The Ice Queen of Lessaenes (Book 5)

The Iceheart Serum

I woke up several times during the night, too excited about what Fenorel wanted to show me to sleep. I checked the Aurapad beside my bed each time, only to find to my dismay that it wasn't yet morning. Finally, on the sixth or seventh time- I can't quite remember- the Aurapad read 8:30!

A/N: 8:30 is very early in the morning for the Lessaenites, when you would normally wake up on a weekday, since they have 30 hours in a day.

I sprung out of bed faster than ever before and wrapped a thick coat around my wrinkled blue gown before smoothing the hem out and pulling my frizzy black hair into a quick bun. Turning to the mirror, I smiled to see that I looked presentable, well, at least, by my standards.

Slipping on the thinnest shoes I could find to avoid making too much noise, I opened the door of my room and padded down the stairs as lightly as possible, before walking through a complicated network of passageways and into the garden.

The Royal Garden was one of the few places in Icicle Hall that was truly quiet.

No, I don't mean just quiet. I mean quiet quiet.

The kind of tangible quiet that settles onto your skin and into your ears like a net, the quiet that makes you feel like you're the only person in the world.

I liked that kind of quiet.

"Fenorel?" I called softly, but there was no response but the chirping of crickets and the occasional call of a bird.

"Fenorel!" I said a little louder. Still no reply. I chided myself for my stupidity. This was Fenorel Soren we were talking about. Named Lessaenes's model guy. Why would he actually show up? He was probably looking out from one of the many windows that loomed above me, laughing at the stupid girl standing out in the cold and the dark, waiting for him...

"Sara?" I jumped at the soft voice, to see Fenorel standing behind me!

"Oh...I'm sorry if I scared you," he put his arms out apologetically. "I just really didn't expect you to come."

"I didn't expect you to come either," I laughed.

"I guess we've both surpassed each other's expectations, then. That's a good thing...right?"

"It's a great thing!" I beamed. "So, what was it you wanted to show me?"

"Ah yes, it's right this way."

I followed Fenorel through rows of Linaberry bushes and Krannoxleaf lilies, before we reached the wall that separated the Royal Garden from the rest of Glaisse.

That wall brought back unpleasant memories.

"This is it," he pointed to the wall.

"What? This is my garden! I've seen this wall a thousand times! There's nothing here!"

"Do you trust me, Saralee?" Fenorel asked. For a second, I thought he was mocking me, but I then saw the true curiosity in his eyes.

"...Yes."

"Good," he smiled. "This may be slightly uncomfortable."

Fenorel placed his hands on the ground, pushing down before pushing to the side, then pulling up on the grass. The entire garden seemed to moan before a miniature chasm opened up, pulling the dirt from right under my feet.

"Fenorel! What the heck is happening!?" I screamed as I began to fall into pure blackness.

"I told you to trust me, Sara! It's going to be okay!" I heard him yell from somewhere to my right as I plummeted into who-knows-what.