Kingdom of Snow

Chapter Seventeen - Annaliese

"So who's going to go meet him?" Gray asked.

"Why ask?" Thane said with a slight bored tone. "All of us will."

"No, I mean, it will be better if only few people go. I noticed a magic barrier around him. Whoever you're up with might be really experienced."

"Yes, we already know that," Agatha said impatiently. "All right then, two will go with me."

I understand her reaction completely when we talked to Cyrus. She missed him, but she wasn't the only one. My heart was about to burst from excitement when I saw him. He was alive, but he was covered in bandages, even though he tried to hide it. His face was swollen and his arms looked like they were burned.

But... "With you?"

"Yes." Agatha had this fierce look in her eyes. "I must be the one to save him. And two will be coming with me."

"But—" I turned to Gray, but he only shrugged. I felt Thane's hand on my shoulder.

"Let her be," he whispered. "She's his betrothed."

"B-but—"

"I will go too," Gray said. "It'll be easier if I'm there."

Asher raised his hand. "Me too. I want to go."

"Asher?"

Asher suddenly looked nervous. "Well, it's just that—"

"You aren't going?" I asked Thane.

"No," he replied with the bored voice. "They'll be just meeting him, right? Besides, we're only going to quarrel and I know you wouldn't want that."

I thought Thane would want to go, but not because he just wanted to fight. Is he staying because I can't go?

"So it's decided then," Agatha declared. "I, Asher and Gray will go at midnight. I'll go and prepare then."

For a moment I felt confused. But then, I remembered that she's his fiancée and I had no right to force myself on them. Right.

My cheeks felt wet.

Thane patted me on the back and left with Gray and Asher. Leah was looking at me sympathetically. She then sat beside me and held my hands.

"Anna, I'm sorry," she whispered.

"No, don't be," I told her as I wiped my tears. "She's engaged to him, so she'd be the first one he would want to see. I'm just being stupid as usual."

"Annaliese..."

"I'm okay. After we get him, we need to get the treasure as fast as possible."

She nodded. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm kinda tired, so I'm gonna find a room to crash. Wake me up later."

"Okay."

Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Without looking back at her, I spotted a bed in one of the house's four rooms and threw myself on it.

Are you all right?

No, I'm not.

"We can't really come with you?"

Agatha, Asher and Gray were ready to go.

"No, you'll have to wait here. Let's go, Gray."

As soon as they left, I brought out Cyrus's blade he gave me. But as I was studying it, it slipped out of my hand and fell to the floor.