The Ice Queen

What's Best

Cassian

My head pounds as memories assault my senses. My surroundings are filled with bloodstained snow as the Dragonborn attack overhead. I look around in a panic as my mother and brothers scream orders at me, the panic prominent on their faces. They drag me from my home and through the destroyed village, just as a Xindrite of the king runs his sword through the throat of my brother.

I jolt awake, my eyes quickly scanning the room for enemies. The dream felt so vivid and so real. But as the adrenaline slowly drops, I realize those aren't my dreams. I sit up in bed, flinching from the pain that radiates from my ribs.

"Shit," I murmur.

She lost control again, attacking me. The last thing I remember is standing over her. I didn't have time to react or try and shut down her mind, as there was a strange entity blocking our oath. I should have healed by now. But since Neytiri is an Ikniri, and her power is shifting into something dangerous, my body is not. My gaze shifts to take in the chilling presence in the room with me. Neytiri is seated on the loveseat, her feet drawn to her chest as her chin rests atop her legs. She's fast asleep, her wild hair flowing over her left shoulder as she rests.

Those memories were hers.

I feel guilt brewing in my gut as realization dawns on me. Her mind is having difficulty adjusting to her body's current state. It still lives in the past. And not only did I, but her brother also tampered with it. We may have broken her mind without meaning to, and now I am paying the price for it. She's lived through constant hell going from the day of the attack to living in that village with those people who feared her. Then her trauma continued in my presence until my final blow finally broke her mind.

She shouldn't have been able to hibernate. She hasn't had enough training in her magic to do so, but she did. Her body has been stretched to its limit and now I am paying the price. I lay back in the bed, placing my head against the pillow as my thoughts take over. I close my eyes, inhaling deeply as I feel the hedon brew deep in my gut. After a minute, I release my breath letting the heavy smog rise through the air to permeate the room. Now that it has become part of the air, Neytiri will inhale it making her too weak to fight back and possibly awaken for a while.

She's dangerous. And I don't know how much longer I can keep her under control. I let my emotions cloud my judgment. I wanted her to trust me more than I cared for my own safety. If something happens to me, this island and all the people on it will be in trouble. I slowly pull back the covers, stifling my groans as I rise out of bed. Ulric wrapped my ribs giving me a quick fix, but I need a healer. Finally, I reach the door pulling it open to reveal Hynden on the other side. Her eyes are wide from my sudden appearance, but as she takes me in, her gaze shifting past me to the sleeping Ikniri, she laughs.

"So, the legend lives," she says bitterly.

I shift my body, blocking Neytiri from Hynden's view as I close the door behind me.

"Come with me."

We're silent as we make our way through the estate. The tension between Hynden and me has been heavy ever since Neytiri showed signs of awakening. I haven't seen her since the day I brought the doctors to the island, her communication coming through Ulric most of the time.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," I say as we enter my office. I sink into the cushions, watching Hynden carefully as she approaches. She's wearing an all-white power suit cut dangerously low as she pulls her jacket from her shoulders.

"When the king calls, I am compelled to answer," she says avoiding my gaze. She sits next to me, gently placing her fingers over the bruises and breaks. After a moment, heat from her palms seeps into my flesh as she begins to heal me.