Flame of Frost (The Caelestian Chronicles: Book #1)

Prologue

Here are some important notes before you read Flame of Frost:

♦ The original version included a little bit of graphic injuries but THIS version does NOT. I've changed it to fit in in the PG13 rating.

♦ This book features LGBT couples. If you are uncomfortable with them, a reminder that you are not obligated to read anything you don't want to, but it'd be nice if you try to actually change your perspective.

♦ This book features mild swearing (hell, shit, etc.)

♦The prologue isn't absolutely essential. You could wish to skip to PART - I. But please read it once you finish chapter 11.

Thank you so much for choosing this book, angels.

________.~•♦•~.________

A light, cold breeze flowed, along with her long, chestnut hair. Her eyes were emerald green. The straight, white gown she wore, trailed behind her as she walked through the dry woods filled with shades of yellow and brown. Twigs and leaves crunched and snapped beneath her bare feet.

With her every footstep, the forest turned green. Grass sprouted from the soil, the yellow barks and branches of trees turned dark brown. The branches sprouted leaves and buds, at her commands.

The Lady stopped before a rose shrub. She kneeled on one knee and blew softly on one of the buds which then bloomed into a beautiful, crimson rose flower. Getting up, she jogged to the center of the forest and looked around at her achievement. Smiling brightly out of happiness, she laid down on the green grass bed, her arms wrapped around herself.

The cherry blossoms that towered above her head, showered their gifted flowers upon her in gratitude.
She got up to rest on her elbows and turned to look at the Sil, the trees' spirit, peeking at her from behind the trunk. The Sil was vaguely visible; translucent green bodice with slight curves, with flowing, long cherry blossom branches for hair and chocolate brown eyes.

"Thank you, dear one," she said to the Sil.
She knew that Sils don't interact much, but felt sad that they were now afraid to even get out of their small boundaries.

Suddenly, sounds of a pair of heavy boots crunching branches came across. The scared Sil vanished in a green, wispy smoke. The Lady was on her feet, neatly-crafted silver dagger out in a blink, just in case.

The sound's source turned out to be a soldier dressed in leaf green armor and uniform, distinguished as a Leader of a troop by the gold circlet on his head. He stopped in front of the Lady and bowed low. "They are h-here, Your Majesty," he said, with hitched breaths.

"Already?" Her eyes widened in shock.

"They attacked too early."

"Where is King Laneus?"

"He is with the front liners, trying to keep them off the Elisyan shield."

"What are his orders?"

"To evacuate the perimeter and t-to..."

"To what?"

"To keep you and the princesses safe in the palace."

The Lady sighed to herself. Did King Laneus really think she was just going to sit down like some frail women? She won't leave him alone to the goddamned lord of psychopaths to fend for himself.

"Then do what he asked. I will secure the borders of the forest. I will not leave the Sils unprotected in - "

"My apologies, Your Majesty," the soldier interrupted, one palm pressed to his chest. "But we have to save you and the princesses. Your lives are of the utmost importa - "

The Lady interrupted him in turn by putting up a hand. "I know. But I have to do this first, the Sils are endangered already. Send my message to Stella and Prince Nathan, they must be at the palace. I want to meet them immediately at Timomen's tomb, and you should accompany them there. Go."

"Yes, it will be done, Your Majesty," He said, bowing down once more and started to stride away.

"Sir Evan?" The Leader stopped at the Lady's command.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Alora needs you to be with her. If she suffers another miscarriage, she will have no hope. She will be as good as a corpse. Do not - under any circumstances - die until she has delivered. Got it?"

His eyes glittered with what the Lady thought was gratitude. "I will try my best, Your Majesty."

She gave him a last, departing smile.

Evan barked some orders at his troop's men and went away to send the message. His fourteen troop soldiers wearing the similar uniform, but without the circlet, surrounded her in a formation with their swords unsheathed in their firm grips.

The Lady threw her hand high and chanted a few words. A blue beam of light burst straight out of her hand to tower over the woods and expanded, forming a crystal clear dome all over the forest.

She opened her palm, causing the cherry blossoms on the ground, gifted by the Sil to float right above her hand. It burst into green flames and turned into golden dust.

She blew a little of the sparkling dust into the air, it swirled in front of her until it looked like a golden, horizontal hurricane.

"We have to go to Timomen's tomb," The Lady said to the troop. "Let's hurry," she breathed before jumping inside the portal.