Neena asks her a seemingly endless list of questions, from, ‘When did you check out?’ to ‘Are you OK being here?’
Glacier answers every question with either a yes or no, never speaking louder than a murmur. The heavy stares that rest on her itch at her skin.
They loudly wonder why she isn’t in the hospice.
I can’t give the Chancellor any reason to hurt Castor…
Ever since Fielder left her room last night, Glacier has been drumming into her head the real reason she is competing.
I won’t let anything happen to Castor. Nothing and no one will distract me from winning.
From Keena, who for the first time intentionally spoke to her, Glacier had been run through the other two battles following hers. The second battle yesterday had been between Aleena and Brogan, the guy with the red Mohawk. Aleena had won after all of the ice had been melted and Isaac carted away to the hospice.
Glacier had noticed a few burns across Aleena’s arms earlier. When the blonde had noticed her stare, Glacier quickly averted her gaze.
The third was Alue and Gamble’s battle, in which Keena described how repugnant and violent her death had been. She has explained the motions, as Gamble threw a large rock against her body, flattening her like a piece of paper.
The rock had squeezed her insides like a grape, until she ‘exploded’.
From the detailed description, Glacier had to race around the side of the building, before vomiting her small breakfast against the grimy bricks.
The image that will forever drift through her brain of the girl’s body popping like a balloon of guts and blood had been horrifyingly gruesome.
Glacier looks up just as Branch’s name illuminates on the glass, leaving only Neena’s name un-faded. Branch approaches the arena with Tanner. The escort has noticeably kept his distance from her this morning.
“Battling against Mr Disk, our second contender, Terra team’s Alidia Temp.”
The girl with a permanent scowl on her face enters the ring. Her raven hair is tight against her scalp, pulling her skin back in a menacingly manner.
The two shake hands before retreating back to the skirting’s, removing their jackets as they do.
Once the escorts have returned to the safety of the box, it is only a few seconds before the loud horn booms.
The battle is quick. No new moves from what the audience has already seen.
Despite Alidia’s aggressive moves and powerful challenges, her stamina flaws her.
With one long swoop of his arm, Branch sends a large tsunami of water in her direction. With sweat already beading on her forehead, Alidia’s exhaustion is apparent.
Time seems too short as the wave swallows her body before spitting her out at the Pyre team’s box.
She lies still, breathing in large pants.
Once the countdown ends and Alidia still hasn’t made any indication to retaliate, Branch is proclaimed the winner of the battle.
Thrusting his arms into the air, he roars a triumphant battle cry.
With his victory, The Hydra team sit one win ahead of the Terra and Pyre teams.
Realizing that her battle is next, Neena stands and heads for the ring. Glacier’s heart pumps with nerves, and her bones shake.
There are only two selections left from the Pyre team that are left to battle. Pae Hutton, the small timid girl.
And Fielder.
The decision is quickly made. The elemental that rises from their seat stirs a pleasant shift in Glacier’s chest, the worry lifting like fog.
Pae scuttles out into ring, meeting Neena with a shy handshake. Her bottom lip worries between her teeth. Glacier can sense the worry that Neena is carrying, but the twin doesn’t show it. Absorbing some of her sister’s natural confidence, Neena holds herself courageously.
While the escorts retreat back to the box, Glacier bites her lower lip with overwhelming nerves.
They are both so small – so innocent.
The loud horn blasts, but neither girl moves. They both stand still, sussing as they wait for the other to make the first move.
A loud bang sounds from across the arena. Dolby stands with his fist resting against the display glass, a frustrated glower setting his features. After saying something that Glacier could not hear, his team’s escort jumps over and pulls him back from the glass harshly.
There is a brief reprimanding, paired with a menacing glare that Dolby receives, so cold that Glacier is positive it could freeze ice far better than she could.
Guess it’s a pretty serious offence to interfere with a battle, then.
