Breaking the Ice (Book 1)

Chapter Two

SLEET

Yeti dragged Sleet to class. What was the point in going? Why do royals even need to go to school, couldn't he just order someone to do his homework for him? He could learn much more geography from the Nightling who's ACTUALLY SEEN THE WORLD.

"You seem pretty interested in that Nightling." Sleet's brother, Yeti, observed. Sleet's only response was a shrug. No one had informed him that they actually had a Nightling prisoner.

Class was boring, like it always was. He let out an obnoxiously loud groan just to piss the teacher off and put his feet on his desk to add on to it. Although he wouldn't admit it outloud, he couldn't stop thinking about that Nightling. What was the name? Luna? A she? It still seemed strange. Sleet hadn't met a girl who didn't chase him around or faint when he looked their way.

"Prince Sleet," his teacher's sharp voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He sat up straight, showing that he was paying attention to whatever she said. (It was a force of habit) "Did you not hear? You have been summoned." she narrowed her icy eyes at him, flicking her tail, showing that she was annoyed.

Ah, summoned, Sleet thought grimly. He scoffed, jumping to his feet. He stomped toward the exit, feeling everyone's eyes on him.

"Pardon?" Sleet's ears twitched, unsure whether to go up or down. He shot his head up from his kneeling position. His parents, the king and queen, stared down their nose at him from their thrones like he was an undignified fly.

"We apologize for our discreteness of our...special prisoner. Prince Yetious has informed us how you, Prince Sleet, never had the chance to be involved in this matter. If you wish to regain our trust, this is your chance." Her majesty said, speaking to him formally as if he wasn't her son.

"What do you have in mind?" Sleet asked, trying to cover the skepticalness in his voice.

"For you to monitor the Nightling, see what we can get out of it."

Sleet noticed that his mother called Luna an 'it', he would usually argue that creatures that could speak wouldn't be called that, even a Nightling. But he didn't dare correct her.

"Perhaps we can finally find where the rest of them hide, those nocturnal cowards." the king hissed under his breath. From first impressions, the Nightling didn't seem to be used to company.

"I accept," Sleet replied, standing up and dragging his lazy tail out of the room.

"Don't disappoint us." the queen said menacingly behind him.