Crown of Ice

by Victoria Gilbert

  But there’s still one snow wolf left, standing at the edge of the cave. His ice-blue eyes transfix me as I turn to face him. He’s crouched back on his haunches, prepared to attack. I sense Kai moving behind me and jump in front of him, sending him sprawling to the ground. The snow wolf flashes its dagger-sharp fangs and springs.

  A blur of gray fur leaps in front of me. “Luki, no!” I scream, but it’s too late. The two wolves collide in mid-air and fall to the ground, rolling in the snow. Luki’s smaller form tangles with the bulk of Voss’s minion. Claws flash and teeth sink into skin. Yelps and howls rend the air, but I can’t distinguish which wolf is bearing the brunt of the pain.

  “Do something!” shouts Kai, stepping up behind me.

  I shoot him a fierce glare. “Like what, exactly?”

  “Freeze them both,” he yells. “Put them to sleep, like with Gerda.”

  So he guessed that much. I suck in a deep breath of the icy air and clasp Kai’s gloved hand for a second before I turn back to the battling animals. As I focus on the wolves, I feel Kai’s hands settle about my waist, lending me support. I know my magic is freezing his hands, even through his gloves, but he doesn’t let go. I dig my boots into the snow and concentrate.

  “They’re dropping back.” Kai speaks into my ear while giving my body a little shake. “You can stop now, Thyra.”

  I open my eyes. The snow wolf lies in a drift, its solid form shredding into wisps like wind-driven clouds. Luki is slumped on the ground a little way off.

  Luki. I tear myself from Kai’s hands and stumble to the wolf’s prone body. Kneeling in the snow, I lay my hands on his blood-soaked fur. I feel his heart beating faintly beneath my searching fingers.

  Luki. The animal I didn’t want, the companion I never encouraged, the pet I wouldn’t claim. I bow my head over his crimson-drenched form as full realization hits me. He never hesitated, despite the odds. He threw himself at certain death to save me.

  Another howl pierces the air. It takes Kai kneeling by my side for me to recognize these wails are coming from my throat.

  “Thyra, Thyra, it’s all right.” Kai wraps his arms about me.

  But it isn’t. I lean over Luki, weeping. I, who haven’t cried in over nine years, sob inconsolably. Every tear saved over those cold, lonely days finds its way to my eyes.

  My hands slide up and down Luki’s damaged body. “Back away,” I tell Kai. “For your own sake, back away.”

  Kai releases me and slumps back on his heels. I call forth all the power I can command, demanding more and more, ripping the magic from my bones. My arms shake with the force of the wild magic I conjure from every drop of my blood. Blue light illuminates my hands until they turn translucent. I hold them up to the dark sky.

  “Freeze my bones and shatter my heart like a crystal but give my touch life!” I cry, not at all certain who I’m addressing. My fingers flutter like leaves shredded in the wind. I plunge them into Luki’s thick fur until I touch skin. Pressing my hands against his trembling body, I allow the tears to slide unheeded from my chin.

  “What are you doing?” Kai slips next to me, his voice touched with wonder.

  An azure tint radiates from my hands and spreads through Luki’s fur, until his entire body glows an icy blue. As swiftly as the illumination spreads it fades away.

  Wind ruffles Luki’s gray fur. I lift my hands and stroke his ripped muzzle. As my fingers slide away from his nose I notice the marks fading. I cast a frantic gaze over the length of his body. The blood’s gone, along with the ragged cuts and slashes. A damp tongue licks the hand cradling Luki’s head. I glance down to meet the adoring gaze of those golden eyes.

  “You saved him,” says Kai in hushed tones. He creeps closer and strokes Luki’s head. “How did you do that?”

  “I don’t know.” I sit back as Luki rises to his feet, shaking the snow from his unmarked fur.

  Kai stands slowly. He holds his hand and pulls me up beside him. “Your face is frozen.” He takes the edge of his knitted scarf and wipes the ice crystals from my cheeks. “You were crying.”

  “Yes.” I throw my arms about Kai and hug him tight. “I was. I was crying.”

  “I’ve never seen anyone so happy about that before,” says Kai with an indulgent grin. “So, my wonderful, magical queen, what do we do now?” His bright eyes cloud over. “We’ve lost our sleigh and ponies.”

