by Tom Hansen
She was back.
Finny looked at her with a curious expression.
“Finny, you have grown.”
Finny looked like herself once again, but she was taller, now. In fact, she was so large that she was bigger than Synol.
Finny’s unblinking gaze bored into her for a long moment before flicking away. “Yes, I am larger now. I want to be big. I do not want to be small anymore.”
Ynya looked up at her, not quite sure how to process the fact that her little sister now towered over her by half a foot.
“As long as it makes you happy.” Ynya held out her hand. “May I have the tool and the earrings? I want to give a present to our hosts.”
Finny deposited the objects into her hand.
Ynya weighed the items in her palm. It was terrifying that such a small hoop of metal could have such a profound impact on her ability to cast her magic. She stared at it for a while, her mind ruminating on her life without magic. She’d been helpless in some ways, but it had also forced her to learn to cope without her inner fire.
She wasn’t sure what to think about having her magic back again. Magic had been such a part of her that she hadn’t realized what life was truly like for those that didn’t have magic. Here she stood in an entire place that thrived on the fact that some people had magic, and others didn’t.
Magic was taken away from those deemed unworthy, and given to those who were. The entire prison existed purely to keep those with magic in line.
Ynya shuddered. It was all too much to take in right now. She should just be glad she had her magic back.
Beside her, Synol stood on shaky legs.
“How do you feel, Syni?”
She poked her stomach and legs with a finger. “I think I’m alright.”
Synol looked up at Finny, who was now an inch taller than her. “I missed you, Finny.” Her eyes filled with tears and she twitched her hands. “Are…are you alright?”
Finny looked at Synol with the same curious expression. “I am.”
Synol’s voice broke and she threw herself at her little sister, pulling her into an embrace like her life depended on it.
Ynya’s heart melted at the sight and she took a step closer to join her sisters.
Finny opened up her other arm and pulled both sisters close. “I’m not the same anymore, sisters.”
Synol’s voice was muffed, being buried in Finny’s shoulder. “I don’t think any of us are the same anymore, Fin. But we’re together, and that’s all that matters.”
Chapter Forty-One
Finny broke the embrace and thrust out her hand. In the other room, a man’s voice cried out. There was a crack of bone and a grunt.
“What was that?”
“He tried to run.”
Synol and Ynya shared a look.
The three sisters walked into the other room. Wind magic held the Warden against the wall, unable to move.
The Translator lay on the ground, his head snapped and facing behind him.
“Why did you kill him?”
Finny turned to look at Ynya. “He has spent multiple generations torturing kids and turning them into monsters. There is no redemption for him.”
The Warden’s steely gaze focused on Ynya, the malice palpable in his eyes. “She’s right, you know. You might as well do the same to me.”
Ynya took the silver dagger from the Warden’s sheath and tossed it the other side of the room.
“I remember you said something to me, Warden, something about obeying, and something about being fast. Do you remember that? It’s been so long and we’ve had so many good conversations since then, that I just don’t remember exactly what was said.”
Ynya put the brass earring in his ear, locking it in with the earring tool. She poured heat into the earring machine, melting it in front of him, dripping hot metal on the floor.
Ynya turned to her sister. “It’s okay, Finny, you can let him go now.”
Finny turned off the wind that held the man to the wall.
The Warden’s gaze never left Finny’s. “Why don’t you just kill me like you did him?”
Ynya folded her arms and stared at the man. “It’s tempting, but we’re going to try to end this peacefully rather than with violence.”
The Warden smiled. “But you are a creature of violence, my dear Ynya. All three of you have blood on your hands that will never wash off. Like it or not, but you’re a part of my world, more so than you would like to admit.”
“That may be, but we’re going to at least give them the choice, which is more than you gave any of us.”
The three girls exited the white building to the stares of the entire camp.
Ynya threw the captured Warden to the ground.
“I want everyone to pay attention!” Ynya yelled with the aid of Finny’s air magic, projecting her voice much farther than she normally could by herself. “We have taken over Reyoarfjell. It no longer belongs to the Frost Queen, and our dear Warden here has been dethroned.”
Ynya nudged the man with her foot, rolling him over.
“All prisoners will be released immediately. Any that are able, we ask that you find food and clothes for the remaining prisoners to help get them healthy for their travels back home. We will be organizing everyone into traveling parties.”
From the side, two soldiers drew swords and came at the sisters.
Two small cyclones materialized and picked up both men, tossing them a dozen feet into the air. Both came down to the earth with a sickening crunch.
“Any other soldiers who disagree with the sudden change in management are welcome to air their grievances with my little sister here. Meanwhile, we’re going to need some volunteers to help organize everyone into parties to search this place for all its valuables.”
Ynya paused to let her announcement sink in, then spoke again to everyone in the Pit. “You’re all going home.”
“Ynya, we are ready.”
