Page 14 of Gifted to the Frost King

The King reaches me, and before I can ask what he’s doing or who he’s referring to, he drops to his knees at my side. I stop breathing as he reaches a tentative hand out. He skims a finger over each of my cheeks. I should be recoiling—slapping his hand away and demanding he never touch me again. What I shouldn’t be doing is reveling in the sensation of his touch. As his finger skims over my cheek again, I am barely able to swallow down my moan.

I’ve never been touched like this by a male—elf or human. This has to be some trick, but the metallic scent of magic is missing. After a long day of traveling, the exhaustion must finally be catching up with me.

Obviously, I’m delirious from the journey and have lost my wits.

The Frost King inhales deeply, holding his breath as if savoring my scent. His eyes fall closed as his hand fully cups my cheek. The weight of it is terrifying and pleasant at the same time.

“You are my only hope,” he whispers. “I truly am sorry for bringing you into all of this. My actions were selfish—the same selfishness that got me into this mess in the first place. But when I saw you, I knew.”

“Knew what?” My cheeks heat at the breathy sound of my voice.

He shakes his head, white tendrils flopping over his pointed ears.

“It’s not time to share all of that.” His eyes open, and they pin me to my chair with their heated stare. “Not because I don’t want to but because I can’t. The more you learn, the easier it is for us to speak. That is the nature of that damned sorceress’s c?—”

He breaks off in a fit of coughs. It is as if the words were pulled from his mouth and the air sucked from his lungs. He coughs once more, his eyes outlined in red.

“Please,” he begs. The longing in his gaze burns me alive. “You can save us—save me. It’s always been you.”

A grimace mares his full lips, and the veins in his neck protrude.

“He’s waking up now,” The King groans. “Remember, the truth is buried deep. When the moon is high, the three stars will guide you to the key.”

His words are utter nonsense.

“I don’t understand. None of you speak plainly.”

Blue lips pull into a painful grin. His fingers on my face tighten as if he cannot bear to let me go.

“I’ve been waiting for you—longing all these centuries.”

A loud groan rips from his mouth as he doubles over on his knees. I watch in horror as the blue tinge to his skin loses its luster. His eyes turn feral and his mouth pulls into a sneer. The hand on my cheek is ice cold before he violently rips it away with a snarl.

His eyes are two blocks of ice chasing away any warmth I felt.

“Go to your room and stay there,” he commands, his voice returning to how it was this morning. “This dinner is over.”

His eyes rove over me with thinly veiled contempt. I’ve had just about enough of all of this. Between Glimmer’s riddles and the King's duel personalities, my head is starting to throb. I push back in my chair with force.

“What is going on? You can’t say?—”

The Frost King raises his hand, now tipped with deadly sharp claws. I swallow my words, my mouth running dry. The scent of metal invades my lungs.

“Enough,” he says bitterly.

With a wave of his hand, I’m thrown from the room. Invisible hands pull me through walls, my body passing through each one effortlessly. The magic encases my skin, making it feel oily. Twisting and turning through hallways and rooms, my stomach tips. My dinner races up my throat as the castle swirls around me.

I’m slammed into my body as my feet land inside my room. The door is open, and I rush towards it only for a strong wind to slam it shut in my face. Trying the handle is of no use. I’m locked inside.

Pounding my fist against the heavy stone door, I scream all my frustrations out against it.

“Let me out! Let me out!”

Tears burn in my eyes and pour down my cheeks. My hands ache from banging against the unforgiving surface. Everything I’ve shoved down rises to the surface, and I let it overflow. I cry and cry and cry until there is nothing left. Sliding to the floor, I tuck my knees against my chest and allow the sobs to subside.

This is the most confused I’ve ever been.

How can I uncover whatever plot is afoot here when no one makes any sense? The King looks at me with such longing that it tempts me to consider things I’ve never done before, only toturn into a beast that tosses me from the room without a second thought. How am I supposed to navigate such a male?

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