Breaking the Ice (Book 1)

Epilogue

CAPTAIN IGNACIO

Residents of the village Arthrimn began to scatter frantically like pumice moths. The Captain's squad enjoyed causing a ruckus wherever they went. But terrorizing a town with mixed tribes was not their objective.

Pyrerr Ignacio's competent second in command, Charr, approached his black stallion. "One of the scouts has found one of our foot soldiers in the town infirmary. He has information." Without a moment to lose, he proceeded. Giving his horse a gentle nudge with his boot, the Captain rode to the infirmary building, desperate for information to aid his search....

The soldier had dark brown hair and tired yellow eyes, revealing that he was merely from a commoner family. He laid on a bed, a bandage around his head. "What is your name?" Charr asked him. The soldier gratefully drank the water the chief officer offered him.

"Alev." He responded raspily, pausing to cough. "Alev Smoldere."

Abruptly, Ignacio stomped into the room, cutting to the chase. "You said you have knowledge to give us, Mr. Smoldere?" He took off his helmet, revealing wild red-brown hair that refused to behave. It framed his picturesque face and draped over his shoulders. He was at least a decade younger than the other captains, but he proved to be one of the most loyal and hard-working. His eyes were a dull mustard yellow color, but they were always sharp and calculating, never missing a thing.

Smoldere nodded, downing the last of his water. "I was chasing two suspects that left the volcano shortly after the prince disappeared. They couldn't have been any older than children, but they were dangerous. One was an Icee, the rumors are true that they can manipulate ice, he knocked me out with it."

"And the other?" Charr pressed.

The soldier's eyes burned with hatred. "The other—" He went into a coughing fit. He wheezed, desperate to catch his breath.

Impatient, Ignacio turned around. "It doesn't matter, we'll catch them and find the prince." He began to walk out the door. His heavy boots lit the room with sound.

"The other is a Nightling." The soldier blurted.

The Captain stopped in his tracks. The silence and suspense was thick in the infirmary atmosphere. Ignacio glared over his shoulder, his livid eyes nearly glowed in the deep room. A muscle tightened in his thick neck.

His hair left his shoulders, beginning to defy gravity. There was a reason a young man like him was high ranked. His wavy locks turned yellow, dancing like a rippling fire.

"Is that so?" He asked, his voice carried hatred and scorn...