Ynya closed her right hand and stood up from the desk. “I’ll be right there.”
Synol stared curiously at her from the doorway. “Find anything good in the Warden’s desk?”
Ynya held up the book with her left hand. “Just the ledger with Mama’s name in it.”
“Were you going to add it to the others?”
Ynya nodded. “Yes. It should go with all the other records. Is Gustave still willing to take it all back to Marsfjord?”
Synol nodded, but pursed her lips. “Did you find any other information in it?”
Ynya chuckled. “You mean the part where Mama had three siblings who all were here, or the part where she was here sixty years ago?”
Ynya dropped the ledger on the table and slid it across the desk. “I don’t know what to think about any of it anymore. I feel like we don’t know much about her. Mostly I just want to know why the Warden has this one ledger in his personal desk when there is a hall of records.”
Synol took a couple steps into the room and picked up the ledger. She frowned as she thumbed through the pages. “Perhaps the only answers we’re going to get are ones we don’t want to hear. Maybe we won’t like the answers regardless of the truth.”
Ynya let out a slow breath. “Let’s finish destroying this place and go get Meki. The longer we stay around here, the more I question my sanity.”
“I’ll get this to Gustave. You’re going to come see him off?”
Ynya nodded, a small smile gracing her lips for the first time in a day. She hoped Synol didn’t notice. To cover, she said, “Thank you, Synol. Thank you for handling all of this.”
It was Synol’s turn to chuckle. “I like helping people. Doing this helps me feel like I have a purpose.”
After all the people had been rescued, the place ransacked, and a dozen wagons loaded up with refugees from the camp left for their respective homes, the storm raged through the camp once again. This time, it left no stone untouched, no piece of metal unburied.
Over the course of an entire day, Synol a
nd Finny destroyed and buried Reyoarfjell, eradicating it from the land. Wind and earth worked together for the destruction of a place that had brought so much pain and suffering to everyone.
It was a bittersweet moment for Ynya. She was glad it was gone, but she wondered if leaving it here abandoned, allowing nature to overtake it, was the better choice. It wasn’t really the fault of the buildings, and part of her hoped that leaving it would be a reminder to future generations of the atrocities that had gone on here.
While her sisters buried the compound, Ynya pulled something from her pocket. Deep inside the Warden’s personal desk, she had found a single gold earring. Ynya felt the unique thrum of magic through it.
The Warden had smiled broadly when she inquired about it, telling her to try it on, just for a second. She hadn’t, but she got the feeling that it might be useful one day.
She pocketed it, then made sure the single bronze and single silver earring still remained hidden in her bag. She didn’t want to tell her sisters that she dreamed of the day when she would be able to put them in her own ear and live like a normal human, without the threat of magic torturing her soul.
Epilogue
Imryll Farora watched as Captain Nora Oblique returned to the front gate of Fellsstrond Castle. She noted the extra rider and wagon following a ways behind.
“Khatar, I think we should prepare for some guests, what do you say?”
“I think that is a wonderful idea, My Lady. I shall have the kitchen bring up some food immediately. Anything special you wish?”
Imryll thought for a moment. “Hot chocolate. I think my guest will appreciate the extra sweetness.”
“As you wish, My Lady.”
Khatar disappeared and in less than a minute, servants buzzed about the room preparing tables and chairs. Placemats were set and shiny silver goblets glimmered in the firelight.
In ten short minutes, the whole room smelled of roasted pig, the kitchen always keeping one on slow roast just in case the need ever came up.
“Mmm. I especially love this mulled wine.”
Before she finished half a goblet, the servants had set the table, prepared all the food, and vanished without a trace, leaving Khatar dressed in his finest.
Imryll sipped more of the mulled wine, wondering if it tasted better hot, like it had been prepared this time.
Khatar cleared his throat and walked toward the entry door.
A second later, a knock came.
“Come in.”
Captain Nora came through, bowing.
“I returned as you asked, My Lady, and I brought what you desired.”
Behind her, a young girl with bright red hair stood. In her hands she held a small stuffed bear.
Imryll stood, and walked across the floor, her shoes clacking with each step.
“I see that, but I fail to see the second that I had requested.”
Nora tensed. “My Lady, the Translator took the other one for one of his experiments, swapping her out with a fool who ended up freezing to death on the way here.”
“I see,” Imryll said, tapping her long blue fingernails on her chin. “I did notice you came in with a wagon?”
Nora nodded, keeping her eyes still down at the stone floor. “The Translator sent along a…creature, My Lady. He says it’s the first of its kind. He said it was a present for you, after all the years of work. He apologized for not returning the other girl, but promised she would be an even more spectacular specimen now that he knew how to keep their bodies from breaking.”
Imryll chuckled. “Well, I can’t very well blame you for not returning with what I asked for when you aren’t provided it by my other servants, can I?”
Wisely, Nora didn’t reply.
