Just like at the gala, Fielder doesn’t seem persuaded by her promise.
“Someone could have hurt you! What if the press were hanging around and saw you? They wouldn’t have cared!”
As he runs his strong fingers through his hair, Glacier is momentarily stunned by how handsome he is.
His straight jaw is taut with anger. His pointed nose is flaring. His orange eyes dazzle her with their dark aura. His full lips have never looked so inviting.
“I’m fine, I promise. Nothing happened.” Glacier decides not to mention the press outside of the hotel.
He still seems stressed by the idea of her walking in her trampled state. Fielder’s fingers reach out and lightly brush against her swollen lip where the doctor had applied a gel on before she left. The small cut down the centre of her lower lip isn’t as deep as the one on the corner of her mouth, but it stings harshly. His warm fingertips relive the itchy burn across her chapped lips. She sighs in return. He watches her with deep wonder, his lips slightly parted in response.
“Stay with me tonight.”
Glacier tenses at his request.
Stay with him? Tonight? For the entire night? Stay here?
She flounders for something to say, her mouth gaping like a fish as she thinks of how to respond.
“I should probably go back to my room.”
His eyes show panic, “No, stay here. Please,” he begs. “You’ll be safe, I promise. Just stay…”
Fielder has never looked at her so desperately, not even when they were kids. His eyes shine with hope, his lips parted slightly.
His thumbs brush the sides of her thighs so lightly. Glacier wouldn’t think he is touching her if she couldn’t feel the warmth heating her legs.
Glacier goes to bite her lip, but his quick hand stops her, “Don’t, you’ll hurt.”
He gently touches the cut on her lip once more. Closing her eyes, she tries to think of an excuse.
Do I really want to leave?
“Please, Glace.”
Don’t call me Glace, I won’t be able to say no if you do that.
His voice saying her name sends a pleasant shiver down her spine, her back arches slightly. Glacier shakes her head, clearing her misty thoughts.
“Fielder, we—”
The door suddenly collapses open behind them, followed by a loud, angry voice.
“What the hell?”
Glacier swivels on her heels, finding Dolby standing in the doorway, his body tense with shock.
“What the hell are you doing in his room?”
She steps back, further from where Dolby stands. Fielder quickly rises to his feet, guarding her.
“Dolby, get out of my room!”
Fielder takes another step, his arm stretched out at his side, keeping Glacier safely behind him. Ignoring Fielder’s angry demand, Dolby steps further into the room, a manic look snaring his face.
“What are you doing, sneaking around with this freak?” Glacier flinches from his insult. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Get lost, Dolby!” Fielder’s eyes are dark, his scowl unnerving.
Resting her free hand against Fielder’s shoulder blade, Glacier steps to his side. Fielder’s body tightens beneath her touch, muscles taut.
“It’s OK Fielder, please. I’ll leave; it’s alright.”
Instead, Fielder gently grabs her wrist and leads her from the room. As they pass Dolby, Fielder makes sure to hold Glacier on his other side.
The moment they leave the room, Glacier’s slung arm is pulled back roughly. The tight squeezing grip on her elbow sends uncomfortable shrills down her spine.
Dolby pulls her close, his eyes burning hot liquid lava. His eyes remind Glacier of the ugly burnt orange colour that she had seen Fielder in, at the Introductions. Her breath sprints from her lungs, her eyes drawing moisture as pain itches across her wrist.
“You are going to get him into a lot of trouble, freak. You better watch yourself…”
She whines quietly when he squeezes her elbow tighter. Fielder surges forward, shoving Dolby back. He stumbles, his arms flailing, before he manages to balance himself.
“Stay away from her,” Fielder hisses.
Dolby cocks an eyebrow, his expression drawl. “I could say the same for you…”
Ignoring Dolby’s taunt, Fielder leads Glacier towards the elevator. His temper flares suddenly, causing him to drive his fist through the corridor wall. Glacier shrieks with surprise, her eyes zeroing in on his bleeding knuckles.
Fielder reaches out and presses the button. It opens immediately. They step in before he selects the forty-fifth level, Glacier’s level.
Once the doors open again, they walk down the corridor until they are close enough to her room. He waits back whilst Glacier approaches it. When the door swings open, Fielder’s hand reaches out to rest against the centre of her back. He smoothly pushes her into the room, and the door collapses behind them.
Glacier glances back, finding him rubbing his hands down his face, his knuckles bleeding slowly.
“Geez Fielder, why did you do that?” Glacier pulls him towards the bed, sitting him on the side facing the bathroom. She searches through the cabinets for a first-aid kit, finding nothing.
I don’t know how to dress a wound anyway…
Instead, Glacier retrieves her father’s healing spray, shaking it on her return to the bedroom. Fielder watches her with wide wondering eyes as he waits on the bed. Gingerly seizing his hand, she shifts to hold it in her sprained hand, his knuckles facing up.
“This may sting a little.” He says nothing in response, watching her silently.