  “Yes, that’s a problem. But once we find Bae—and we will—perhaps we can figure something out.”

  “Bae can’t transport all of us.”

  Luki bumps my leg with his snout. I drop one arm and pat his head. “He can safely carry you and Gerda to the palace. Luki and I can make it on foot.”

  Kai shakes his head. “Not in time to complete the mirror.”

  “You can finish the mirror. I told you where Voss stores his shard.”

  “I don’t know.” Kai’s expression is troubled. “You’d be placing your entire future in my hands, Thyra.”

  “There are no better hands,” I reply, giving him a swift kiss. “Now, come—I believe I know where we can find a young girl and a talking reindeer.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three: Final Calculations

  WE TRUDGE THROUGH WAIST-deep snow. I haven’t enough strength to grant us the power to skim the surface. Luki leaps from drift to drift, disappearing momentarily only to bound up again, shedding snow with every bounce.

  “So, not a pet?” Kai peeks from behind the furred edge of his hood.

  “Very well, I confess my attachment,” I reply, my lips twitching into a brief smile. I glance over at the pass and shiver. “Let’s move on. This place makes me nervous.”

  “Because of your parents?” Kai holds out a hand. He grips my fingers, helping me slog through the drifts obscuring the mouth of another cave.

  I close my eyes for a moment, willing the memory to fade. This does not touch me. Let it fall away. “Yes,” I say shortly. “Help me dig out some of this snow, will you? I sense Bae’s very close.”

  After I give Luki a command to guard the entrance to the cave, Kai and I use our hands to shovel snow, creating a path wide enough to squeeze through. My fingers tingle inside my gloves as we crawl into the cave.

  The scent of damp reindeer fur assails my nostrils. I can’t create a ball of light but I can call forth a faint illumination in the cave walls. It’s enough to show the curve of a reindeer’s wide back.

  Gerda’s tucked between Bae’s belly and the far wall of the shallow cave. Huddled in a ball, one hand clutching a handful of fur, she’s fast asleep. Bae lifts his heavy head to stare at me. His lids droop over his eyes and I can read the weariness imprinted on his grizzled face.

  “The little miss is exhausted, Snow Queen.” Bae eyes Kai suspiciously. “She was determined to flee the palace. I felt I had to assist her.”

  I kneel beside the reindeer. “I’m glad you did, Bae. No one wishes any harm to come to Gerda. But we must wake her. It’s time to return to the palace. I promise she’ll be safe, and you can carry her home in a day or two.”

  Bae shakes his shaggy head until his antlers rattle, making me leap to my feet. The reindeer nudges Gerda, who opens her eyes and sits up.

  “Kai!” she cries with delight as Bae lumbers to his full height. She rises and moves around the reindeer to face us. “And you,” she adds in a much frostier tone.

  “We’ve come to rescue you, Gerda.” Kai steps forward and embraces his friend. “Foolish girl, what were you thinking, running headlong into a blizzard?” He brushes back her tousled hair with one hand.

  “I just wanted to get away,” mutters Gerda, ducking her head.

  “You should’ve talked to me first.” Kai taps Gerda lightly on her wind-chapped nose. “We’ve always been able to talk through our problems, Gerda.”

  “Not this one.” Gerda lifts her head to gaze into Kai’s face. Tears drip from her lashes. “I love you, Kai.”

  Kai sighs. “I know.”

  “But you don’t love me.�
�� Gerda dashes away the dampness with the back of her gloved hand.

  “I do,” says Kai, with perfect sincerity. “I do love you, Gerda, but just not ... ”

  “The way I want,” replies the girl. She stares past Kai’s shoulder and fixes me with a fierce glare. “You love her. That sorceress. That freak.”

  “Gerda!” Kai backs away from her. His tone’s sharp as a blade.

  “It’s all right.” I know the anger and hurt in Gerda’s eyes. I’ve lived with it for years, eating away at me like frostbite.

  “Thyra abandoned the mirror to save you.” Kai takes my hand. “Even though she has only a few hours left. She knew I couldn’t find you on my own and insisted on accompanying me. You owe her your life.”

  “Bae saved me.” Gerda strokes the reindeer’s velvety muzzle. “We would’ve been fine.”

