In a land where power and deception reign supreme, two unlikely heroes find their fates intertwined in a battle against a malevolent force.
Kelvin, a daring thief, gets caught in a perilous mission to steal a prized horse, only to discover that his...
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I sat slouched on the old, sagging couch in the library's far corner, where the dust was thick, and the shelves were more cobweb than book. A small ball of dough passed back and forth between my hands, keeping my fingers busy while Aurora droned on about the Snow Queen—or whatever legend she was obsessing over. Her voice had that tone she got when she was really into something, all bright and eager, but to me, it just sounded like a lot of nerding out about nonsense.
I mean, who really cared about all this Snow Queen stuff? I sure didn't. I glanced over at her, half-expecting her to finish already, but she just kept going. I couldn't help it; I rolled my eyes.
I wonder when she'll get over it.
Nigel, of course, was nodding along like this was the most interesting thing he'd ever heard. Aurora caught my eye and must've noticed the expression on my face because she stopped mid-sentence and turned to him.
"Nigel, don't you think Kelvin's being cynical?" she asked, almost like she expected him to back her up.
Nigel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, if the Fire King invaded and killed your family, then there's certainly a chance that the Snow Queen exists."
I couldn't hold back a scoff. "All these stories were written by the same author. It's just a fairy tale to keep kids from wandering off. That's it."
Nigel wouldn't let it go. "Wizard Zarathos's account was taken from a different book than Kai Thornecroft's journal, and the novel you're dismissing is an entirely different piece altogether."
I sighed, shaking my head. "You know what? I shouldn't make fun of you guys! You're probably right." I couldn't resist the urge to squint at Aurora, giving her a look that was just this side of ridiculous. "Wait a second! Aurora, you're the Snow Queen!"
"What?" She looked at me, clearly flabbergasted.
"Yes!" I said, going full sarcasm. "According to your logic, the Snow Queen could exist and lives somewhere in Juvelia! The journal says she has white hair, and you have white hair, so you must be the Snow Queen!"
Aurora's face fell, and she looked genuinely hurt. "I think you're making fun of me."
"And I think your jar is a few marbles short."
"Now, now," Nigel tried to intervene, but Aurora cut him off, her eyes blazing.
"I thought you were different," she shot at me, her voice trembling with something more than just anger.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped back, a little thrown by the sudden intensity in her tone.
"I thought you actually gave a shit," she said, her words slicing through the air. "But now I think you just wanted something different. I actually care about the people here! It would be better to chase a fairy tale than to let them all die in the blizzard!"
