The Ice Queen by Jovee Winters

Author:Jovee Winters [Winters, Jovee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Mythology & Folk Tales, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Regency
ISBN: 9781530919703
Publisher: Jovee Winters Publishing
Published: 2015-12-15T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Alador

For the next week he and Luminesa had developed a rhythm of sorts. Fighting the ice demons at night, while during the day they kept company with the children.

Her yeti’s had worked far better than he could have imagined. Twice now they’d scented out the dregs of the Goblin’s dark magick, and any catastrophe’s had been easily routed as they’d been able to gather up the dust before any harm could come to the children again.

But nights of hardly any sleep, and days filled with keeping a constant eye out on the children was taking its toll on both of them. Luminesa’s already pale skin now seemed impossibly washed out, and it was easy enough to read the exhaustion lacing her bones.

Her need was a constant ache in his chest. Alador wanted to give her at least one afternoon to relax, the children had suffered no further attacks from the Goblin since, and now seemed as good a time as any to give them all a day off.

Even if only temporarily.

“Well,” Gerda tossed out her arms, “how do I look Alador?” He’d instructed that she dress in her nicest gown for the day.

Luminesa had done a fine job of feeding, clothing, and sheltering the children. She’d even created games for them to play at. But there’d been far too many days trapped indoors. They’d begun bickering, fighting over toys, clothing, who got to pet Baatha first, etc.

They were getting on one another’s nerves, but Alador couldn’t blame them. Human children much like centaur children needed the freedom to be children sometimes.

And while there was no lack of food, Alador himself felt the need to hunt, trap, or simply just explore the woods beyond. He was a creature built for the outdoors and understood the children’s suffocation for he suffered it too.

Gerda twirled, causing the cream colored folds of her thick gown to twinkle softly from the natural glow of sunlight bouncing off the ice room.

“You look lovely,” Alador nodded.

Then he glanced toward Kai, who sat on a corner bench with his chin in his fist staring glumly out the window. The boy was dressed in trousers made of deerskins, and a thick parka lined with white fur.

“Kai,” he said slowly, walking toward the boy, “will you eat nothing?”

His bowl of gruel still remained untouched.

“I don’t want food,” he snapped, green eyes looking up at Alador with a mixture of anger and resentment. “I want to go home. Now.”

Alador wished he could send the children back now. Every fiber of him wished they weren’t here, but he simply couldn’t.

“We will, soon. I vow it.”

The little boy’s nostrils flared. “When! You lie. I do not think you and her are looking at all. She has punished me and now I’ll never leave.”

His little foot kicked out, knocking it into the ice table and causing several cracks to spider-web along its top.

“Kai, acting out changes nothing. When I tell you we are doing all we can, you have to trust me. Believe me, I do not want you here anymore than you wish to be here.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.