  “No.” I shake my head. “You would have died before Bae could travel far enough to escape this weather. You’d probably have frozen here, fast asleep, before you knew you were dying.”

  The reindeer butts his nose gently against Gerda’s cupped hands. “The Snow Queen speaks the truth, little miss. I allowed you to sleep, knowing what would happen, knowing you would never wake. Not after enduring a full night of this bitter cold.”

  Gerda presses her forehead against Bae’s head. “Oh, my friend, why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I did not want you to depart this world in fear,” Bae replies.

  “Now we must return to the palace, so Thyra and I can complete the mirror before midnight,” says Kai firmly. He glances at me. “The only problem is, Bae can’t carry all of us. So I’m going to stay behind.”

  “No, you’re not.” I tighten my grip on Kai’s fingers. “You and Gerda are riding Bae back to the palace. Luki and I are following on foot.”

  Kai wheels around to stand in front of me, still holding my hand. “That doesn’t work for me.”

  “It must.” I face down his implacable stare. “With rest I can conjure enough magic to protect myself and Luki from the worst of the weather. You’ll freeze here.” I turn to Gerda. “Convince him to go with you.”

  Gerda’s blue eyes are clouded with sorrow. “I don’t have such power. Not anymore.” She straightens until she’s rigid with resolution. “I could stay.”

  “Bravely spoken, but not an option,” I reply. “We didn’t risk our lives to save you only to abandon you now. No, it must be as I say.”

  Bae swings his head around. “The wolf is calling you.”

  I run to the passage at the mouth of the cave. Luki howls once, followed by a short series of yips. “More snow wolves?” I wipe the fear from my face before turning to Kai and Gerda.

  “I don’t think so,” says Kai, joining me. “He doesn’t sound distressed.”

  “Only one way to find out.” I plunge through the snowy passage.

  Kai’s right at my heels. “You’re weakened, Thyra. Be careful.”

  “I can still protect myself.” I stride into the small circle of snow previously flattened by our boots. Luki’s ears poke out from behind a small drift. They’re pitched forward, as if listening to something.

  Then I hear it—the distinctive rattling call of a male reindeer. I follow Luki’s gaze and see a great white buck standing on a ledge jutting over the mountain pass, his ghostly outline illuminated by the full moon.

  “Oh no.” I reach for Kai’s hand. “Voss is here. That’s his stag.”

  Kai surveys our surroundings. “But where’s the sleigh? I see nothing, and the reindeer’s not wearing a harness.”

  “No, he must have unhitched the sleigh for some reason. If we could find it before he sees us ... ”

  “Over there.” Kai points out a distinctive shape silhouetted against the snow, several yards from where we stand. “If the tack is there we could harness Bae and get all of us out of here.”

  “Stranding Voss in the bargain?” I raise my eyebrows. “I like that plan.”

  Bae emerges from the cave, Gerda by his side. “Why is the wizard in this place, Snow Queen? You must ask yourself this question.”

  “It isn’t logical,” agrees Kai. “But perhaps we’ve been granted a touch of luck. I, for one, will take my chances.”

  “Kai”—I take hold of both his hands—“lead Gerda to the sleigh and hitch up Bae, if you can. I will see if I can sense the mage’s presence, just in case.”

  “Join us soon.” Kai leans in and kisses me tenderly on the mouth.

  “I will.” I step back and whistle for Luki. “Go with them,” I command the wolf. “Keep watch.”

  Luki leaps up and licks my face before racing for the sleigh. Bae plows through the deep snow, beating a path as Kai takes Gerda’s arm and follows the reindeer’s tracks.

  I cross to the foot of the pass, staring down its narrow alley of rock and snow. In the distance I spy a dark figure. Tall and supernaturally thin, the figure moves toward me, gliding over the ground. When it reaches a point in the center of the pass it halts.

  “Thyra Winther.” The familiar, mocking tone is carried on the wind. I realize Voss is amplifying his voice so I can hear him. We stand at some distance, Voss in the center of the pass and I much farther back. I’ve no interest in moving any closer to the mage or stepping into that narrow passage.

  “Master Voss.” I project my own voice so my words can reach him. “What brings you out on this cold evening?” Drawing myself up to my full height, I cast one glance over my shoulder to ensure Kai and the others have reached the sleigh.

