Spirits of Winter: Jelsa *Sequel to Frozen Love*

Chapter 10

"Some people are worth melting for." -Disney's Frozen

Elsa

Not Anna and Not Jack's voices kept ringing in my head, even when I covered my ears and lowered my head. Then, like a block of ice, a moment of clarity hit me.

No. No. Jack Frost, the boy who'd found me in the forest a little girl, the one who'd traveled back in time to find me again, the one who'd sung me a song about edelweiss when I was afraid, loved me. That I knew for certain. And I loved him. Not because it was easy, but because it wasn't. Because he'd been the one to break through all the barriers I'd put up, using just his mischievous grin and loyal heart. Even when my freedom went too far.

I ran forward and swiped my hand through Not Jack's face, somehow knowing it wasn't solid anymore. He disappeared, but in his place were launched a frenzy of Lady P's Nightmare bats. They flapped their sharp wings and knashed their fangs. The golden eyes blinded me wherever I turned and the teeth cut my face and hands. I fought back with hundreds of blasts of ice and snow. The frost mixed with the blood on my hands and cut through the bats surrounding me so I could run blindly forward.

Now that I'd gotten past Lady Pitchiner's illusions, I needed to find Jack. After all, would we really have to destroy Lady Pitchiner to restore balance? I wasn't sure how I felt about that. There was a part of me that wanted her dead, wanted to keep her from making anyone else feel like this again. But at the same time, a part of me was hesitant to end anyone's life.

I got lost in all the ice shards and the deafening flap of wings for what seemed like a century.

Finally, I slammed into a hard vertical surface where the Nightmares would not get too close to. My hands ran over it, feeling the ragged surface and remembering it as the cliff Lady Pitchiner was atop.

Squinting through the swirling black dirt, I thought I could make out a lean figure holding a G tipped staff in the sky, flying after a much darker one on the cliff. Jack is trying to sneak up on Pitchiner. It occurred to me that I didn't know where Pitch was, but I didn't really care. Immediately, I carried myself straight up to the top of the high cliff on a frosty pillar, being as soundless as I could. Pitchiner had her back to the edge of the cliff.

Out of nowhere, Lady Pitchiner's face pulled into a grimace and her arm rose towards Jack.

"I'm growing tired of your interference, boy!" Before I had even made it to her, a giant Nightmare had shoved him against the high ceiling, sending a shudder through it. Jack's limp body fell through the air. He didn't show any sign of waking up.

I knew Jack could survive the fall--being immortal and all--but I wasn't so sure about the black Sand blade Lady Pitchiner was holding. She released the sharp point and aimed it straight at Jack's chest.

Suddenly, I wasn't aware of my surroundings. All that occupied my mind in those moments was the image of Jack, bloodied and bruised, lying motionless with a black blade in his stomach. I could always destroy Pitchiner now, while she was distracted. Jack had a chance to live. But I knew I couldn't do that. Find a balance, North had said. Those words propelled me forward, giving my legs speed I didn't know I had, until I'd pushed Lady Pitchiner aside and had leapt right off the cliff's edge.

I had always thought that things like this would feel like slow-motion.

After all, that's always how it was described in books. But this went by in incredibly quick flashes.

One moment, I was plummeting through the air blindly, the air rushing past my ears. I tried to scream, but Sand was caught in my throat.

The next moment I was reaching, grabbing at Jack's sweatshirt and wrapping myself around his unconscious body, using myself as a shield. I felt something bury itself in my back, jolting a sharp sting through me.

And the next I was lying on the ground, with my hair loose and blood covering the spot above my right hip where my ribs connected with my spine.

I rolled off of Jack onto my back, clutching my side and grimacing. The fall had knocked the breath out of me, but the blade wound hurt more. I couldn't move, or speak or do anything. I just felt panic rising inside me, which was only subdued by the thought that Jack was safe. My Jack.

Suddenly, he was there, beside me, stroking my face. And when he saw my injury, he swore under his breath. His staff was nowhere to be seen, and his face was bruised and dirty, but he appeared to be all right.

"Oh Elsa. You saved my life," he whispered breathlessly. I saw panic and tears in his eyes. Since I couldn't speak, I managed a sad smile.

Just then, I heard a feminine screech and footsteps. Then a great crash.

"Pitch, what did you do?" Jack stood and demanded of someone out of my line of vision. I managed to tilt my head back, where I saw Pitch, with slouching shoulders and pain in his eyes. Then, he was gone.

"He did it. He killed her." Jack gasped in disbelief. I wasn't focused on what he was talking about; I wasn't focused on anything.

"I love you, Jack," I closed my eyes, feeling the words deep in my gut. "I never told you." Jack's eyes widened as he stroked my tangled mass of hair.

"Don't you give up on me!" he shook his head.

Suddenly, a new pain pierced my gut. Instead of a throbbing pulsing stab, it was a white-hot burst. It spread through my body, making me grind my teeth together and sending spots across my vision.

When my eyes shot open because of it, Jack held me gently.

"Elsa, what's wrong?!"

"It's happening," I spit out. "Immortality." I didn't know how, but somehow I did. I was finally gaining an immortal life.

Somehow I'd expected it to be different.

"Jack, you can't help her!" I heard North's voice. After that, all I made out was Jack's protesting and the Guardians pushing him back. It numbly crossed my mind how they'd gotten there. Then the pain was all I knew. Finally, I felt a wave of heat spread out from my body and everything went black.