Iron Frost - Clan of the Rim Chronicles #1

5

NIGHTMARES. ALL I HAD that night were just horrid, graphic dreams that shook me to my core.

All I mainly saw was blood. First it was with Blane, his frozen body pooling red as he was skewered with icy spikes through his chest. Then my parents, lying on the floor in their own pools of the substance from their wounds the iron knight gave--only I was the one holding the sword.

Even Jessi had met a grueling fate, and all of it. . .was my fault.

In the haze between my nightmare and consciousness I could hear myself screaming and feel my body thrashing about, but I couldn't wake up. It wasn't until I heard the voice of Calder saying my name and shaking me that I was able to come back to the real world.

"Eerika. Eerika wake up, it's just a dream. It's not real. Wake up. Eerika."

My breathing came out quick and gasping as my eyes flew open and I stared wildly at him. My body was trembling, Calder's expression worried with fright stricken in his eyes. His hand was on my cheek, the touch sending a shiver along my spine.

"Are you alright?" his voice was low, but surprisingly sincere. "You were thrashing and screaming, the cave is nearly iced over."

Seeing I was indeed laying on a sheet of my own ice I glanced around and found Calder was right. Icicles protruded down from the ceiling and some were even shot up from the ground. The stone walls of the cave were covered in a sheet of ice and frost. Flurries of snow surrounded me like a bubble, but with the realization that I was safe away from the nightmares--at least for now--they fizzled away.

I gave a nod to him and tried to slow my breathing as I sat up. "Yeah. I'm. . .I'm okay. Is it morning yet?What time is it?"

"It's just after dawn," Calder said. "We should get moving. The castle is at least four hours from here."

The more my mind focused I then noticed there was a cut spread across Calder's neck that was starting to bleed, and a large broken icicle laying next to him. My eyes widened and I slightly pulled away from his touch.

"Did. . .I do that?"

"I'm fine," Calder quickly dismissed, his cold demeanor returned as he stood from his crouched position.

I thought back to my nightmares and the same icy spikes that had killed Blane and Jessi, and even what I had done to my parents. My hands began to shake like leaves in the wind.

"I'm sorry," I croaked out, my voice feeling raw. I wasn't sure if I was directing the apology to him or to my friends and family, but it tumbled from my mouth unable to be stopped.

Calder turned back to me, his expression looking annoyed with his reply. "I said I'm fine. I'll heal. Grab your cloak. We need to go."

He then exited the cave all while leaving me both confused and still shaken. I swallowed down a lump risen in my throat and stood with my cloak to follow him.

"What about those men, the guards who were looking for me yesterday?" I reminded him. "If they really want to find me, won't they be out looking now?"

"The giants are still wandering," Calder pointed out, packing the horse's saddle bag for the journey. "No one is going to be setting foot anywhere outside until the sun fully rises and they return to sleep."

Taking the cloak from my grasp he clasped it around my shoulders and helped me mount the horse. But as we started forward there was a large rumble of the ground and trees around us, startling the steed. He rose up on his hind legs with a cry, a scream leaving my own mouth as I tried to hold on. Calder quickly sprung into action and jerked down on the reigns to correct his horse.

A shadow then cast over as another rumble echoed around, and my gaze shifted high above us. There, a frost giant nearly eighty feet in height stood, staring down at us with a booming noise.

"Calder," I warned, my heart speeding up with fear.

"Don't move," he ordered, keeping strict watch of the creature.

The frost giant stared down at me and his brows furrowed, as if examining me. For a moment I almost thought he was considering if I'd be a good breakfast meal. But to both mine and Calder's surprise, I gasped as the giant then bowed down to me.

"Damn," Calder gave a light chuckle and shake of his head. "You're not here for twenty four hours and you already have the frost giants subjected to you."

The gesture of the creature left me practically baffled. "I don't understand?"

"He knows you're the princess, Princess. He's going to let us pass, so we should be moving," Calder said, and urged the horse forward.

The giant remained bowed as we went on, and I watched behind me as his image moved further and further away.

Still feeling surprised and rather odd from something so new, a humbleness seemed to wash over me too that I couldn't explain.

"Thank you," I gave the giant my sincere gratitude, even though I knew he couldn't hear me.