Uncomfortable under his constant gaze, Glacier shifts her gaze to his hand, spraying the mist directly to his split skin. Fielder doesn’t groan or flinch; just sitting silently on the bed as he observes the healing of his flesh.
As the wounds close, Glacier rests the aerosol on the bedside table. She takes his hand in hers again, watching the repairing skin mend.
“What on earth is that stuff?”
She sighs. Fielder seems to predict her intentions, clasping her hand defiantly when she tries to move away. His warm flesh heats hers like a palm-size sun. But instead of burning her, it is a strong simmer.
Clearing her throat, she is caught off guard by his blatant hand holding, “Uh, my father invented it.”
He seems confused by her answer.
“If your father invented it, then why haven’t you been using it? Does it not heal particular wounds, or…—”
Glacier shakes her head, glaring down to her feet.
“No, as far as I know it’ll heal any injury that isn’t solely internal.”
Again, he seems confused, “Then why haven’t you been using it?”
Glacier is stunned by his question.
“Why didn’t you use it on your cut across your forehead? Why don’t you—?”
She shakes her head again, “It wasn’t made a public invention, yet…”
“So? Why does that matter?”
Why is he asking me so many questions?
“I can’t. With injuries that people can see, it’ll be obvious if they heal overnight. I’d be cheating. I’d be disqualified from the competition.”
Saying the words aloud had her wishing she hadn’t shown him. Wishing she hadn’t brought it with her.
How could I risk bringing it knowing Castor’s life is on the line? What is wrong with me?
After Glacier’s brief explanation, he seems to understand her reasons. His mouth opens as he prepares to speak, when a computerized voice interrupts him.
“Good evening Miss Wardgrave. My thermal sensors detect an anomaly in your room of some kind. Would you like me to contact the lobby to have this issue resolved?” PAM’s voice, her mechanic voice calm. Glacier smiles at the oddity.
There are thermal sensors in my room?
“No, that’s OK PAM.”
Glacier moves away from Fielder, dropping his hand as she retreats to the wardrobe.
“Also, Miss Wardgrave, I have been asked to inform you that tonight’s Gala has been cancelled, on account of Alue Puckett’s passing.”
Alue. That’s the pudgy girl’s name…
Glacier hurriedly grabs something to sleep in, before returning to the room.
Glacier looks to Fielder, confused. “What does that mean?”
“She was killed today…” He hangs his solemn head, reaching out to squeeze her hand.
Killed? How—
The memory of what the three High Chamber Seats had been talking about outside of her hospice room rears its head.
“What do we do? This year’s competition is already getting out of hand!”
“We do nothing.”
“Sasis, they are getting killed! This is the second contestant–”
“We just need to reiterate carefulness and safety before tomorrow’s battle…”
“I am enjoying this improved tournament. It needed more edge, more danger. It keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.”
“Speak for yourself, Hampton. That is because members from the Terra and Pyre teams are now killers! They are only kids, and they have these ideas in their heads to kill one another, like a sport!”
“Gamble killed her in the third battle.” Fielder continues.
Gamble?
Glacier lowers her head in sorrow.
Why is everyone dying? This isn’t how this competition works!
Moving to ring her hands together, she hisses as pain shudders up her arm.
Fielder stands up from the bed, alert, but Glacier quickly steps back into the bathroom before he can approach.
“I’m just going to take a shower…”
He nods his acknowledgement, watching her close the door.
Once she is safely barricaded in the bathroom, Glacier leans back against on the door, releasing a heavy sigh.
~
After showering and dressing, Glacier finds herself staring at her reflection.
The girl that stares back is tragic. Her lips is split in two different places and darkly bruised, as well as the side of her face.
Her hair surprisingly shiny white, its natural frizzy curl already forming into large fluffs.
When she leaves the bathroom, she finds Fielder siting on the other side of the bed, her Memory Wand in his hand.
Glacier suddenly worries about what he has seen.
Those are private memories.
Walking around the bed to tell him off for snooping, Glacier stills suddenly.
The hologram forms in contrasting shades of purple.
The pixelated movie of her father, younger than she can remember, holding his hands out with a smile on his face burrows into her chest, searching for something deep.
“Come on, Glacie, you can do it. Come on darlin’…”
Her father’s smile melts her heart, his eyes glistening with tears. Glacier feels her own swelling tears trailing down her cheeks as the memory of his smile digs through her chest like a vicious animal.
I miss him. I miss him so much.
With her good hand, she covers her mouth, muffling her heartbroken sobs. The image of his face moves slowly, jostling slightly, and his smile widens with pride.
“That’s it, come on!” His voice echoes around the room, lingering on her shoulders like a thick mist. The sound of childish gurgling can be heard in the background.
She recognizes the memory from when she was first learning to walk.
“That was my dad.”
Fielder turns around when he hears her voice, his face guilty from being caught. Glacier isn’t worried anymore; just sad.
She moves to sit beside him, leaning her temple against his shoulder.
Being around him transports her back the time they had been friends, when they were younger.
“Was?” he questions. Looking over to him with glistening eyes, her throat blocks with grief.
