Untamed Spirits - KOTLC - (DISCONTINUED)

Two

"I see Fitz wasn't kidding about the eyes. Most unique," Alden said, looking at Sophie, then Noreh.

Noreh pulled her white hair in front of her face, wishing she'd worn another sweatshirt. Instead, she'd decided to wear a loose black shirt and a plaid over top, along with black ripped jeans and checkered sneakers. It made her white hair already pale skin look paler.

Sophie had decided to wear a yellow and brown striped shirt for some reason. Sophie never wore anything but dull colors. Noreh had a suspicious feeling it was because of Fitz.

She kept tuning out of the conversation and watching the small, tree–like creatures pick different vegetables and things. Something clicked in her mind. Gnomes. They were gnomes.

"Pardon?" Alden asked.

She looked to see them all staring at her. "What?"

"You said those were gnomes?"

She hadn't realized she'd said it out loud. "Yeah?"

"Interesting."

"So. . . you have gnomes as servants?" Sophie asked after a while.

Alden stopped walking and looked her up and down. "The gnomes choose to live here."

Noreh zoned out after that. As long as elves didn't mistreat or have anyone or anything as slaves or servants, they'd get along fine. She subconsciously walked into the blinding castle and made it to a fancy dining room. There were velvety throne–like chairs at the enormous table. She slipped into the one next to Sophie and looked at the three councilors.

Oralie was like a fairy princess, golden blonde ringlets, aquamarine eyes, and a flowy pink dress that matched her heart shaped lips. Kenric was built like a football soldier–fiery red hair, light skin, and broad shoulders.

Bronte looked like he was a statue. Sharp features, slick hair, piercing eyes that added his stern expression and scowl, making him look like an angry grizzly bear or something.

Sophie gasped.

"What?" Bronte demanded.

"Sorry. I was surprised by your ears."

Bronte looked confused. "My ears?"

"I think she meant that they were pointy, right Sophie?" Alden jumped in.

Sophie nodded.

Noreh tuned them out as she ate. The food tasted like juicy hamburgers and chicken. Way better than any human hamburger and chicken.

"Well, do it," Bronte said, and Noreh was brought back in an instant.

Sophie glanced at Fitz.

"He gave you permission."

Sophie took a deep breath and. . . did a staring contest with Bronte. Noreh continued eating, watching them silently.

"You think you're the only one here with common sense, and you're tired of Kenric and Oralie looking at each other," Sophie blurted out.

Noreh covered her laugh with a cough as Kenric and Oralie struggled to look anywhere but at themselves and Bronte paled.

"I take it that means she's right?" Alden asked, hiding his smile with his hand.

Bronte nodded. "But how? An ancient's mind is almost impenetrable."

"The key word there is almost," Alden told him, and Noreh zoned out, not really wanting to hear the long conversation.

Well, at least she thought it would be long, but then Sophie nudged her about a minute or two later.

"Huh?"

"They'd like a demonstration of your cryokinesis," Alden told her.

"Oh. Um. . . how?"

"Turn something to ice," Alden suggested, squeezing her shoulder for support. "Take it easy."

"Just a warning, I may or may not be able to unfreeze it. I haven't tried unfreezing stuff," she said, taking off her glove.

Anything she touched turned immediately to ice as soon as she touched it, so she had to wear gloves. She reached for the cup in front of her–barely touching it–and turned it to ice.

Bronte snorted. "That's all?"

"Well what do you want?" Noreh asked. "You weren't specific."

She could feel Sophie's hand tighten on her's, begging her not to fight. But seeing Bronte's shocked expression when she took him down in one move sounded fun. But if Sophie didn't want her to, then fine. She wouldn't.

For now.

"Try shooting ice, or create a sculpture!"

Noreh repressed a sigh and an eye roll as she lifted her hand and had ice scattering, like fragmented pieces stuck in time, unable to move, then shot it at the table, which turned the table, cups, plates, food, and utensils to ice. But it was tinted black and a unique blue.

Everyone gasped, though Bronte tried not to.

"It's different colors," Kenric murmured, watching the colors dance in the ice.

"Did you know it changed colors?" Alden asked.

"Yes."

"Do you know why?"

She nodded. "It's the colors of my emotions."  

A/N: Sorry Grace isn't gonna have that many chapters in part one. When I was writing I didn't think to add her POVs until around mid-way through.

—Anne