Whilst everyone had been interested in the scolding that Dolby was receiving, Neena had attacked.
Sending a fast jet of water in Pae direction, Neena moves in. Advancing on the poor girl. Glacier can almost hear Neena’s thoughts:
It’s just a competition. I have to win. I don’t want to hurt her.
Glacier’s fingers tangle between each other as she continues to follow the battle.
Pae recovers quickly, surrounding Neena with a ring of fire. Predicting this standard move, Neena douses the flames before encompassing Pae in a large pocket of water.
That’s a new move.
Pae, now completely submerged in the slopping liquid, forgets all defence methods, and instead swim through the fighting water. As long seconds pass, Glacier knows that Pae’s eyes are red and her throat is on fire. Her blood pumping loudly through her ears. Lungs threatening to explode.
Familiar feelings for an outcast like Glacier Wardgrave.
++
“Hey guys, look! It’s the freak who can't even move water!”
“I bet she’s human! She probably snuck in here because out there is the dumb wasteland!”
Boys of Glacier’s age call from behind her. She tries to escape them.
“Wait, where are you going? Don’t you want to play with us, freak?”
“Yeah, don’t you want to play with us?” Glacier knew they didn’t want to play. They only wanted to hurt her.
To Glacier, it is wrong for anyone – especially children – to think it’s OK to torture someone because they are different.
Glacier runs around the corner, trying to make it to the shortcut that leads to her house. She runs past the lake, the sound of following footsteps running behind her has her heart lodged in her throat like a large ball of fear.
++
Neena seems unsure whether to release Pae from her entrapment, her eyebrows furrowed with indecision. Glacier knows it is taking a lot of concentration to hold her in such a large belt of sloshing water.
Neena and Keena seem to be inventive with their element.
The memory continues to flow like a river.
++
Tackled to the ground, Glacier is dragged backwards by hands wrapped around either ankle. Kicking and screaming, she begs for them to let her go. Her cries fall on uncaring ears, as only more hands come over to help drag her back.
Once Glacier is close enough to the lake, they drop her legs. Her calf lands on a jagged rock, penetrating her skin like a knife. Glacier cries out in pain before trying to scramble away, but her arms are quickly pinned.
There are three of them. One girl and two boys. She remembers their names. Rider, Garland and Aleena. Aleena holds her left arm down, and Garland holds her right.
“Crap, her skin is cold!”
Rider shrugs at Garland’s complaint. He stands menacingly above her, like an evil entity sent to inflict the worst of pains.
“Let’s have some fun in the water, yeah?”
++
Glacier watches on as Pae tries to move her hand through the water, but the thick currents prevent her from doing so. One hand clutches her throat as she struggles to breathe, her struggles becoming more apparent.
Neena let her go; she’s dying!
++
“No Rider, please, I can't swim!”
The three of th
em share a disturbing look, “Who said anything about making you swim?”
Rider’s hand rises from his side, his fingers spread out over the lake as he summons. He doesn’t have a strong hold over the slopping water because of his adolescence, but he does it well enough.
A globe of splashing water floats towards the small group. Glacier bones shake beneath her skin. She twists and turns to try and rid herself off their strong grips. They only hold tighter, the two elementals easily overpowering her smaller form.
Rider’s sickly amused smile sends disturbing shivers through her spine. Then suddenly, the globe has engulfed her head like a splashing mask.
The immediate urge to breathe causes her to suck in a lungful of water.
The water burns in her lungs, her eyes itch and ache with pain. Glacier’s mouth gapes like a fish as she tries to refrain from breathing, but it becomes increasingly difficult as time passes without oxygen.
Her nails are buried in the dirt beneath her, her skin burning hot with the notion of her approaching death.
This is how I am going to die? Surrounded by people who hate me?
Glacier closes her eyes as she waits for the pain to subside with her passing. Instead, the water flushes from her face like she emerged from the depths of the lake itself. The hands once holding her down are gone. Glacier coughs and cries and splutters up water and bile, struggling to breathe past what she barks up.
