Page 45 of Gifted to the Frost King

“Does everything in this land have to be a riddle?” I grit out.

“Remembering the past and glimpsing the future may be the only way to stop this curse. The frozen lake only reveals itself for a few hours each night. We must catch it before it relocates.”

I nod, wrapping my arms around myself, and quicken my steps. The sound of the roaring wind swallows up each heavy footfall. I say a silent prayer that I don’t freeze to death before making it to this frozen lake. What more secrets will I uncover there? I hope it is the final one. I know the type of male the Kingis. I’ve glimpsed his true heart and have seen the goodness in him.

Glimmer lands on my shoulder as if reading my thoughts, tucking herself under my hair.

“Frosty is different with you,” she whispers in my ear. “Not the male I remember from before the curse. He was good once—with your help, I hope he can be good again.”

“You said changing his heart was key. Though given the state of things, I haven’t changed it enough.”

“The frozen lake may still reveal what needs to be done. A curse as far-reaching as the one laid on this land must’ve had some other way to break it.” Glimmer shakes her head, and her color dims. “I was there the day his father died.”

I whip my head to the side and take in her sad face.

“Frosty’s father was a wonderful king—kind and compassionate. He protected us snow fairies and gave us places of rank amongst his court. We even crafted his mate’s dress for her coronation. Snow fairy lace is the finest in all the land.”

Mate. The word pulses through me. It tickles something primal in me.

“He was injured on a hunt,” Glimmer continues. “Frosty brought him to us and begged us to save him with our magic, but nothing could be done. His mother had passed a few decades prior, and his father wished to be reunited with her. The wound was too deep for anything to be done—our magic failed, and Frosty blamed us for it. He stripped us of our titles and remanded us to the fairy fortress.”

“Oh, Glimmer,” I say.

“I don’t see that young, cruel male anymore. I see someone older, capable of change. With you by his side, our realm will be shaped for the better.”

I smile at her even if my heart gives a harsh thump.

I’ve been so focused on my desire for Frosty that I hadn’t even considered the implications of what our being together would mean. Did he want me in that way—take me as his queen? Moreover, did I want to be one? Not to mention, he is an elf, and I am a human. Do such pairings even exist? Our life spans are not equal—what would that mean for our future?

Questions wash over me and threaten to pull me into their murky depths. Uncertainty prickles at my skin, but I shove it away. There will be no future for us to navigate if I don’t end this curse.

“Everyone is capable of change,” I say to Glimmer. “Sometimes it just takes another to show you exactly who you are.”

Glimmer nods her agreement before flying off my shoulder. Her blue body zips around the nearest tree, and I quickly follow suit. The snow is getting heavier. Each snowflake pelts her small body and throws her off balance. She pushes through until we reach a clearing in the trees.

“We’re here,” she calls.

My boots stomp along the snow until I reach a slight drop-off. The fog pulls back, and the air is ripped from my lungs. Before me is a shimmering pool of frozen water. It glows a deep blue, and its surface is as smooth and unblemished as glass. Dark clouds roll in above, but the frozen lake remains calm. Snow piles up along the edge where we stand.

I look to Glimmer for guidance.

“Open your heart and feel it—taste the magic on your tongue, feel the breeze in your hair, and let it guide you to what you need to see.”

I take a deep breath and fall to my knees at the lake's edge. Cold bites into my skin. The snowflake flares to life before me, and the lake reflects the harsh glow. Leaning forward, I reach for the surface of the lake. Ice bites into my fingers.

The warmth in my chest unfurls, and something else sparks in my mind for the first time. A golden thread, the end of which is obscured by darkness. Am I meant to follow it? The snowflake flares to life. Metal coats my tongue and slides down my throat. I reach for that pulsing thread and allow the magic of the frozen lake to overtake me.

It is a more gentle experience than the other memories I have been cast into. Instead of being tossed and yanked through time, I am simply lowered into the vision. At first, only darkness and the faint sound of music drift towards me. Then, as if waking up from a dream, the world around me swirls into focus.

I am at a glittering ball inside Frosty’s castle. Dozens of frost elves are there, dressed in decadent finery. Their heavy ballgowns sag under the weight of their jewels. Males are dressed in silk pants and coats ranging from white to dark blue. Silver trims each outfit, and they all sparkle under the candlelight. They dance with elegance as a large band plays silver embellished instruments. They are all smiling, but none of it reaches their eyes.

Ice sculptures decorate the room, each surface polished and adorned in finery. The scent of cinnamon and roasting meat tickles my nose. I glance to the side and see long tables of steaming food. No one seems to be eating it, and I have the impression that it will go to waste.

The opulence is repulsive.

No one notices me in my sopping wet dress as I stand in the middle of the floor. Despite the countless roaring fires, the scene feels cold. Raising my head, I finally see him. The Frost King lounges on a massive silver throne. A goblet of wine rests in his hand while nude bodies linger around him. He pays them little mind and snaps his fingers for his cup to be refilled.

Having learned about his tragedy, I can see the pain in his eyes. Grief turns us into monsters. I might've been just like himif I did not have Mama or Sophia. Nothing can replace the ones you love. This opulent display is proof of that.

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