Page 7 of A Bond of Ice and Glass
Lochlan suddenly pauses. I look up to find his eyes widened, staring down at nothing, his pupils dilated.
“Enough of her, Lena. Do you feel strong enough for a walk? I was thinking about visiting the village. You’ll like it there. It’s been a harsh winter, but the people are strong-hearted, and there’s a market on. You always wanted to visit a market, didn’t you?”
I nod absently, still chewing the last of my pastry. “Yeah.”
“Then we’ll do it. I’ll have a carriage take us once you’re ready, then we can walk around.” He stands up, his tone excited. “I want to show you more of my home. There’s so much to see. It might not be as beautiful as your home, but it’s… Why are you laughing?”
I cover my mouth. “It’s just good to see you excited again, Loch. It’s been a long time.”
His soft brown eyes gleam down at me, the lines around them crinkling in a smile.
“Yeah,” he whispers back, “too long. But now things have changed, and I’m gonna do whatever it takes to give you everything I promised you, Lena.”
As he pulls me into his arms and kisses me on the head, I don’t feel any flutters in my stomach or a sense of elation like I used to with Lochlan.
There’s a voice in my head promising to find me.
Even in the mist.
Chapter 3
Shortly after Lochlan leaves, Nymala arrives to help me get ready. I watch her enter the room with renewed wariness. If Lochlan says I’m not to trust this witch, then I shouldn’t trust her. I should trusthim. In my heart I know this, but I like to make up my own mind about people, and for some reason, there’s a part of me that wants to know if what he said about Nymala is true. Why did she kill his stepfather?
“One of the things I hate about these lands,” Nymala says as she steps into the room, “are the winds. They’re more brutal this close to the sea—especially in winter. And it’s always winter here.”
“Is it?” I glance out the window, to where thick blankets of snow cover the landscape. There had been no snow when I left the convent. Just how far away am I? “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen snow.”
“Oh, yeah. Lots of it. You’d better get used to the snow.” Nymala strides over to the wardrobes and begins rummaging through them, pulling out and putting back several items. She carries a pile of clothing over to the dressing area. “This is actually our summer, believe it or not. Warmest we’ve had on record.”
I stare at her, watching as she hangs each item on the divider.
“So, we must be quite far south?” I ask, standing up from the table.
“As far south as you can get,” she replies. “The little dot on the bottom of the realm map, surrounded by all the water? That’s where we are.”
I visualise the realm map. Having studied it all my life, I know every kingdom and sea in the realm, but I don’t recall there being any inhabitants in the outer isles. Not after they were wiped out in a war long ago.
If we really are out in the isles, I wonder how they kept their existence quiet for so long? And why didn’t Loch mention it to me?
I make my way over to the dresser. Even from across the room, I catch the glowing chain on Nymala’s wrist, surrounded by countless others. But this one is subtly different. It glows, a similar gold colour as her magic. Nymala follows my line of sight, and her fingers tighten on her hips.
“He told you.”
It’s not a question, but I answer anyway. “Loch said you’re a prisoner here.”
Nymala’s demeanour visibly changes. Her shoulders tense, and her throat jerks. Then she takes a sharp breath through her nose and shakes her head.
“Well, you don’t need to worry. I’m not going to off you.” She lifts her hand with the chain on it and shakes it. “Even if I wanted to, I can’t. I’m bound to serve and protect Noble’s house for the rest of my life.”
As I walk towards her, my instincts scream to me that I should be wary of this woman, even with her magical restraints. But there is something about Nymala that reminds me a lot of myself. A woman condemned before they’re even allowed a chance to speak.
I step behind the divider and pull the nightdress off my body, hanging it over the side when I’m done. Nymala takes it and I watch her shadow move on the other side.
“Why did you do it?”
Her shadow stops moving, hesitating for a moment, before disappearing. Drawers open and shut from somewhere in the room.
“I was defending myself,” comes her reply after a long, tense moment. “A story for another time. Lochlan’s warned me not to take too long. He’s waiting for you downstairs.”