  “I was returning from a journey and thought to check on my guardians of the pass. Alas, they appear to be destroyed or scattered. Your work, Snow Queen?”

  “It was.” I run a series of calculations—evaluating whether I can hold off Voss long enough for the others to escape, considering whether my thoughts can touch Kai’s mind with enough force to convince him to flee with Gerda, Bae, and Luki.

  “Pity. They were some of my finest creations.” Voss spreads wide his skeletal hands, which are bare of any gloves. “But why are you here, my queen? You have only a few hours remaining before you, too, whirl away with the mist.”

  “I have time, if you allow me to leave now. There are only two pieces yet to be placed. Mine and yours. If you permit me to travel back to the palace with my friends, I swear I’ll complete the mirror before midnight.”

  “Oh, I’m afraid that won’t be possible. Traveling with your friends, I mean. You see, Thyra, I brought my shard with me.” He pats the front of his cloak. “Tucked safely inside my robes. Yes, I know I never carry the fragment, but this time I thought it wise.”

  “You’re lying.” I bite the inside of my cheek to refrain from screaming. There’s no way to tell if Voss has fabricated this story to manipulate me. I only know he’s never taken his shard from the palace before.

  “You don’t know that for certain, Snow Queen. Would it not be best to take me at my word and ride with me back to the palace?”

  “Ride?” I glance up at the white buck. “You mean on the back of your reindeer?”

  “Yes, he’s quite well trained. He’ll carry us both easily.”

  I survey Voss, suspicion tingling the back of my neck. “Let my friends go first. They can use your sleigh. Bae will safely transport them to the village and then return the sleigh to the palace.”

  “Bae? Ah yes, the talking reindeer. What a curious habit you have developed, naming these creatures.” Voss flings out one arm, raising a blast of wind that rolls over the ground, sweeping clean everything in its path. “But I am afraid your companions are going nowhere.”

  I spin about, my eyes following the path of the wind. It whips the snow off the surface of the ground lying beneath the sleigh. I breathe a sigh of relief that Kai, Gerda, and Luki are already safely seated in the vehicle. Bae, with the wisdom of his kind, has planted his hooves solidly enough to withstand the gale. But then I notice the dark sheen of the ground under the sleigh. It isn’t dirt. It’s ice.

 
“Yes, my dear queen. They are standing on a frozen lake. A very deep lake, and so cold one minute of immersion will freeze the blood and bones of any living creature.” Voss snaps his fingers, a sound that rings through the clear air. “And, sad to say, the ice has suddenly cracked.”

  I wheel about to face the mage. My hood flies back and my white hair springs out about my face. “You did this!”

  “Why yes, I did.” Voss’s crystalline eyes sparkle with malice. “And placed a holding spell on them. They cannot move, even if they’d be willing to leave you. There they sit, frozen, while that crack splinters, creating a network of fissures that will soon overtake the sleigh.”

  “Let them go!”

  “I will, the moment you agree to come with me.” Voss whistles for the white reindeer. It springs from the ledge and sails to the ground not far from where I stand. “Climb upon my mount, and I will break the enchantment that holds your companions. Delay too long and the sleigh will slip through the ice, dragging them to the depths. And to their death, of course.”

  I close my eyes and calculate. I know the properties of ice. The crack in the frozen surface of the lake will spread exponentially, too fast for Bae to lift the heavy sleigh from the ground. The pressure expended by his hooves in the take-off will undoubtedly shatter the ice beneath him. Logic tells me Bae cannot pull my friends to safety now, no matter how swiftly I submit to Voss. They are doomed.

  Unless I can seal that crack in the ice. It is within my power, if Mael Voss were not standing before me, poised to thwart any magic I deploy.

  Of course, he knows they will not survive, even if I obey his commands. He simply wants to watch, fiendishly pleased, as I put my needs first. He wants me to choose my life over theirs. He longs to prove, once again, that goodness will falter in the face of necessity.

  Yet, what can I do? Voss claims to hold the final shard. I don’t know if he is lying or not. But if he’s telling the truth, I must deliver him safe and sound to the Great Hall. I’ve little time left before my mind and body are ripped away and I’m forced to forever wander as a wraith.