The Ice Princess

Chapter 17

Devora and Marie-Hale stood in front of the door, both looking calm and collected as ever.

"I see you've found out the secrets of Araisa, hmm?" Marie-Hale shot a sly grin at me.

"'I see you've found out'-oh shut up, Marie-Hale. You and Devora are planning to poison the rulers of other kingdoms!"

They didn't bat an eyelash. Alex, Carter, and Anthony herded Cora and Olivia to the back of the room.

"Ah, yes," Devora said. "Too bad you can't tell anyone, yes?"

So they didn't know we had already warned the kingdoms.

I signaled for the others to shut up. Don't give the fact that they're already warned away.

But, hold on. Why are the guards outside dressed for battle?

I asked Marie-Hale this.

"They weren't dressed for battle, princess. They were guarding the palace from you. Didn't do the one thing they were supposed to, though. Idiots."

Devora grinned. "Since you two aren't getting married soon, I presume, let's just arrange a banquet where every single king and queen in the land of Araisa is invited, yes?"

Marie-Hale was enthusiastic at their Plan B.

"And you're going to poison them?" Cora gasped.

The two women nodded and Devora muttered something under her breath.

"Now, it's getting dark. We'd better have it tonight..."

"Oh," Devora added as they slipped out of the golden room. "I just finished putting a spell on this room. Your magic isn't applicable unless you're out. Oh, but you need magic to get out, right?" They laughed maniacally as the door shut behind them.

"Now what?" Olivia said.

"Now," I replied. "I'm going to ask Alex and Carter how they warned the kingdoms so quickly. You two spanned the land of Araisa in less than twelve hours!"

Alex and Carter grinned at each other and said, "Giant falcons."

"You flew falcons?! That is so cool!" Olivia exclaimed.

They flew giant falcons. Falcons are known to be extremely fast and agile. Riding them would be a blur. Literally.

I wasn't even fazed anymore at the prospect of them riding humongous birds. That's just another leaf on the ridiculous salad of my life.

*

It's now nighttime. I could hear the cooking and cleaning and preparations for the banquet. I smiled at the thought of the banquet failing.

"It's so frustrating how Opah, Resme, and Brial don't believe a word of what we said!" Carter exclaimed.

"Let them get poisoned, then," Anthony remarked bitterly.

Olivia and Cora were trying desperately to summon their powers, but failed. Alex had tried to climb up towards the single, tiny window in the Golden Room.

"You won't fit in there," I said at one point. "Heck, Olivia wouldn't fit in there."

Some time passed by.

"Hang on," I bolted upright. "Do you hear that?"

It was the sound of marching, horns being blown, and swords clanking.

I asked for Carter and Anthony to link their hands so I could take a look outside. It gave me a full view of Callia, up to its borders. And right now, coming from five different directions, were soldiers. Hundreds of them.

I saw guards rushing outside the castle, then running back inside to warn Marie-Hale. I told the rest about what I saw.

"We need to get out of here," I scanned the room.

"Hey!" Cora suddenly exclaimed. "If we used our powers outside the window, we're technically not inside the room."

"...you're a genius!" I exclaimed. "Olivia, okay guys, lift her up. Olivia, I want you to melt the wall, just enough for us to fit through."

Olivia thrust her hand out the window, and I prayed Cora was right. We let out cries of joy as the window's bottom melted, making it door-sized. I spotted the armies getting closer.

"Now, Cora," I turned to her once Olivia was finished. "We need a vine to climb down from."

She made a long vine, strong as rope, and tied it to the end of the golden table.

"Anthony and Olivia, go first. Help her down, Ant." I ordered.

"Alex, go. Cora, follow." It was my turn. We climbed down the palace wall and landed safely on the ground.

"We have to get the town up. Alex and Anthony, wake the citizens up. Explain what's happening. Carter, go into the basement. That's where the Callian soldiers are. Cora, Olivia, the three of us have to stay together."

Carter, Alex, and Anthony ran off.

"Let's put spring back now," I rushed.

We summoned our Marks.

Olivia, a ring of fire. "Virtutem de ignis!"

Cora, a tree sapling. "Virtutem de la terra!"

Me, an ice crown. "Virtus de glacie!"

We put our palms together. A burst of light shot out, so bright that we had to cover our eyes. When we opened them, our smiles dropped. It was still winter.

"What?!" Cora cried.

I looked around, trying to figure out why it didn't work. When my eyes landed on the full moon, on a bed of stars, I understood.

"Spring won't come," I realized, fear in my voice. "Unless the sun has risen. It's the rule of nature."

"Oh no," Olivia's eyes went wide.

"That means...the war has to commence," I looked into the distance. "Until the dawn arrives."

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I apologize for my absence and for the short, fillerish chapter. The story's slowly winding down. Two more chapters and an epilogue!

xx