Page 113 of Frost Bound

She ran her damp palms over her hips and padded over to the couch, leaning on the back of it, watching Brigit, Freya, and Alda embroider or knit. It was all so very domestic. Loshika glanced up from her book, a thin pair of spectacles on the tip of her nose.

“You’re stalling,reilleve.”

Her friend knew her well. Over the last month they’d bonded over being the oddities among the Loriian court. Sometimes, she felt as if Loshika was the only one she could really trust.

“I know.” She pushed away from the couch and faced the door. “I will see you when it is all done.”

“Be strong, my lady.”

Dahlia nodded once and strode to the door. She stepped into the hallway and was met with Eyri’s endearing face. Some of her worry faded away at his small smile. He held out his bare arm and she took it, thankful to have a friend escort her to the throne room. It was one of the few places she still hadn’t been.

“The king?” she asked.

“Already there.” He squeezed her arm, leading her down the first staircase to the hallway of frosted windows, his long robe brushing her skirts. “You will need to walk through thejaivellearch to start the proceedings. The king will welcome you to share his throne.”

Her mind latched ontojaivellearch. “What is ajaivelle?” she asked, nodding to familiar servants as they passed.

“Rough translation is something like a singing stone. If you run your fingers over the stone just right, it sings for you.Thejaivelleis iridescent and looks delicate, but it’s one of the strongest stones. Our people revere it as holy.”

Dahlia swallowed past the lump in her throat. How many times had Neve called her that over the last month? Did he really mean it? Or was it a pet name Loriians used?

Eyri escorted her down several more sets of hallways until they reached the entry. She still hadn’t gotten over the lavish columns and arched ceilings. He showed her to the right hallway, moving toward the mountains. The floor sloped downward and ended in a wide staircase.

She stumbled as a flashback of her fight with Lumi pushed to the forefront of her mind. Irrational fear tightened around her lungs.

“Are you alright?”

Swallowing hard, she nodded, and let Eyri pull her down the staircase. They reached the bottom, and it opened up into a narrow but tall cavern. Her jaw dropped as she stared at its beauty. A meandering onyx pathway wound upward through the center of the cavern, leading to an archway held up by ancient-looking marble columns. Iridescent crystals grew from the ground, the walls, and ceiling. They covered the archway, casting rainbows around the dim room from the skylight high above.

Flickering lanterns hung from some of the crystals, looking like fireflies.

It was raw, powerful, and otherworldly.

“Are you ready,reilleve?”

She nodded and squeezed his arm. “Just Lia to you.”

They walked slowly along the black stone pathway through thejaivellecrystals. She longed to reach out and touch one to hear what it sounded like, but didn’t dare. Even so, she could hear how their steps echoed around the room off the crystals. It was tinkling like bells.

A few lone notes slipped from between her lips, bouncing around the room in a melody. What would it be like to sing in a such a place? She imagined it would be better than performing in some of the best cathedrals.

She held her breath as they stepped up to the archway. Stone closed around them, forming a short hallway. Lia locked her expression in place as murmurs reached her. The short corridor ended and once again opened into a cavern, one that had been carved by Loriians. Shiny black stone with a view ofjaivellewere carved into the starry sky above.

Hundreds of Loriians parted, and she swallowed at the amount of people watching her. Lia kept her head held high as she spotted Neve sitting on the great amethyst throne. He looked every bit the king with his royal black garb, deep blue-black hair woven into intricate braids and pulled back from his strong jaw. He sat tall with his legs braced apart, not a single emotion on his face. He was once again the cold king.

Dahlia wanted to turn tail and run.

He was fearsome. And he wasn’t going to like what she had to say.

She glanced away from him, locking eyes with Lumi, who knelt before the dais.

The giantess dipped her chin, no malice but resignation on her face.

Lumi expects to die.

Eyri released Lia and bowed. “This is where I leave you,reilleve.” He left her at the bottom of the dais, and she stood there, not knowing what to do.

“Come,lae reilleve,” the king called.

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