Heir to the Ice Queen (Book 1)

Ch. 26

     Elis came strolling into our group once most of the warriors started to rest, "Come with me Evie," he said.

     "Where too your majesty?"

     "They need to sleep, we on the other hand will continue to train."

     I said my goodnights to my friends and squeezed Ray's hand gently as I left my group and followed Elis - And Nuri following me - a mile out away from camp into the open dessert. Tonight the sand was slightly cool as it molding to my steps.

     "What's todays lesson then oh great one? Will it be a starring contest? Juggling fire?" I joked.

     His face was somber though, slightly annoyed at my lack of seriousness, but the hatred from when he first met me has been subdued.

     "No, I'm afraid todays lesson won't be as fun as what you're suggesting. Today we fight."

     "Fight?" I said weary, "Like you trying to kill me and exhaust me - again - before we even reach the boarder? Do you think that's wise?"

     "You aren't going to lose all your strength again, your body has adjusted to both powers. But that doesn't mean that you are certainly an expert at fire just yet. Now that we know for sure that you can wield ice in summer there is no denying that you won't be able to do the same with fire in winter. So, this is what is going to defeat your mother. A human army will never stop her, a single person attacking her with fire won't do it, a single person attacking her with ice won't do it, but you Evie will have all three," He looked at me and lifted my chin up with his thumb, "Let's not mess this up."

     This was a far away person, this was not the substitute king that I met and hated. He changed, I finally proved myself to him, or maybe Aunt Palma knocked some reasoning into him, either way, this man now trusted my word - and dare I say it- might even care for me. So I nodded my head with confidence and readied my fighting stance.

     We both took a steady breath and waited, but he was the first to charge towards me. I had an idea, something that I haven't yet dared to try but it was something to test out here while we practice fought. My blue flames listened to me needs, they came so easily now that it really was an extension of myself. I made my fire into a long blue whip that crackled with heat and caught hold of Elis' ankle. I brought his body down into the sand with a smack.

     I really wish I had an audience then, only to witness and cheer at how skilled my move was, but alas Nuri was my only fan. Nevertheless he laid on the ground with his tail moving happily back and forth. I'll brag about this moment to my friends later tonight then.

     "Excellent move Evie," Elis grunted as he stood back up.

     "I think that's the first compliment you've ever given me," I said lightly, but really deep down I was a little shocked by it.

      "But-" He started.

     "No! No 'but's' that was flawless," I interrupted.

      "But you're distracted," he replied with a heavy breath.

     And of course before I realized what he meant, I had chains of his fire snake around my body holding my arms and legs down. And soon enough I was the one hitting the ground.

      "Damn it!" I muttered with sand grinding in between my teeth.

     Earlier the dessert looked magnificent and almost like the ocean, except unmoving - beautiful is what I would have call it. But once you breath in sand and eat it as a meal, and lets not forget the feel of it inside your clothes irritating your skin, sand sucks.