Red Snow (The Shadows bk.3)

Epilogue

More than ever before, no one dared disturb the Queen. She would spend hours every day in a room no one was allowed to enter. Not even the maids were allowed to, even to clean it.

The snow continued to fall and the wind continued to howl. Sairene felt none of it, not the freezing cold nor sharpness of the wind. For her the world had gone silent, devoid of any sound.

She was no stranger to grief, she had, after all, lost her parents at a young age. Then she had felt alone, especially when her father died. Now she felt as though someone had torn out her heart and expected her to survive without it.

The moment of his death ran loops in her mind and haunted her dreams. Her people believed her to be void of feeling and emotion and they would never know how much she cried every day, wishing things could be different. No one saw her struggle for breath, no one heard her strangled pain-filled screams.

Tormented by what she could have done to save him, Sairene was often kept awake at night.

It was nights like those that drove her to that room. The room that only she was allowed to enter. She spent more time there than anywhere else in the palace. It was the only room in the entire palace to have candles and flowers, these flowers had been enchanted by the Queen so they would never wilt.

One particular night, after numerous attempts to fall asleep, Sairene gave up. Throwing the covers aside, she slid from the bed and slipped from the room.

She did not have to think about where she was going. Her feet knew the way. Arriving at the 'secret' chamber, she gently pushed the door open and stepped in, closing the door behind her. Candles gave off warm glows and reflected in her hair as she made her way to the center of the room. The candle-light reflected off the smooth surface of the crystal coffin before her. Her smile was sad as she looked down at his forever still form. Reaching out, she placed a gentle hand on the cold clear surface. "I have finally found a solution," her voice was barely above a whisper. "I am going to try and bring you back, even if it is the last thing I do." Bending forward, she placed a gentle kiss on the smooth crystal above his lips. Straightening up, she took a deep breath and sent one last smile his way, "That is a promise and I always keep my promises."