Page 35 of Ice Like Fire
“MEE-WAH!” she squeals, and hugs me so enthusiastically it’s a wonder my dress hasn’t ripped off.
I widen my arms, unable to stop the smile that spreads over my face. “Hello, Shazi.”
Theron grins as well. “I think you’ve made a friend.”
“I’m not sure how good of an impression I made when I dragged her and her parents on rather long tours of Jannuari, but she doesn’t seem to hate me too much,” I say, and Shazi squeals deep in her throat.
Her commotion draws the attention of the Autumnian courtiers, and one pulls away from the crowd. Nikoletta drops into a crouch and opens her arms to her daughter, who releases me and jumps at her mother, sending them both toppling into the snow. But Nikoletta giggles just as much, if not more than her daughter.
Nikoletta sobers slightly and pulls to her feet while Shazi stomps on the snow, laughing at her own footprints.Theron beams down at his cousin, an adoration that mimics the emotion of the Autumnian courtiers, still readying their horses. All these people’s hopes heaped upon this one tiny head, with her infectious grin and the small sauce stain on her dress. Autumn hasn’t had a female heir in two generations, and without a female-blooded conduit, they were almost as badly off as Winter. Shazi won’t be able to use her conduit for at least another ten years, though, until she’s able to understand it and consciously push its power into her kingdom.
She feels me staring and clutches something at her neck. “Meewah,” she declares, and waddles back over, trying to hand whatever is in her fist to me, but the chain holding it around her neck doesn’t let it go far.
I drop to my knees and she plops a ring into my palm, a gold circle holding a pyramid of teardrop jewels and a small diamond. The cluster emits an auburn glow—Autumn’s conduit.
A gasp sticks in my throat the moment it touches my skin. Images swarm at me, patchy things pouring from Shazi’s memory into mine, exactly like what happens when Noam touches me.
Caspar chasing a giggling Shazi around a pale yellow tent. Awakening to the tearful face of Nikoletta as cannon explosions echo in the background, and people scream, urging them to hurry. Caspar kissing Shazi’s head and pulling away with teary eyes, and some small jolt of terror slashingthrough her, knowing that if he leaves he might never come back.
I jerk to my feet, the conduit falling from my palm and dropping against Shazi. But she smiles and tightens her fist around the ring. “Stwong, Meewah!”
My eyes flick over Shazi’s face.Strong.She wants her conduit to make me strong—she’s probably been told since birth that it will make her strong someday.
I smile at her. “Thank you, Princess Shazi.”
She grins again, satisfied with my response despite the lack of emotion that makes my words dry. Part of me feels like laughing—a toddler is trying to comfort me. Is my panic that obvious, or is Shazi already that observant?
“Thank you for coming,” I tell Nikoletta, because I need to talk past the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry your visit couldn’t be longer.”
Her smile is worn, as if she understands. And since she grew up with Noam for an older brother, she just might.
“We hear that you are heading to Summer.” Nikoletta eyes the crowd before stepping closer to me. “My nephew showed me a most intriguing treaty. It is an ambitious goal, but know that Autumn will help however we can.”
My eyes widen and I snap my head to Theron as his hand drops to the small of my back.
“Autumn signed,” he explains. “Shortly after I did. They are aware of its delicate nature.”
I roll my eyes. I hate having to translate political-speak.
Caspar signed the treaty after Theron did—secretly, no less. Theron tried to show it to me yesterday, but I . . . well. Lying to Theron about what I think of his goals is hurting more and more, and I didn’t want to have to fake added support of it.
But this is only the beginning.
“Yes,” I manage, voice thin. I turn back to Nikoletta. “I . . . hope it will be fruitful.”
Nikoletta nods, considering, before her demeanor softens. “I know how difficult it is to be a young ruler. It gets easier, I promise you that.”
My chest cools a little. I wish I could tell her how grateful I am that she is nothing like her brother, but the ramifications of that are far too obvious. “Thank you,” I tell her again.
They leave shortly after, winding out of Jannuari and back to their kingdom, the first of many departures today. Their absence urges me into motion—I want to leave before I lose my nerve, and as I check the supplies on my horse, a task Dendera chastises is “unbefitting of a queen,” two sleighs roll forward.
I turn and fist a handful of my skirt when I catch Noam analyzing the sleighs, a grimace hardening his face. But he doesn’t argue with their presence; he doesn’t demand that the spoils within be moved to his coffer.
“I can’t believe he’s accepting of this now,” I mutter.
Theron double-checks the straps on his own saddle andshoots me a sympathetic gaze. “He isn’t—he’s just taking advantage of the situation.”
“How very Cordellan of him.”
