On Thin Ice (Prequel to Guild)

Chapter Eighteen: Empty Wick and Dying Flame

             Weeks passed, and frost crusted every surface. Wind blew in from the gardens, moaning like Sünsnii Bulan as if these empty halls weren't already cold enough.

As if Yuina Mongonai wasn't sad enough already. Sad and lonely.

Lonely although her maids brought her painted shells to match, new dresses and hair ornaments to admire. Lonely despite the floods of well-born girls who presented themselves to her, hoping to be chosen as a companion to the future Lady Kimsura.

Nausea threatened to capsize her every time someone mentioned that.  Spoke of a wedding that would inevitably happen. A union only in name. Cold and distant and-

Cracking, cracking...

They hadn't spoken in ages. Not since the night he'd caught her in Khutulun's pendant and betrayal had burned cold in his eyes. Since he'd begged her, pleaded with her to prove he could trust her. To give up the names of her accomplices. To give up the name of her cousin.

She'd told him no.

And now, she paid the price.

Since that spirits-scorned night, the biting wind pierced her soul every time she passed him in the hall. Every time he refused to look at her. Every time the heart in her chest woke her in the night, urging her out to the gardens for molniya practice that would never happen again.

For Khasan, that was the price she would pay.

But at least he hadn't sent anyone to question her.

At least her secrets remained her own.

It hurt, gods and spirits it hurt but-

Hands touched her arms, tried to turn her off her side. Flip her out of bed like an egg. "Nuân..." she groaned, knowing that no other servant would dare to touch her.

"You need to get up, My Lady."

"I don't have lessons today."

"That doesn't mean you can just lie around!"

"I'm a princess," she said, sitting up just a bit, "you can't tell me what to do!" Sheer curtains slipped between her fingers. Her nails almost went all the way through. Yuina moved to yank them shut, but Nuân got in the way.

"And a sad one!" Yuina rolled away. The dresser rushed to her other side, back again with the princess's next flip. "Please, My Lady. Go outside. Talk to your friends-"

"What friends."

A loud, audible sigh. The other maids found themselves suddenly too immersed in their duties to take sides. Yuina felt their eyes on them both as Nuân frowned and perched herself at the foot of the bed. "I'm sure the empress would-"

No.

Yuina buried her face in the pillow, shook her head. Jia, with her predatory senses would know something was wrong. Claws at her throat, she'd make her talk. And she'd punish whoever was responsible. Visiting Jia would be a terrible, terrible idea.

She'd turn this deep freeze into a blizzard.

"Her Majesty is not taking visitors at the moment."

Yuina turned to look at the voice at the door: a messenger. His tone was grave, his eyes dark. He offered the lady of the room a deep bow, then asked her into the hall so he might speak with her alone.

Cool air became frigid. Unbreathable.

Nuân Lâm tensed. Yuina's bones stiffened and turned to dust.