Heir to the Ice Queen (Book 1)

Ch. 14

     I turned my head to view the rest of the castle-

     Wait. I turned my own head. I can move again! I shot out of Ray's arms and almost off Raven, but Ray's quick arms caught me before that happened, steady around my waist. I can move again - What a relief that it wore off in such little time. But my muscles still felt slow and stiff, like my body was still fighting off some traces of the poison, mainly because my shoulder and thigh were still throbbing in immense pain. When I took a closer look I saw green liquid oozing out and the wounds clotting up.

     "How you feeling Princess," Zinnia said.

     "I've been better-" I froze. And not because of the poison, but because she called me 'Princess' - did they figure out who I am? Oh no, did I talk in my sleep?

     "Nova?" Ray asks. His dark eyes searching mine.

     "Yes?"

     "Are... you okay?"

     "I'm recovering from being shot at with poisoned arrows that are still oozing out of me. So please forgive me if I am not my usual self," I said with a little more bite than I meant too. Neither one of them took my tone to seriously though, I can feel the nerves in the air with each step the horses took to the castle. 

     No, they didn't know who I was and there was no time to discuss it. They'll just have to find out when the substitute king does. Which, was my main priority. I had to start thinking of a way to tell the him the story of why I'm here. And hopefully he believes me, because if he wants me dead as some kind of message to my mother, I know I won't be able to stop him. Not here, not when he's stronger.

     It sure is annoying being surrounded by people who are stronger than you. 

     The seconds mixed with minutes in the silent ride straight to the castle doors. I opened my mouth to tell them they didn't have to be there, that they could still turn back now, but Ray just looked at me with a steady face. I closed my mouth and took a deep breath. There were only two guards outside the sun glowing entry doors to stop us from going in. Everything seemed quiet, only the birds chirped. As for the other animals, they seemed to have hidden from our presence.

     "We are here to speak to the king," I announced.

     "What do three children and a dead man bound by rope want with the king," one of the guards asked.

     The knight was covered in rags and had a bag over his head, therefore they could not tell from his skin or hair that he was a winter, "That is for King Elis to find out," I replied calmly.

     They didn't let us pass, their body language told me that they weren't taking us seriously. I can tell why, four people on two horses who looked tired, dirty, and desperate. I was far from looking like a royal, right now we just looked like hungry beggars looking to get money from some scam. 

     Ray and Zinnia didn't know what to say, they kept looking back and forth between each other as if the siblings were debating who should speak. So it was left to me, it was my mission after all. I jumped out of Rays arms and landed next to Raven, but my legs were still stiff and I buckled. The guards tried holding back their laughter with coughs while Ray reached to steady me. I waved him off. My legs felt weaker once my weight was put onto them but I held strong on my own.

     I walked close to the guards, "Let us in. Our information is for King Elis and King Elis, only."

     One of them released his laugh, thinking this was some kind of joke. I guess we were the most entertaining thing that's happened to them for some time. But I was not having it. I turned quickly away from them and went to Liam on Zinnias horse and removed the hood.