Forged in Ice (5 page)

I would never escape the reputation of my father. I would always be the son of darkness, whether I supported him or not.

The icy terrain stretched on for miles, and I did not see a sign of anyone. If the undead were close, they were keeping themselves well hidden. I headed toward the prison. I had found Talen near there the day before.

“Back so soon?” Talen emerged out of the whiteness wearing nothing. His long white hair hung down his back.

I dismounted from my horse. “Not by choice.” I averted my eyes while I waited for him to put on pants.

“I take it you heard about our visitors.” He put on a pair of simple brown pants.

“I did, but I do not see them.” The ice was barren for as far as I could see.

“Because we took care of the problem ourselves.” He grinned.

I startled. I had not expected that response. “How many were there?”

“About a hundred.”

“And you took them out?” I was impressed.

“Luckily I learned some tricks from last time.”

“Where are the bodies?” Surely they had not burned them yet.

“In the prison. You can do whatever you want with them.”

“Tell me everything. How did you find them?” I was still convinced they were something other than the undead, but I needed evidence to support my theory.

“It is more that they found us. They were different from the ones we met in battle years ago. These were wandering around aimlessly. They were not following orders.”

“Now you tell me the truth. And you wonder why they were so easy to kill?” My horse startled as if understanding our talk about the undead. I patted her gently and calmed her down.

Talen shrugged. “The sight of the undead is upsetting. My people want answers.”

“And you think I have them?”

“If anyone does, it is you.”

“I wish I did.” I glanced all around us. The area appeared empty, but I knew Arcos or other creatures could be hiding nearby. Something had spoked my mare.

“You need to find out why they are building the gate.”

“Have you seen more of the ones touched by darkness?”

“No, the undead were enough excitement for the day.”

“And you have no other clues as to where this gate is?” I refused to go back to the castle without some more answers.

He shook his head. “No.”

“I need to find it.”

“I can go with you.” Talen held out his hand in front of him.

“You are offering to help?”

“The undead were not in Belgard, were they? No. They were in my home. We have suffered enough, and I will not watch my people enslaved again.”

“But you have never trusted me.”

“I trust you more than most men.”

“That says a lot.” Earning an Arco’s trust was no easy task.

“It does.”

“Where do we start?”

“We start by getting reinforcements.”

“And where are we going to get those?” I looked around again.

“The lost world?”

“Why would we go there for help?” Talen had hated his time in the lost world from what I knew.

He leaned in. “Our chief talked of a wolf kind that was once here, but left. They are said to be the strongest and have the gift to destroy those touched by darkness.”

“And you are just telling me this now?”

“The chief only told me last night.” Talen paused. “On his death bed.”

“Why then?”

“These wolves were our bitter enemies. Turning to them for help is...” he trailed of as is searching for the right word. “Difficult.”

“Yet you are willing to ask for it?”

“The danger is too close. We have to be on the offensive.”

“How do we find these wolves?”

“I know how to find the leader. We have apparently kept tabs on him over the years.”

“Fine. We will need to pick up someone else along the way.” I would go nowhere without Ainsley.

“Who?” He smiled. “The girl?”

“Yes. She comes with us.”

“I would assume she would be safer in Belgard.”

“She is safer with me.” Normally Talen would have been right, but after seeing how sick she got, leaving her at the castle for an extended period of time was out of the question.

“Fine. I will meet you in Belgard at dawn tomorrow.”

“We will be ready for you when you arrive.”

He nodded. “Until then.” The air shimmered as he shifted into his wolf form.

I watched as the white wolf quickly disappeared among the ice.

I
watched
for James from the tower of the castle. Charlotte was watching the city and the area outside the gates to make sure she didn’t see any signs of the undead. I joined her, but it wasn’t to watch for zombies.

“He’ll be back,” she reassured me yet again. I never voiced my worry, but I didn’t hide it either. I was antsy, and I felt decidedly less comfortable in the castle without James around. I’d only know him for a few days, but it felt like far longer.

“I know, but it’s been awhile.” I looked out again at the city below us. The market appeared to be bustling as men and women came and went. I noticed a young girl running around in the grass beside the market. Her long brown hair streamed behind her, and for a second I wondered what it would have been like to grow up in Energo. It would have been such a different upbringing than my own.

