The Mountains Blade

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Seven- Fire and Ice

Elwyn was not sure what to say to Evander when she saw him the next morning. She had awoken and found their shared quarters to be empty. Elwyn had pulled on a midnight blue dress, with leggings underneath to keep the cold at bay. She laced up some thick boots and decided that instead of sitting and weeping, she would explore this devilish place. 

Evander was sitting in his study, a maid pouring him a fresh cup of coffee. His eyes were dark, circles gracing his ever so perfect face. Elwyn smiled at the maid as she walked by but the woman ignored her. She frowned at the gesture but waited at the door for Evander to address her. 

When he didn't her manners left. 

"No hello?" She asked, walking forward to the desk. 

Evander said nothing, fingering through his pile of paperwork. 

"Hello, mate." He said nonchalantly after a dramatic pause. 

Elwyn felt tingles travel over her body at the mention of that. Her frown deepened. She did not have time for silly things like love.

"I need to leave and go back to my own kingdom." 

This made Evander look up at her. He set down the file he had in hand, eyes scanning over her.  "You can't, it's not safe." 
Elwyn felt her blood boil in annoyance, the air chiling. 

The kings gaze drifted to her wrist. "I see that you need a better enchantment. I will contact someone to prepare a stronger leash."

Elwyn balked at him, fury filling her. 

"Leash? I am not a pet." She snarled. 

Evander stood up from his chair, teeth glinting at his silent anger. "You are my mate and yes, leash. It will hold back your powers." 

Elwyns fist clenched at her side. "I don't have to listen to you." 

"Sure, but then how will you ever get home?"

Elwyn scoffed, rolling her eyes. 

"I can find my way, your highness." She mocked. 

Evander clenched the sides of the desk, nails digging into the oak. 

He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath through his nostrils. 

"Elwyn, I am fighting my beast right now. Do not test me, please." The last part of his sentence was begged and had the warrior pausing her pursuit. 

"My sister needs me." Elwyn snapped. Cold ice snapped at the edges of her dress. 

Evander looked at the ice forming and walked slowly around his desk to stand before her. "You can't go back and be a warrior if you can't control your powers. It is too dangerous for you to find your way home alone."

"I don't need your help." Elwyn growled, icicles beginning to form at  her clenched knuckles. 

Evander gingerly took her frozen hands in his warm ones. Elwyn couldn't understand why she had let him do that. She barely let her family touch her. She was not one for affection. 

Evander ran a hand over her ice covered knuckles, the ice melting and chipping from her skin. 

Elwyn watched with amazement and Evander let out an awe inspired breath. 

"This is the mate bond. It's calling to you. It calms you. You need to control your powers, Elwyn. You cannot protect anyone if you cannot do that."

Elwyn ran her tongue over her teeth, a pit forming in her stomach. 

"I can." She said with enough uncertainty that even she didn't look convinced by her own words. 

"Stay, learn how to harness your powers and then I will take you home myself."

Elwyn looked up at Evander with shock. 

"Why would you do that?" She asked skeptically, her face broadcasting her distrusting feelings. 

"You are my mate.  It will give me a chance to prove what this union can offer you. What I can offer you. And it will ensure that you are safe and able to protect yourself."

Elwyn chewed on her lips nervously. "I won't stay. I only want to control this and help Avelina." 

"Then there is no harm in staying." Evander said, a small smile gracing his face. 

"I cannot go back on my word. It is part of being a mate. The only way that I can betray my word is if you tell me too." 

Elwyn licked her lips and pulled her now warm hands away. 

" I will allow only a few days." 

Evander shook his head. "Two months."

Elwyns eyes widened. "You can't be serious." 

"Aldric has escaped, if he is found any sooner than that. I will consider shortening it. But, I will not have my mate go home, untrained, with no protection and be murdered by my vengeful brother." Evander said sharply, walking back to his desk and flipping through the pages once more.

Elwyn stood there flabbergasted at the dark king. "He escaped."Her voice was quiet as she struggled to find the air to breathe. 

"How?" She said her throat scratching at her vocal chords. "Someone on the inside helped him. He was warned that Dane was coming for him." 

Elwyn felt icy tendrils of fright crawl over her again, the bracelet shattered into pieces and fear spiraled around her. 

She had no idea how big and engulfing her powers were and now her only anchor had snapped. 

Elwyns eyes flew to Evanders but he was nowhere to be found. The air in her throat burned as her emotional fear tackled her. The office was soon, covered in ice and tinkling sounds of the cold. Of course, he would leave when she lost control. 

Warm arms embraced her from behind. Elwyn turned to see Marlowe. She smiled at her sadly as Elwyn turned. The warrior felt a slight sadness at the lack of the king's presence. 

"What are you doing here?" She asked, ice crawled up her dress and paused at Marlowes. 

"It's going to be okay." Marlowe cooed ignoring her question. 

Elwyn furrowed her eyebrows, confusion coating her senses. The air began to pick up and Elwyn took a step back. 

"What are you doing here?" She snarled. Marlowe was her friend but how could she be sure? She was related to Aldric. 

"I'm sorry." She said, her eyes darting behind Elwyn. 

The warrior turned her attention to behind her. It was just in time for Evander to be seen. He looked at her sorrowfully, his hand resting on her throat, a sharp pain piercing her neck as he moved his hand away. 

Elwyn looked in time to see an empty syringe fall to the ground. It was swallowed in Ice and the betrayal that she felt, caused fire to erupt across it, singeing the ends of her dress. 

Elwyn gasped, expecting to be drowned in her own flames. Evander pulled her against his chest and she felt the flames die as her eyes closed. She was swallowed in bitter cold and blistering heat as she sunk into a deep sleep. Fear the last thing she remembered.