“Get away, you rotten brats!”
Glacier doesn’t recognize the voice, but she knows that the voice is aged. Tears burn her eyelids, and her insides feel roasted, charred. Her cries are croaky and hoarse, ripping through her blistered throat like sandpaper.
Glacier feels thick, calloused fingers touch her forehead. She flinches away, a croaky shout of fright leaving her lips. “It’s ok, love. You’re safe now.”
She gently pries her eyelids apart.
She meets a man looking roughly the same age as her father, with long wispy hair and kind, worried blue eyes.
Glacier forever remembered that day that Fern Pace saved her life.
++
Glacier’s eyes swamp with tears, her throat constricting as the memory settles in her chest. That had been marked the most terrifying day of her life. Now she has a few more to add to the list.
“Neena!”
The Hydra team all turn and gape at Glacier, her outburst surprising them.
Neena releases her from the splashing block of water, the liquid flowing across the ring like the aftermath of a small tsunami.
The water puddles around the floor, before creeping back to the small moat around the ring. Pae lies sprawled on the ground, trying desperately to catch her breath.
From Neena’s uncomfortable expression, her guilt is obvious.
“The winner is Neena Crates from the Hydra team!”
Despite her guilt, Neena smiles shortly before walking back into their box. Keena, Tric and Branch congratulate her. Aleena says nothing, only showing a smug smile as she catches Glacier eye.
Glacier can see what the brunette is thinking without her saying a word. She knows she remembers the same day Glacier does.
Neena turns to Glacier, waiting for a congratulations, but a sudden grip of fear overwhelms her.
What if she tries to drown me as well?
Glacier shifts back a bit, before giving her an unconvincing thumb up. Neena’s face falls slightly, but she says nothing as she takes her seat beside Glacier’s stiff form.
Looking back to the glass where the team names are displayed, all the names are now faded. A surprising thought rings through Glacier’s mind like a bell.
Fielder is in the final battle.
Looking over to him as he stands, Fielder’s face is impassive. He does look in her direction. Walking closer to the ring, his eyes on the Terra team’s box, he awaits his opponent. Looking over the Terra team, Glacier can’t remember who hasn’t had their battle—
“Our second contender is…Porter Kayt.”
Of course. How did I forget that guy?
Porter stands with his head held high, a large smile on his face as he approaches the ring where Fielder is waiting, flanked by his escort. Porter starts to strip his jacket as he waltzes into the ring, a conceited smirk lighting his face. Glacier tries to send Fielder her thoughts, despite knowing that he cannot hear them.
Please beat him, Fielder. Wipe that arrogant smirk of his dumb face.
Fielder also takes off his jacket, revealing his toned arms. He tenses his biceps, making his prominent veins visible.
Focusing on Fielder’s posture, Glacier notices how stiff, how alert he is compared to Porter. Porter on the other hand doesn’t seem fazed in the slightest. Glacier’s hands start to sweat at his look of complete ease.
When the horn sounds, they both tense, but neither attack. They start to slowly circle each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move.
They continue to circle each other, when Porter speaks, “Afraid you won’t hit me, Pyre? Scared you’ll embarrass yourself?” He taunts him, his tone playful but his words troublesome.
Fielder seems unfazed by his cheap words. Instead, he smiles a cunning fox-like smile.
“I’m not the one with the girl’s name, Kayt.” The bite back was just as pathetic, but that is all he needed to say for Porter’s façade to shatter.
His face screws up in an awful sneer, and he releases an angry shout.
Porter raises a large boulder from the ground, causing the floor to shake slightly. It is something Glacier hadn’t noticed until this moment, now that the slightest movement causes momentary pain. Her hands are slippery as her nerves get the better of her.
Please don’t hurt him, Porter.
