The Ice Queen of Lessaenes (Book 5)

Prototype

When I woke up, I couldn't feel my skin. Any of it. It was like my entire body had been chilled to the point of numbness. 

I lay on a white bed in a dark room, with tubes sticking in and out of my body in multiple places. Groggily, I wiped my eyes and poked myself in the arm, stomach, and leg until I regained my sensation to some degree. 

It took an enormous effort to sit up, and I soon realized why. I was at least six inches taller than I had been before! Through the flimsy hospital gown I was in, I could see that I had changed so much it was like I wasn't even me anymore. It looked like someone had taken a supermodel's body and stuck it on my head, except, my head wasn't the same anymore either. 

When I looked in the full length mirror in the corner of the room, my heart nearly stopped. The face that stared back at me looked like a character from a fantasy video game, with nonexistent pores, full, red lips, long, jet black hair, and porcelain skin. And best of all were my eyes, once a pale blue, they were now a lively purple, with flecks of red and silver. 

Carefully I unplugged myself from the many machines I was connected to and stood up in one sweeping movement. Grinning with giddy delight, I spun around, posing in front of the mirror. I no longer looked "cute" when I smiled, like Fenorel said. I looked powerful, fierce, even a little cruel. I liked it. 

"It worked," I whispered, gazing lovingly at my reflection. "The Iceheart Serum worked! I'm an Iceheart! I'm the Prototype!" I shrieked with pure joy, running my hands through my silky hair. 

If Keilee was beautiful, I was stunning. 

I was an incarnation of perfection itself. 

"Sara?" I heard Fenorel knock tentatively on the door before stepping in. "Sara!" He smiled wide when he saw me standing in front of the mirror. "Oh my gosh, I thought you were dead! The heart monitor actually stopped for a second, it really did! Oh, that was so close," he pulled me into a tight hug. 

"But dang," he stepped back, looking me over. "You look like an angel. It shouldn't be possible for a female Lessaenite to be that attractive," Fenorel grinned. "You're making me dizzy." 

"Wait until you see me in something other than this ripped white gown," I high-fived him. 

"Oh, that's right, I meant to put this on your bed," he handed me the dress I had gone to visit him in. "And, appearance is only the beginning. Check out your Aura. Although it wasn't meant to be, this is the first human test, so I need to know about any changes you feel for the record." 

"Okay," I smiled as he left the room so I could change. As I pulled on the dress, I found that it only came up to just past my knees, and was tight in so many places I couldn't even count. Had I really been that skinny? 

"It...doesn't fit anymore," I grunted, struggling to pull the dress back over my chest and shoulders. 

"Oh, I figured," Fenorel laughed from outside the door. "Enlarge it with your Aura." 

As I summoned my Aura, I felt an electric rush of power burst through me before I blasted the dress. 

"This is amazing!" I beamed as my power filled the room. With my gift, I had been strong, but this was more than strong. This was invincible. 

"It works! It works! My Serum works!" Fenorel happily waltzed in just as I finished zipping up my dress. 

He ran up from the door as fast as he could and wrapped his arms around me, briefly kissing me before pulling away. We were both too excited to stay in the embrace for long. 

"It's best that you get back now...everyone's probably wondering where you are." 

"Oh yeah!" I gasped, my eyes widening with realization. In my excitement, I had forgotten about Keilee. How would I explain all of this to her and everyone else in Icicle Hall without giving myself and Fenorel away? 

"What am I going to do?" I sighed, leaning my head against Fenorel's chest. "I can't go back without explaining my sudden transformation to Keilee. And then, I'd have to tell her everything. You could be sent to jail for breaking clan division rules, and me...who knows what she'd do to me for meeting you like this!" 

"We could run away, you know," Fenorel smiled softly. "Just the two of us, together. We could go through the portal, stock up on supplies at my house, and flee to some remote Rhenan village where no one would ever find us. We'd be away from the world, you know. Safe. Happy." 

"But then I could never have the throne," I sighed sharply. 

"Oh, come on, Saralee, it's been over a year now!" Fenorel threw up his hands in frustration. "I thought you were over this! The throne is Queen Keilee's, and it will be her oldest child's after her." 

"Not if she doesn't live long enough to have children," I grinned evilly, a crazy idea forming in my head. 

"Sara, what are you thinking?" Fenorel asked, his voice shaky with anticipation. 

"Why, I'm thinking of killing Keilee, of course," I crossed my arms. "I've got almost the whole plan, now I've just got to work out the details. It's completely foolproof!" 

"Oh, no!" Fenorel grabbed my hand. "It's the side effect!" 

"What side effect?" I turned my head to the side, confused. 

"The only side effect of the Iceheart Surgery. You can't just get immortality for free, everything comes with a price. Being an Iceheart eats away at your empathy, your kindness, everything that makes you a living, feeling being! I just didn't expect it to happen so soon, or so much..." 

"The side effect is only a bad thing if you see it as one," I smiled, still absorbed by my idea. "I think it's a great idea! Without Keilee, there's no one to question my disappearance and change, no one to imprison you, or bully me, or sit on my throne. I like my new Iceheart brain, it helps me think logically, without pesky things like emotions getting in the way. No Keilee, no problems. Therefore, I must get rid of Keilee!"

"I hoped it wouldn't come to this. This is why I tried to put off your Iceheart Surgery as long as possible," Fenorel gave me a dark look. "You're turning into a monster, Saralee. You're becoming a cold-blooded, sadistic killer, and you're only going to get worse. Trust me, I made the Serum. I'm sorry, but unless you figure out a way to beat the side effect, don't expect to see me around." 

"Wait, Fenorel!" I yelled, following him out the door and into a whitened hallway. "Please!" 

He continued to ignore me, reaching his portal and opening the door. Finally, he turned around slowly. 

"What's that thing humans say? Ah, yes. I'm Dr. Frankenstein, and you're my monster, Saralee. I've created something I can't control, and now, I have to leave before it destroys me. I'm sorry."

"I would never hurt you!" I pleaded. 

"That's what you say now. Good luck with your evil plans!" He said coldly.

"No! Fenorel! Please wait!" I screamed, but he had already disappeared into the portal's dark depths.