Reign of Ice (Forever Fae #4)(5)

Elvena began, “To defeat the dark sorcerer we need the blood of the Four … the bonded blood of the Four. Which means Ariella will need to be bonded to Brayden for this to work.”

Squeezing my eyes shut, I inwardly groaned and then glanced at Brayden, who stood motionless by his father, King Madoc. I glared at him, waiting on him to look at me, but nothing … it was always nothing with him. You have got to be kidding me. Why won’t he acknowledge me? All I knew was that my heart was racing and I wanted to scream. I wanted to punch Brayden in the face so hard and see what he’d do. Would he just stand there and take it or would he actually say something? Maybe I should try.

Sorcha squeezed my hand and leaned over to whisper in my ear, “It’s going to be okay. Brayden isn’t the type to express his feelings, and neither am I really, but Drake has helped with that. I know he’s feeling the connection, but he probably just needs more time to process everything. He’ll come around.”

“I guess we’ll see,” I whispered back through gritted teeth. I needed more answers than just the vague explanation Elvena spouted off. “Does it say why the blood has to be bonded?” I asked Elvena. “My blood should still be the same, bonded or not.”

Elvena shook her head. “No, my child, it won’t. Right now we have Calista with Fall blood, Meliantha with Spring, Sorcha with Summer, and you. As of right now you’re Summer, but we need you to be the Winter.”

Lowering my head, I closed my eyes and sighed, clenching my jaw. “Thank you. Unfortunately, I get it now.” I let go of Sorcha and Calista’s hands and backed away, determined to get out of there. They all had pitying looks on their faces and I couldn’t stand to see them directed toward me. My sisters looked as if they wanted to follow me, but I held up my hands, stopping them. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to get some fresh air … alone.”

Hastily, I retreated from the room and out of the palace onto the sandy beach, breathing in the salty sea air. The sound of the water was soothing—almost hypnotic—as I gazed out at it. However, its lulling magic wasn’t working on me at the moment.

“This is ridiculous,” I snapped out loud. “Talking to someone should not be this complicated. I’m going to go right back in there and make him talk to me.” Taking a deep breath, I turned away from the magical blue water and marched right up the steps of the palace and down to the main hall. I was disappointed when I approached the room and found that everyone was already gone except Elvena, Calista, Meliantha, and Sorcha.

I was about to go in there when their words made me halt at the door.

“What aren’t you telling us?” Calista demanded. “You may be able to fool everyone else, but you can’t fool me.”

What was going on? I wondered. I sidled closer to the door and closed my eyes, trying hard to concentrate on what they were saying.

Elvena sighed. “It’s not something to worry about right now. There’s still plenty of time ahead of us until we can even think about making the weapon, since the current state of Ariella and Brayden’s union is complicated.”

This time it was Sorcha who snapped, “I saw your face, Elvena, and it sure as hell appeared to be a look that it was something we needed to worry about. If I have to take the scroll away from you and decipher it myself I will.”

“All right, child, I’ll tell you,” Elvena whispered regretfully.

“Do I need to fetch Ariella?” Meliantha asked, cutting in. I was about to walk in when Elvena’s panicked voice rang out.

“No,” Elvena cried. “I don’t want her in here. She has so much to worry about right now. I can’t put this burden on her.”

What the hell! What burden? I wondered, breathlessly. The whole world felt like it was closing in all around me and there was no way out. I could barely hear from the pounding in my heart vibrating in my ears.

“Did the scroll mention something having to do with Ariella?” Sorcha questioned curiously.

“That’s the thing,” Elvena whispered sadly. “You all have sacrificed so much, and now one of you might have to sacrifice it all. If what the scroll says is true, I fear it’s going to have to be Ariella that kills him, and I just don’t know what the outcome of that will be.”

I’m the one who has to kill him? I screamed in my mind.

Meliantha’s voice was laced in fury. “Please don’t tell me she’s going to die if she kills that son of a bitch. You’re not saying that, right?” The pounding in my chest grew louder … harder.

Elvena replied. “To be honest, I’m not sure. The scroll states that the only one with the ability to kill the dark sorcerer will be the one who can earn his trust. We all know he’s not going to trust any of you, which leaves only one left. Since Ariella hasn’t fully come into her power, we need to wait and see what happens before we tell her. I don’t want her knowing yet. We’ll cross that bridge when the time comes.”

More words were mumbled between them, but I couldn’t focus on them. They were deliberately trying to keep this from me, and for what, to protect me? What was I … three years old? Out of all the years of being tormented by the dark sorcerer, who would have thought it would all came down to me? Now no one knew if I’d live through it or not. I knew he needed my power, but knowing the fate of my land depended on me to end it …