Porter launches the boulder in Fielder’s direction, exhorting a heavy grunt as he does so. Fielder neatly dodges out of the way, before flicking his hand across his body, shooting a spit of flame onto Porter’s clothes.
The boy freaks at the sight of the flame growing on his trouser leg, and he quickly drops to the ground and rolls to put it out.
At the same time, Fielder has called a ball of flickering fire to his palm, and advances on Porter with a menacing glare. Fielder throws the fire, creating a ring surrounding Porter. Porter jumps to his feet, a furious snarl on his face.
Glacier’s bottom lip hurts as she worries it, the cut breaking open and bleeding down her chin. Glacier can’t find any reason to care, as she watches the intense battle with fright. Porter raises the earth around him where the circle of flame is, creating a cylinder of earth effectively cutting our view of him. Fielder seems anxious for Porter’s next move, trying hard not to show it.
A large boulder of solid dirt is thrown from the wall of the barrier, creating a small window in the large tower. Fielder doesn’t leap out of the way fast enough, and is thrown back to the skirting of the ring. He rolls a few times before landing on his back with a pained frown on his face. The top of his head is bleeding heavily, causing Glacier’s heart to stop.
No… Not him… Please don’t kill him…
“Someone get out there; he needs a medic!”
Glacier doesn’t realize it is her voice yelling out until she feels the delayed sense of pain bloom across her body from moving towards the door of the box.
“Someone—” Tanner steps in front of her suddenly, an angry glare contorting his face.
“Sit back down, Miss Wardgrave,” his voice deathly.
“No! He needs—” Tanner grabs her arm, ignoring the small whine she makes when he shakes her sprained wrist. “Sit back down now.” Glacier flinches back from his menacing glower, before steeling her back with courage.
“No! Porter will kill him!”
“This is not…your…battle!” Glacier shoves her way past him regardless, receiving angry and confused calls from her team.
I can't let him die. Not him…
When Glacier looks up to the arena, she finds
Fielder standing above Porter with a ring of fire surrounding the both of them. Holding two fireballs now, one in each hand, Fielder’s face is contorted with rage. Porter hands his hands above him, his eyes wide in fear.
He’s trapped.
With his back solid against the ground, the countdown begins.
Fielder’s head is still bleeding, the blood trickling down his jaw, dripping into the fire and creating a near silent sizzle.
Finally the counter reaches zero, and the horn reverberates through the arena, marking the end of the Seeding battles.
“Finally, the winner of the last match for this year’s Seeding battles is Fielder Vinson from the Pyre team.”
FIFTEEN
MINK’S SONG
Tonight's dress is similar to the one Glacier wore for the first gala.
The sleek blue satin sits with thin straps crisscrossing over her back like lace. The gold flecks of glitter amongst the satin further enhances the elegance, complimenting her pale skin tone.
Like the others, the dress had been too long for her short figure, so Wendelin had to adjust it to her length as quickly as she could. Glacier’s skin is as flawless as the first time, thanks to Geri. This time with soft colours of grey and silky blue shadowing her eyes, the lipstick she paired with it is a soft nude, slightly sticky on Glacier’s lips. Glacier’s hair is up in a voluminous ponytail tamed into soft, defined curls.
Before she steps out of the Hover and onto the carpet, Glacier’s promises Lien that she will look for him and his wife inside so she can be properly introduced.
Glacier had apparently been walking the carpet too slowly because Brink caught up within a minute. His warm hand guides her into the ballroom, but he doesn’t say a word.
Despite her desire to do so, Glacier can’t seem shake the warm feeling his hand provides against her dress, like a scorching sun dulled by a cool breeze. It is infuriating to her how she has come to hunger the warmth he and Fielder have already accustomed her to.
He killed Care – he’s the reason she’s dead. Stop fawning over his warmth.
Just before they enter the doors, Glacier turns on him, fury clenching her fists tightly.
The Frozen Beginning (Elemental Diamond Book 1) Page 18
