Queen of Summer's Ice (Book 2)

Chapter 20

     I rush down the stairs and out of the summer castle as fast as I can with everyone right on my heels. During the rush Palma is right behind me, updating me on how everything went horribly wrong while Nazim and I were gone. She summarized her time in Spring. Everything was dull, and felt that people were keeping secrets, and found out to late about the information Slator was giving up. Actually, Yana's the one who found the letters from my father in spring and told Palma about them right away. From there, Yana developed a plan on how to get Palma out of Spring without anyone noticing.

     It worked, and together they rushed into winter to warn Ray. As soon as the two got to the castle, they started gathering the knights for battle and without hesitation grabbed the kids and started riding to the summer boarder. It was actually Ray who commanded them to be sent here, to summer. Knowing what Slator just created, he said it was safer for them to be hidden with Zinnia until I came back.

     And even though I wasn't by my husband's side, it was the exact same thing I would have done myself if I was in his position.

     Elis chimed in after, telling me about his part. He looked uneasy, which was out of his character. I could tell that this was hard for him, but he did what was right - unlike his brother. Elis heard about our ship crashing and refused to believe that we were dead. He had sent a search party within the fortnight for us, but my father was the one who forced them all to come back. He banned any ships from sailing, saying it was for their safety, but we all know that was a damn lie.

     So Elis planned to go in secret, he was ready to head off to the docks, when he read the letter first about spring attacking winter. And instead he took off to the winter boarder, to fight alongside my husband and the rest of the winter citizens, yet he found Yana and Palma there holding his niece and nephew first and decided to get them to Zinnia's. Knowing it's what I would have wanted. After the kids were in safe hands, Yana rode back into winter, so she to could fight to keep her season safe.

     We made it outside and already we were rushing to get horses for Nazim and Palma. Elis went to get his but I stopped him.

     "No. Elis I need you here in summer."

     "I'm your uncle. You don't get to tell me what to do." My father told me something similar moments before, yet when it came out of Elis' mouth, I could here the care, and lightness of it.

     "I know. But you won't have your powers in winter," I swallowed, "and I need you here to keep an eye on my father."

     He didn't completely still, but he looked unsure. He knew what I meant without having to word it out loud. Elis thought about it for a few seconds, and then nodded his head in agreement as he handed me the rein for the horse.

     "We won't be needing those," Alagan said. His voice was gentle, and he seemed a little nervous when he looked at Elis. It was odd to see this powerful and confident man in almost a gentle way, like if he respected Elis - yet he's never met him before.

     And before anyone questioned why we wouldn't be needing horses, two large and crystalized ice horses formed right behind me, making it seem as if I was the one who created them. But Nazim, Alagan and I were the only ones who new the truth - for now.

     "Ice horses!" Ivory squeals right in my ear, "Can I touch it?"

     I kiss both my children on their cheeks and set them down, instantly they forgot about all their troubles and their innocence overwhelmed them with the beauty of an ice creature.

     "Nice trick," Elis said.

     "Thank you," I replied, yet I looked at Alagan when I did.