Page 7 of Gifted to the Frost King

And how they are on the wrong side of the horizon.

How peculiar. Why would—a blazing cold burns my skin. Icy wind blows against me. The only protection from it is the warmth resting along my back. Letting out a soft moan, I cuddle in deeper, wanting as much of my skin to touch the glorious heat as possible.

Then, in a flash, my memories return.The Offering, the cold—the King’s thrall on me must have lessened because terror floods my veins. The reality of the situation slams into me with enough force to loosen my muscles.

How long have I been asleep for? Enough time has passed for us to travel over the mountains surrounding my village and end up on the other side. Pulling myself away from his heat is a struggle, but I manage.

The Frost King gives a startled grunt as I push back. His arms cage me to his front. He holds the reins in his large hands while the cold leather of the saddle bites into my legs. I’m tucked tightly between his spread thighs. I need to get off of this andaway from him—wherever he’s taking me, I’m sure I don’t want to go.

Opening my mouth to scream, only a scratchy whisper meets my ears. I shove against his chest, disentangling my legs until they fall on either side of the horse. My toes instantly go numb, but I ignore the pain and focus on my freedom. I have to attempt an escape even if?—

“Enough.” His voice is powerful—the command shakes snow from the branches around us. “Cease your struggling human, or my magic will put you to sleep once more.”

He leads us through a break in the treeline, and we emerge atop a snowy hill. The horse carries us down the mound as I push against him. Thrashing my body, the horse gives an unpleasant whiny but never misses a step. The Frost King keeps one hand on the reins as he moves to grab me. With his arm raised, there’s just enough space for me to slip through.

My body falls from the horse and lands with a thud atop a snow pile. The cold shocks me, stealing my breath and instantly soaking me to the bone. My body refuses to move. I was a fool for even trying to escape—where would I go in these clothes? My village could be hundreds of miles away by now.

Death has come to claim me, whether it is at the hands of the snow or the demon with quiet fury raging in his eyes. My surrender comes easy—especially as I watch his massive body jump down from his horse and stomp over to me. The Frost King moves through the snow with unnatural grace. His cloak drags behind him and glimmers in the sun.

The King’s strong hands pluck me from the ground and settle my freezing body against him once more. In one fluid motion, we are back on the horse and continuing our journey as if nothing happened. His arm bands across my waist and I feel his lips at my ear.

“Be still,” he snarls, causing goosebumps to erupt along my flesh. “Or I will bind you for the remainder of our journey. You wouldn’t enjoy that.”

One last burst of anger ignites as I glare at him.

“Let me go.” My voice has returned, even if it’s a bit scratchy from disuse.

“No.”

The simple word turns my burst of anger into a roaring fire. Baring my teeth, I push at his chest even with his arm trapping me. He pulls me flush against him and halts my ability to move. I feel every ridge and contour of his muscular body.

“You were offered to me as a tribute. I claimed you. Your life is mine now to do as I see fit. Remember that.”

Air puffs from between my lips.

“Will you be sparing my village from our centuries of torment? Will the blizzard finally let up now that you have taken me?”

The Frost King’s eyes narrow before he lets out a humorless laugh.

“Perhaps,” he sighs. “If you prove to be a worthy tribute.”

Before I can respond, he snaps the reins, and the horse takes off at a swift gallop. The landscape around me blurs. We’ve left the dense foliage of the evergreen forest. Uphead, the snowy hills give way to a town. The buildings are made of polished white stone and glittering crystals. Everything from homes to taverns and shops dot the hillside. While they are beautiful, something feels off about them.

Namely, there are no people—or whatever manner of creature the Frost King is—milling about. The town is still—lifeless. For a second, I catch something shimmering in the sun, but we are moving too fast for me to make it out properly.

The horse continues at its fast pace, each powerful movement jostling me closer to the Frost King. With mycloak and shift as my only covering, I feel naked in his arms. Something inside my chest flickers, a fleeting feeling of contentment that I push away.

I must remain vigilant. If he has not lifted the curse from my village, then my being taken was for nothing. I will not sacrifice myself without at least trying to better the lives of my family.

The horse slows its pace as we reach a bridge. Made out of the same smooth, white stone the buildings in the town were, it glitters before us. Curving over the fast-moving river below blue water foams and splashes against the rocky sides of the stream. Dense fog lingers on the other side. The sound of clicking hooves echoes as we saunter across it.

The weather here is more mild than in my village. The snow coming down is only a light dusting. With a wave of the King’s hand, the fog before us slowly recedes. Once it is cleared the most glorious sight reveals itself.

A palace—the likes of which Mama used to recount to Sophia and me as bedtime stories—made entirely of glass sparkles ahead. The tallest tower reaches into the sky, partially obscured by dense clouds. The windows are decorated with crystal snowflakes and silver. Piles of fresh, white snow decorate the ornately designed ledges. As we journey closer, the sight of the Frost King’s castle becomes more imposing.

The horse comes to a stop just before a flight of marble steps. A groan sounds as the two massive glass doors yawn open at our arrival. Behind me, the Frost King slides from the saddle before hooking his hands around my waist and dropping me onto the icy step.

Cold burns my bare feet, and I let out a hiss.

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