“You may go, I wish to dine with this young one for now.”
Nora turned to leave.
Imryll knelt down, coming eye to eye with the little red-haired girl. “Hello there. My name is Imryll. What is your name?”
The little girl didn’t reply, instead looking around the large room.
“Come in, my dear. There is no need to be afraid. Do you want some hot chocolate?”
Imryll put out her hand.
The little girl looked at her for a second, but finally put out her little hand.
Imryll led the girl to the bench and helped her up, finally easing into her spot at the head of the table. She picked up her mulled wine once again and sipped it.
Yes, hot is better.
“So, please dear, what is your name?”
“Meki.”
“Meki? That is a fine name, don’t you think, Khatar?”
“Yes, My Lady, quite a fine name for a fine young lady.”
Imryll leaned forward, lowering her voice at the young girl. “Well, Meki, I’m so very glad you have come to join me here at my castle. You are my guest, and as my guest you will be treated like royalty, not like that vile woman who brought you here.”
Meki looked around. “Will I have to be near that monster?”
“Oh, no. Not at all. That thing will stay downstairs, where it belongs.”
“Good, I don’t like that thing. I also want to see my sisters.”
Imryll sipped her wine once again. “I understand that, but I cannot command them to come here. They will have to make it here on their own.”
“I think they will come find me.”
Imryll smiled as she put down her wine goblet. She picked up a small cookie and rolled it around on her finger. “Oh, I think they will come to find you, my dear. I’m counting on it.”
THE END
I hope you enjoyed this book! If you did, please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Reviews help others find my books, which means I can continue to write more like this!
Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you check out the next episode in The Frost Fervor Concordance!
- Tom Hansen
November 2018
Blazing Vengeance
Prologue
Imryll Farora crouched behind the stone pillar as she listened carefully to the discreet padding of enemy feet echo off the stone walls. Flashes of light and shadow bounced off the polished stone, mimicking her pounding heart. Her lungs yearned to gulp for much-needed air, but she forced her breathing to slow and gave her air-starved lungs a chance to catch up.
You will not find me.
Movement to her left made her turn, careful to not make any noise lest it give away her position. Shadows played off the walls, adding to the confusion, but she was ready. She knew how to suss out her enemy, no matter what.
She listened for the tell-tale signs of labored breathing from the next pillar over.
Two can play this game.
She knew they were close, she just needed to get them to show their location.
In one swift motion, she threw a projectile of ice to her left, turned to the right, and sprinted.
As soon as she left the safety of her previous pillar, the ground exploded. Shards of stone and ice blasted in every direction from the impact, pelting her side and leaving her skin raw and inflamed. Luckily, none of it punctured her skin.
That was too close.
She needed a new tactic. The enemy would undoubtedly be changing their strategy for the next move.
Standing, she surveyed the battleground before her. Half a dozen pillars stood in the way between her and her goal, the way out of this place.
If she sprinted directly for it, she would get hit.
Taking each pillar one by one would take too long and give away her plan to the enemy. She had barely made it away from the last one and that was probably only because she shot in the opposite direction.
Damn.
Her enemy wouldn’t allow her to make the same move twice.
Time for something daring. Sometimes you just had to take a chance and see where it landed you.
Drawing a healthy amount of magic from the flow of the Concordance, she formed a solid ball of ice around her. More and more she pulled in, h
ardening it and building up the solid sphere of ice that would to protect her from the onslaught she knew was coming.
Finally, nearly exhausting her supply of magic, she stopped. Imryll was encased in a huge ball of ice over a foot thick. She hoped it would be enough to handle the onslaught she knew was coming for her.
With the remaining bits of magic she had left to her disposal, she nudged the huge ice ball. It rolled with surprisingly little effort, given how perfect a sphere it was.
One.
She steadied her magic, and tensed her muscles.
Two.
She took a deep breath, pushing out all the anxiety and stress in order to ensure she was here, in this moment, focused on this singular task.
Three.
She released her magic.
In a burst of frost, her ice ball shot forward, bounced off of one pillar, and crashed into another one.
Above her, the pillar cracked, and debris rained down on her ice ball.
Again!
She shot herself forward once more.
Crack!
A huge ice spike crashed into her ball, splintering large chunks off her protective barrier. None of it broke through though, as she had planned.
This was it, her last chance to escape, and she had used up too much magic to do anything else. She had to aim this one perfectly, but quickly.
Hurry!
She shot herself forward again, into another pillar. The ice surrounding her was so thick she couldn’t see clearly. She should have taken a little more care with her construction to remove all the air from the ice so she could see better, but now it was too late. Now, she just needed to move.
She shot forward again.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Three ice spikes pelted the back of her ball in rapid succession, leaving a large schism in her protective sphere. She was in the middle of the room, completely exposed with nothing else protecting her.
She was nearly out of energy, but this was her one shot. I have to be close, right?
