Page 59 of Frost and Death
“You kissed back, and your magic stopped,” Jerrick teases.
“You can’t kiss me!”
“And why not?” He tilts his head, as if the logic I give him is confusing.
“Because I am engaged!”
His crooked grin appears. “Yes, to me.”
I scrub my face and drop my head, groaning in defeat. “Not this again.”
The stretching of my emotions and body are beyond the limits of comfort. Bit by bit, my heart fractures, as this never-ending nightmare continues.
“Magic is different for most everyone to harness, but you are going about it completely wrong.” Jerrick directs our conversation elsewhere.
I am minimally grateful, even when he waves his hand, as if I didn’t already know I am using my magic wrong.Of courseI am using it wrong. No one has ever had these abilities before!
“I don’t want my magic,” I grind out.
“Why not?” He rests a hand on his hip.
“It’s a curse.”
Jerrick slackens.
I attempt to wrap my arm around my body, and I hate how refreshing it is to admit that to someone. Ihatethat the someone was him.
Glancing away, something glints.
Recognition dawns, and a defeated whimper escapes as my mother’s handheld mirror reflects in the firelight.
My heart fractures when I grab it, inspecting it to see a small crack in the upper corner.
No.
“What is that?” Jerrick asks, observing me.
Clutching the mirror to my chest, I protect it. “None of your business.” I scowl.
He reaches toward me, and my anger kicks in. “Don’t touch me!”
Pain and fear intermingle inside at the thought of him touching me again. Hurting me again or kissing me again—I don’t want any of those things.
I prepare for the pain to explode, but Jerrick holds my waist, forcing me to stop. I meet those fierce eyes I am growing to loathe, only to be met with his soft chuckle.
“There’s the little Frostbite.”
“I swear to Yeva if you call me that one more time—”
“You’ll what? You’ll freeze me over like you have your kingdom?” He bounces back.
I clench my jaw in silence.
He smirks at my lack of remark, but I stick to it, fearful of saying anything that could have him take my mother’s mirror away. It is my only hope of reaching home.
Let this monster who calls himself a king think he knows everything there is about the Snow Queen of Axidoria.
I clutch my mother’s mirror tighter.
