his eyes. “Thyra Winther can’t become a wraith. That would be such a foolish, terrible, waste.”

  I’m aware of the sound of breathing, but can’t distinguish Kai’s from mine. Kai strokes my nose with one gloved finger before dropping his hands and turning to gaze outside. “The storm seems to be subsiding,” he says, in a strangely hoarse voice.

  “Is it?” I rise to my feet and stride to the cave opening, acutely aware Kai’s following right at my heels. “You’re right. I can see farther now, and the snow’s much lighter. Perhaps Sephia has fulfilled my request, after all.”

  “We should resume our search for Gerda and Bae.” Kai turns and heads toward the ponies. “I’ll hitch them up, if you want.”

  I nod, absently patting Luki, who’s trotted up beside me. “That’s a good idea. It’ll give me a moment to concentrate and see if I can pick up anything.”

  I close my eyes, chasing an image of Kai’s face from my mind before focusing on Gerda and Bae. A flicker composed of their combined essences touches my thoughts and I concentrate all my power to evoke an image of their location.

  “I see it!” I shout, startling the ponies.

  Kai swears and yanks down the animals’ tossing heads. I run to the sleigh and help him tighten the straps of the harness as Luki dances about us, yipping in delight. “Yes, we’re headed out again,” I tell the rambunctious wolf. “Hop in the sleigh and cease that racket.”

  Luki bounces over to me and gives my hand a lick before leaping into the back of the sleigh. He perches on the bench seat, panting with excitement, his mouth slightly open and his tongue sliding over his sharp white teeth.

  “You know he adores you, right?” Kai tests the last buckle of the harness before climbing into the sleigh.

  “He sees me as his pack leader.” I settle onto the front seat and take up the reins. “No more, no less. Don’t go assigning emotions to creatures that don’t have them.”

  Kai makes a strange, strangled noise as I call “Starward” and slap the reins against the ponies’ flanks, sending them sailing into the swiftly clearing sky. As Kai throws the fur blanket over our legs I turn to give him a quick smile. “We’ll find them now. I know exactly where they are. Clever, clever, Bae.”

  “And clever, clever, Thyra.” Kai gazes into my eyes, as if searching for the answer to an equation. “Sometimes.” He turns and stares down at the snow-drifted landscape.

  MY VISION LEADS US to another cave, on the other side of the mountain. Deep in the recesses of the cave we discover Gerda and Bae. The reindeer’s lying on the ground in a jumble of long legs and shaggy fur. Of course he’s chosen this awkward position to allow Gerda to nestle next to his warm torso. As Kai and I make our way to his side, Bae looks up at us with a pleading expression.

  “Please, Snow Queen, do not harm the little miss. She has suffered much already.”

  Kai kneels before the sleeping girl. He lightly brushes back the dark gold hair springing free from her braids. Her plump, cheery beauty has been transmuted into the pale perfection of a marble statue. Shadows lurk beneath her lower lashes and hollows sculpt her cheekbones.

  “Gerda,” he says softly as Bae nuzzles the back of the girl’s neck.

  She wakes to Kai’s concerned face. I shift from foot to foot, glimpsing an expression in those blue eyes that reminds m
e of Luki. A look that speaks of adoration. Perhaps Kai was right about the wolf. Gerda’s gazing at Kai with an identical expression and there’s no question what it means.

  “Kai!” Gerda throws her arms about his neck and buries her face in his shoulder.

  He takes her in a close embrace, rocking her gently back and forth for a moment before holding her at arm’s length. “You’re much too thin.”

  Gerda brushes the tears from her face. “Where have you been, Kai? Our families have been so worried.”

  “And now they’re equally worried about you,” Kai chides, before releasing her and sitting back on his heels.

  “I had to find you, Kai. I couldn’t go on, not knowing.” Gerda rubs at her eyes.

  “Very well, it’s done.” Kai rises and holds out his hands. “Come, let’s get you somewhere safe.”

  Gerda takes his hands and allows him to pull her to her feet. Behind them, Bae lumbers to his full height, shaking his shaggy body as if dispelling any stiffness.

  “I found the little miss wandering on her own, about to cross into your realms of ice and snow.” Bae’s liquid eyes are fixed on me. “I could not convince her to turn around so I offered to escort her.”

  Gerda’s face lights up and she claps her hands. “Kai, he flies! Can you imagine?”

  “Yes, I can.” Kai places one arm around Gerda’s shoulders and turns her to face me. “Gerda, this is Thyra Winther. You met her once before, long ago. In the church, remember?”

  Gerda examines me carefully. “Yes, but ...” Her bright blue eyes narrow. “She looks quite different.”

  “Yes, she’s changed.” Kai keeps his arm about Gerda as he walks her closer to me. “She’s the Snow Queen now, Gerda.” His fingers tighten on her shoulder as she instinctively stiffens. “Don’t worry, she’ll not harm you. We’re working together, reassembling a magic mirror that can save Father.”

  Gerda gazes up into Kai’s face. “What do you mean, Kai? How can a mirror help your father?”

  The absolute trust in her eyes makes my fingers curl into my palms. Luki’s nose bumps at one of my fists and I release my clenched fingers to stroke his head.