“It’s a long ride. My guess is he will be home by tonight though.”

“I’d hope so.” I was feeling fine at least. Luckily the episode from the morning hadn’t repeated itself. That didn’t stop Charlotte from casting glances at me every time she thought I wasn’t looking. Her expression said it all. She was waiting for me to get sick again.

“Did you tell your parents you were leaving?” Charlotte switched subjects with no warning.

“No. We left quickly, but my Mom wouldn’t have expected to hear from me. We don’t talk much.” Not since she told me to get over what my step-sister did. I’d barely talked to her since, and on her part she wasn’t trying very hard to change it. It seemed my request for space had been taken seriously.

“And your dad?”

“I’ve never met my dad.” And I knew nothing about him other than he had been a fellow student when my mom was in college. No matter what questions I asked her, I always got the same answers. He wasn’t in the picture so it didn’t matter. His name wasn’t on my birth certificate. My mom had actually put in John Doe.

“Oh. I didn’t know.” She walked over to where I stood by the wall. “I apologize for my questions.”

“Don’t apologize. It is what it is.”

“Still, it must be hard to have a parent who chooses not to be part of your life.” She put a hand over her mouth. “Sorry for saying that out loud.”

“It’s only hard if you let it be. I never knew him. It would have been harder if I had.”

“That’s a positive way to look at things.”

“Do you miss anything about your old life?”

She shook her head. “No. I was pretty miserable. I thought my mom was dead. I had almost no friends. I was in love with a guy who didn’t even really see me.”

“Wait, who?” Discussing crushes was a much lighter and desirable subject.

“Liam.” She smiled.

“Uh, he sees you.” He seemed to only have eyes for her when they were in the same room.

“I didn’t think he did. He never acted on it at all. I know now he did… but it took a while. He was Kevin’s best friend.”

“You guys are perfect for each other.” I smiled.

“Thanks. He’s my other half.”

“How did Kevin take it?”

“When Liam and I ended up together?” She pulled her hair off her neck as though she were hot.

“Yeah.”

“We were already in this world, so it was different. If he acted on it before then, Kevin probably would have been furious. He was really protective of me.”

I laughed. “Maybe that was part of it.”

“I also seemed much younger. I was his friend’s kid sister.”

“But he kissed you.” I remembered that detail.

“I kissed him.” She laughed. “He ran out of the room afterward. I regretted that kiss for years.”

“Wow. Do you still give him a hard time about it?” Thinking about Charlotte and Liam’s relationship helped keep my mind off my own. I still didn’t quite understand what was happening between us, or to me. I wanted to know how much of my feelings for James came from the kindred connection.

“Sometimes.” Her eyes twinkled.

“Charlotte, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” She sat down on a padded bench.

“This kindred thing…. do I really feel this way for him?”

“Yes. It’s your feelings. The only thing that’s changed is you’re connected.” She folded her hands and placed them in her lap.

“I still can’t quite believe it.”

“I understand. This is a lot to take in.” She smiled reassuringly.

“I still wonder what I have to do with any of this. How did they have my name?” I sat down beside her.

“I don’t know, but we’ll find out. You’re safe here while we do.”

“Is James happy about it?”

“About what?”

“Me. This whole thing.” I stared down at my hands.

“He’s crazy about you. He’s happier than I’ve ever seen him.”

“He’s stressed.” I stood again. I was far too anxious to sit.

“He’s always stressed.”

“His life hasn’t been easy, has it?”

“With a father like his?” She shuddered. “Not for a day.”

I wanted him to open up to me about all of it, but I was also afraid. Would I be able to handle the enormity of it? Whether I could or not, I needed to hear it. It was the only way I would truly understand him, and it couldn’t be good for him to keep such strong memories and emotions pent up. He would explode one day. That’s how it always went.

Charlotte stood and looked out through the window. “I see him. Way out there.”

I squinted and saw something in the distance. “Wow, you have good eyes.”

“This isn’t my first time watching for someone. Plus, to be fair I knew what direction he’d be coming from.”

“Can we head down?” I was more than a little bit excited to greet him.

“Excited to see him?”

“Very.” I grinned. I was giddy at the thought. At least this time I wasn’t sick.

We walked down the spiral staircase back to the second level and then down the main staircase. I waited impatiently in the foyer before James finally walked in. I ran right over to him.

