Heart of Ice (The Snow Queen #1)(19)

As he trooped after her, Kai looked back and waved farewell, wilted.

Gerta’s mother sighed. “I worry about that one,” she said.

“Why?” Phile asked.

“Her husband died in the war, and she has no other relatives besides little Kai. Me and my husband try to look out for her, but she is a fragile thing… Oh, but forgive my prattle, your majesty—and my impudent offspring. I am Inga. It was my mother, Hilda, that you saved. If you have need of food, or a seamstress, please seek me out. It would be an honor to serve you.”

Rakel opened her mouth to refute the lady, but Oskar intervened. “As much as I hate to interrupt your conversation, Princess, it is unavoidable. What structures have you tested and found true?”

“If you’ll excuse me, Mistress Inga,” Rakel said.

“Of course, Princess,” Inga said, curtseying again. “Gerta, come.”

“Goodbye, Princess Rakel,” Gerta said, skipping after her mother.

“Farewell, Gerta. This way, Oskar.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

“Yes,” Phile said. “A most excellent retinue.”



“She trounced me, sir,” Bluff said, scooting his chair closer to the fire grate. “She didn’t just use my own magic against me; she swallowed it up whole. She’s real good, probably just as skilled in her powers as you are. She might even be better. She’s just as beautiful as the rumors said she was, too!” Bluff ended the sentence with the sigh of a lovesick fop.

Farrin Graydim tapped his fingers on his desktop. “How intriguing.”

“That she’s so beautiful?”

“That she’s skilled.”

Bluff adjusted the blanket in which he was swaddled so it covered his head. “Maybe her parents made her learn.”

“No. Rumors say she was locked up in an effort to smother her magic.”

“Then she must have practiced on her own.”

“But how? All the free-study in the world shouldn’t get her to that sort of skill level.” Farrin rubbed his eyes, trying to blot out the horrific practices he was subjected to. Someone must have taught her. Either that or Bluff—blinded by her considerable beauty—is overestimating her. Skill like that comes only with incredible diligence or great darkness.

“Either way, it won’t matter. Even if she’s brilliant, she won’t ever beat you,” Bluff said, sipping a hot cup of tea.

“That’s not what you said a moment ago.”

Bluff scoffed. “She might have more power and skill, but all the magic in the continent couldn’t beat you. You can hold your own against just about every one of us in the Chosen army—especially one-against-one.”

Farrin raised an eyebrow. “Your enthusiastic image of me, while flattering, is not practical,” he said dryly.

Bluff flushed and scuffed his boot on the ground. “I’m sorry, sir.”

I need to be more moderate, Farrin thought. He’s barely more than a cub and appears to be a poor judge of humor. Or maybe I’m just that frightening.

Farrin traced his scar and recalled his confrontation with the princess. She didn’t fear me, and I suspect she is every bit the idealist Bluff is. It’s a shame. If she keeps fighting us and does not flee, Tenebris will… He planted an open hand on his desk. “Next time she is seen in battle, our foremost goal is to capture her—alive.”

“Yes, sir!”





CHAPTER 6





FORGING FRIENDSHIPS


Rakel shut her eyes and tossed a snowball from her palm, throwing it in a random direction. She spun, opened her eyes, found the snowball, threw wrist-thick icicles at it—obliterating it midair—raised an ice shield to catch the remains of the snowball, and then crushed the loose snow with a second slab of ice.

She checked the tightness of her braid—it was coiled in a bun today—and studied the dusting of snow that remained of the snowball. My aim is improving, although tossing and hitting more than one snowball will be the real test.

Dawn crawled over the horizon, making the snow glow orange and scaring off the extra chill of the night. Rakel’s practice area was a fair distance from the encampment. She took pains to practice early in the morning when the villagers were too busy to wander off. She suspected that, in spite of her assurances to Oskar and Captain Halvor that she was embarking on a morning walk, Snorri or one of the other scouts shadowed her—but they had to be watching from a distance, as Rakel had purposely chosen a flat area with no outcrops or shrubs to hide behind.

She closed her eyes and, using her magic, flung a dozen snowballs in the air. She opened her eyes and shattered the snowballs with icicles, then crushed the falling snow between slabs of ice. She hit all twelve snowballs.

Rakel allowed herself a moment of satisfaction before closing her eyes and repeating the process—this time with twenty snowballs. She hit all of the targets but did not catch every flake of the falling snow. Her magic stretched and romped under her control as she flexed her fingers.

“That was pretty impressive!” Phile crowed.

Rakel jumped and made a spear of ice. When she saw who it was, she discreetly tossed the spear aside, where it cracked and shattered into tiny pieces.

“Thank you.” Rakel clasped her hands together and pressed them against her stomach. Though the Robber Maiden had done nothing suspicious, she still hadn’t earned Rakel’s trust. She was far too friendly.