“He was… murdered… just before I came here.”
He nods his head solemnly, his eyes swimming with sympathy. They provide comfort.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Glacier shakes her head quickly, wiping her cheeks with her wet fingers.
“That was when I was learning to walk,” she mutters.
Fielder holds the Memory Wand out for her. Glacier takes it into her hands, the projection continuing to run.
“What is that thing?” he asks curiously.
She keeps her eyes glued to the stick as she answers, “It’s a Memory Wand. My father made it for me a few years after I was born. When I place it against my temple and concentrate on a moment in my life, I can store the memory on it.”
She fiddles with it between her fingers, but it doesn’t move the video still playing in front of them.
The image goes hazy for a moment before it clears to another memory.
This time, the image is of Castor. He walks closer towards the pair, the image tilting down to see the top of his head. He wraps his little arms around a pair of legs, whispering, “You’re the best ever, Glacie.”
Her breath leaves her as she remembers that moment.
“Who’s that?” Fielder asks, his voice soft as he watches her cautiously, waiting for her to finally give up fighting her grief.
“That’s Castor…” The boy in the projection looks up to them. Her stomach heaves with dread.
I can’t let anything happen to that little boy.
Glacier steps up from the bed, dropping the Memory Wand onto the covers. As it continues to play, Glacier pays no attention.
“Fielder, you need to leave.” Glacier takes a few steps away from the bed, closer to the glass window.
He seems surprised by her sudden impasse toward him. Fielder’s brows furrow with surprise, and his lips part.
“What?”
Glacier moves towards the door, but he advances. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy or anything like that. I just wanted—”
The image on the projection changes to thick white. The picture moves harshly some side to side. Their attention is drawn to the quite, almost inaudible cries from the replaying memory.
“Don’t be a chicken.” The sound of Glacier’s younger voice surprises her.
“I am not a chicken!” a boy’s voice follows. “Wait for me!”
“Come on, hurry up!” The memory moves through the white, trees bordering either side.
The snow…
Glacier gasps when she remembers that day. She knows Fielder recognizes it as well.
The two of them watch the memory unfold.
“I think I see something moving in the snow! Over there!” A finger points to the right of the projection. Anticipation eats through Glacier’s nerves. The memory continues on, climbing through the icy whiteness. Her younger self stands over a small white blur, moving sluggishly through the snow, crying out helplessly.
“Look!” The memory squats down in the ice close to the little yelper, “It looks like a baby fox…”
Glacier glances over to Fielder, finding his eyes glassy, glued to the memory. His fists are clenched tightly and his jaw is stiff.
Small hands reach out to the small animal trying to climb through the thick slush. The animal cries out as the small dainty hands rescue it from the snow. It is almost indistinguishable from the slush, with a coat of matted white fur. Glacier can only see it when it moves.
“Its fur matches your hair…” There are two different laughters that follow, before the crying animal is brought closer to the body holding it. The small animal cries out louder. Glacier remembers the thought she had contemplated in that moment, like she was thinking it the first time.
‘Maybe I'm not warm enough…’
“It’s so small…” The image moves to the boy. His light wavy curls and his straight jaw does little justice
to the real memory Glacier has of him.
“I think you should hold it, I’m only making it colder…”
The image of her arms stretching out to the young boy has her chest constricting tightly. The boy is surprised by her invitation, but holds his hands out for the pup.
The dainty hands holding the small creature move to pass it to the boy. The little fox crawls over into his warm hold.
The small animal curls around in his hands, seeking the warmth he naturally generates.
“See, it likes you better.” The boy looks up with a heart-melting smile on his face.
“I think it’s a girl… What should we name her?”
“You kept this memory?”
Glacier glances over to Fielder, the projection forgotten when she meets his searching eyes.
“Why?”
Moving to the door, it opens when her Passkey becomes within range. It collapses open, something Glacier has become accustomed to now. She steps to the side, giving Fielder room to pass.
“I don’t know why I kept it, Fielder. Please… I just want you to leave.”
The words are almost acidic on her tongue.
Upset by her request, he reluctantly does as she asks. When he is close enough, he pauses at her side. “You kept that memory because you care, Glace.”
His eyes hold hers for a moment before he strides out of the open door with his fists clenched, his shoulders tight.
Just as the door closes, Glacier hears her young voice from the memory.
“We should call her Mink.”
FOURTEEN
PANIC
The arrival at the arena is the same as the day prior. Only today there is pain in every step, turn and twist Glacier makes.
Sitting on her team bench, she is amazed at how clear the arena is – not a spec of ice in sight.
Almost as if what Glacier created yesterday never existed. She notices that Isaac isn’t waiting in his team’s box, which leads Glacier to assume that he is still in the hospice. In total, there are three people missing all from the arena: Care, Alue and Isaac.
Sensing Fielder’s heated gaze burning against her face, Glacier refuses to look up. Instead, she looks down at her palms, and fiddles with her fingers.
The Frozen Beginning (Elemental Diamond Book 1) Page 17