He gave me a giant hug. “Glad to know I was missed.”

“Did you find out anything?” Charlotte asked from behind us.

“I always knew you only wanted me for my intel,” he teased her.

Charlotte groaned. “I’m glad you’re home, but Ainsley greeted you enough for the both of us.”

“Talen is meeting us here at dawn. We are going into the lost world to meet some wolves he thinks can help defeat the darkness.”

“But what about the undead?” Charlotte asked. “Did you see them?”

“The Arcos took care of them before I got there. The bodies are in the prison up there if you want someone to do clean up.”

“I hate that prison.” She tensed.

“I understand.”

I watched an unreadable conversation take place through their eyes. Although I already knew they had a long history, it was still difficult to watch. I wanted to be in on all the secrets, to understand everything. Maybe one day I would be, but for now I was glad he was back.

“Did I miss dinner?” he asked.

“Nope. You’re right on time.” Charlotte smiled.

“Is it okay if I brief Liam there?” James held onto my hand tightly. Maybe he’d missed me as much as I’d missed him. I needed to believe he did so I didn’t feel so obsessed.

“Absolutely. Ainsley has been waiting patiently to see you for hours.”

“Patiently?” He raised an eyebrow. “I was hoping for impatiently.”

“I almost got there. It was touch and go for a while.”

His face darkened.

“That was a joke.”

“I know.” He squeezed my hand. “Let us get ready for dinner.”

L
ater that night
I lay in James’ arms staring up at the star-filled sky.

“Aside from the lack of plumbing, you have a really nice place.”

“Glad you like it.” He ran his hand through my hair. “I like it a lot more now that you are here.”

“We do this a lot.” I ran my hand over his bare chest.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t usually have this kind of uh, appetite.”

“Neither do I, if that helps.” He leaned up on an elbow. “And I started it this time.”

“I know. Amazingly enough I didn’t try to jump you the second we were alone.”

“I will not read into that, because you were more than eager once I let my desires be known.”

“I love your voice.” I closed my eyes and breathed him in.

“My voice?” He took my hand and touched it to his throat. “This is not about my accent again, is it?”

“Nope, your voice. It’s velvety and rich.”

“Sounds like you are describing chocolate cake.”

“Both are yummy things.” An image of enjoying cake in bed with James came to mind.

He laughed. “Yummy is a word from your world that still amuses me.”

“What’s funny about it?”

“Nothing innately, but the way you used it there makes me laugh for whatever reason.”

“So I shouldn’t call you yummy?”

“You can call me anything you want. You know that.”

“I feel like I’ve known you for years.” The comfort I felt with him was unbelievable.

“I feel the same way.”

“Yet there is so much more I don’t know about you.” Too many things to name. I knew more about his father than I knew about his own hopes and dreams.

“You can ask me anything.”

“And I will, but right now I just want to lay here and enjoy this.” I stared up at the sky.

“This is nice.” He pulled me closer to him.

“I never thought I could be so comfortable naked with someone.”

“Of course it is natural for us. It is the way we should be.”

“Yet I’m not allowed to streak.” I laughed.

He pulled me up on top of him. “It is the way it should be when we are alone.”

I ran my hand over his bicep. “You don’t go to the gym.”

“No.”

“Then how did your arms get like this?”

“There are other ways to work your muscles.” He ran his hand down my back.

“You’ll have to teach me because I hate the gym.”

He laughed. “You should talk to Samantha. She is a force to be reckoned with.”

“You think I need to be trained by a girl?”

“If Samantha heard you say that…” He shook his head. “Ask Kevin to tell you the story about getting trained by her. I have heard it about a dozen times, but it never gets old.”

“Wait.” He had my attention. “What happened?”

“I will let them tell you themselves, since I was not there to hear it first hand, but suffice to say she taught him not to underestimate women.”

I laughed. “I’ll have to ask about it. I can totally see that.”

“Samantha is tough, but she has a real heart.”

“Sometimes the people with the toughest exteriors have the biggest hearts.” I was beginning to see that James fell into that category too. There was so much more to him than first meets the eye.

He pulled my head down to his. “You are sweet.”

“But not yummy?”

“Oh, you are perfectly yummy.” He rolled us over so he was on top of me. “I will not let you forget that.”