ICE

122. Out With It

MYLO'S GAZE FLICKED around the room. His expression was blank. Ravenna did her best to breathe calmly, to act entirely innocent. "What do you mean something is off about this room?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"

His eyes met hers and softened. "No," he murmured. "Everything is alright. I just thought I sensed something."

"Like what?"

He shook his head. "Do not worry about it," he assured her. He stood and held out his right hand. She watched, curiously, as he snapped his fingers. A tendril of white magic stretched upward from his fingertips, forming a small circular shape. He reached inside the floating circle. When he pulled his hand free of the magic, he held a thin book. "Here," he said. "I meant to give this to you. I was searching through the library the other day and found it. I believe it might help you."

She took the book and examined the cover. It was bound with alabaster leather, engraved with a simple gold filigree pattern. There was only a single word present on the cover: Kahl, the name of the kingdom. "Thank you," she said as she set it down in her lap. Her lips stretched into a small smile. "I appreciate your help."

Mylo nodded and dipped his head in a slight nod. "I hope you feel better," he told her and then exited the room.

Her heart fluttered, beating like a drum just inside her ears, and she sunk deeper into the mattress beneath her. She closed her eyes. The heat that scorched her cheeks was almost unbearably hot.

The rest of the day passed quicker than Ravenna expected. She spent most of it reading through the book that Mylo had brought. It was even more detailed than the other book he'd shown her. It started with an account of how the kingdom was created and, most importantly, what happened to throughout the line of succession.

At some point in the afternoon, Eoin paid her a visit. He brought with him several trays of lavish foods —all carried by servants. He sat down on the edge of her bed, much like Mylo had, and ate with her. He was only able to spend a limited amount of time with her, however. He had a kingdom to somewhat run.

Still, she found his concern for her well-being incredibly sweet.

When Eoin left, Ravenna made herself comfortable with her new book again. She became engrossed with it, compiling the written details into vivid mental images, easily picturing the legends and stories that she'd only ever heard vague murmurs about.

A slight burning sensation appeared against her chest.

Ravenna's fingers instantly curled around the talisman. She yanked it free from where it hid within her dress. The talisman glowed bright atop her palm, burning into her skin. She winced from the pain, allowing a small burst of cold magic to flow through her palm, into the talisman. The pain subsided, somewhat.

She watched as the glow became brighter. It stretched upward, morphing into a small magical version of Vyses. He stood atop the talisman, his arms crossed. His long hair was pulled back with a single piece of twine and it spilled over his shoulder, trailing down his chest.

"What do you need?" Ravenna asked, her soured mood seeping into each word.

Vyses arched an eyebrow at her. "I wanted to give you another status report," he started to explain. He hesitated.

Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

"We have stopped attacking the small towns," he said quickly.

Her blood stilled. And then began to boil within her veins.

"Now, why would you do that?" she asked as calmly as she could. The words felt poison on the tip of her tongue. "Especially considering that gaining control of those small towns is an extremely essential part of our plan."

Vyses met her gaze evenly. "Well, we have a slight problem. I felt that it was necessary to stop the attacks."

"What is the problem?"

He sighed and his shoulders sunk. "I have reason to believe that the local guards are starting to catch on to us. We've managed to capture one city, but more Imperial reinforcements are arriving each day to reclaim it. I am starting to run out of soldiers."

"Then make more," Ravenna snapped at him. The anger inside her writhed. "It's a simple spell that takes moments to cast. It shouldn't be that hard for someone with your magical skill."

Vyses paused and narrowed his eyes at her. She noticed a sliver of crimson glimmer within his irises.

The burn of the talisman began to fade in her hands, as with her anger. Before she could grasp what was happening, Vyses continued to speak. "Lyth also caught a guard rummaging around outside our room at the inn. He had one of those spelled rocks in his hands."

Her brows furrowed. "Like the one from Zeporia?"

He nodded. "Exactly. It was spelled the same —it has the ability to pick up traces of magic and detect is usage."

"What did you do with the guard?" she asked.

"He was disposed of," Vyses answered simply.

She shook her head. "There is probably a limited supply of those stupid rocks," she told him. "The others will notice his absence and it will cause even more alarm."

"Lyth is monitoring the situation closely," he said.

"You need to move on to the next town."

"We have traveled all along the outskirts of the kingdom. There is no other small towns to go to. Every town on the map is overflowing with Imperial guards."

Ravenna's jaw clenched. "That's unfortunate."

"Indeed it is," Vyses answered.

Her mind raced. There had to be some sort of solution that would enable her plans to proceed. She needed those towns under her control —the more towns that she had eating out of her palms, the more power she had compared to the rest of the kingdom.

Vyses seemed to read her mind. "I do have a temporary solution," he announced.

"Out with it," she snapped.

"Patience," he warned. His eyes shimmered with crimson. A few moments passed and then his shoulders relaxed. "I suggest that we stay quiet for some time. No new attacks."

Ravenna scowled. "And how on earth would that help?" she asked.

"Hear me out, lass," he purred. "As time passes, the guards will become weak with complacency. Their guards will lower as time passes and then we can strike. It will be much easier to get what you really want."

He tapped the crown of his head and smiled.

"Keep at your princess lessons for now. Try to speed up the wedding as soon as possible. Then you can take out the king and his heir apparent. In the meantime, Lyth and I will continue to make ice soldiers. We will keep them hidden and focus purely on building an army. Once you dispose of the king, we will release them all at once, all across the kingdom. We will take out the entire Imperial guard in one fellow swoop."

Ravenna exhaled slowly. Vyses was right. There was no real point in wasting more ice soldiers. Not when everyone was so on edge. The beauty of their initial attacks was that they'd had the element of surprise working in their favor. Now, with what happened at Zeporia, they didn't have that anymore. Everyone was expecting an ice soldier to wander into their town now.

"Fine," she said. "Lay low. Focus on building an army. Don't do anything until I contact you again."

"Just think about it, lass," Vyses said, his tone almost dreamy. "The next time we speak, the King will be dead!"

~

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