White Force

Prologue

Cora

Footsteps. It was the only sound I heard within the damp and darkened dungeons of the Ice Castle. I assumed the nightly guard was making his usual rounds and so I kept to the frosted, stone floor. Not that I could move much, anyway.

My head pounded from the blast of white fire that had nearly ended me. Limp arms and legs barely felt the cold stone floor beneath them. Tears froze before they could reach the ground. I knew my temperature was extremely low, and the chilly dungeons played a part in that fact.

Titus. That bastard.

My anger toward him was what kept me warm enough to survive the days I'd spent caged and without care - however long that had been. I hated him and yet I loved him. Such a pitying fate.

The footsteps stopped near the frozen bars of the cell. I waited to hear the sound of a metal food tray sliding against stone but heard nothing. I lifted my head just an inch, it was all I could manage.

"Who is there?" I called into the darkness. The guards hadn't even bothered to light the torches.

As if on queue, the torches on either side of the cell lit up, and two figures came into view. I gazed into the silver and green eyes that belonged to the new Ice King and the Fire King. They were both close in age and height, and both wore crowns of glory on their heads - so similar and yet so opposite.

Titus had lied to us all. He'd been a Slynathis rebel from the start. He'd manipulated me into telling him certain truths to help him get closer to the King, and now he was King. He even stood there, staring at me with an airy disposition, as if he'd already become accustomed to his new role.

"You look quite becoming," Titus said, but his nose was turned up as he watched me - a face full of pity and a voice full of sarcasm.

I shifted my eyes to the Fire King, surprised to find only curiosity radiating from them. He looked warm, so warm; I wanted to beg him to set me on fire and end my freezing torture. Instead, I shifted my eyes back to the bastard.

"We have ourselves a problem here, Lady Cora. You turned against me," Titus began. "You chose to defend Lady Anya over helping me. You lied, and because of that, you are now facing treason." His serious gaze made me shiver. "Do you know the punishment for treason? Death. But I don't want to kill you, Cora. I like you. Because of that, I'm going to offer you a proposition." Titus opened the cell and walked inside.

"I'm going to offer you freedom for the truth." He stopped in front of me and kneeled low. "Where did they go?" he asked.

"Who?" I croaked.

"Don't play stupid. Your friends: the Prince, Anya and Luca," he barked.

"I'm glad they got away," I began, mustering up enough strength to speak louder. "But I don't know where they went to."

I heard Titus sigh and then he placed a hand on my cheek in an intimate way. Somehow, his touch had grown unfamiliar as if his hand belonged to another. My Titus no longer existed.

"You took a rather strong hit. Your body was in shock, and soon, your body temperature will send you into another shock. It could possibly kill you. I don't like seeing you like this, even when I'm angry with you. I want to help, but you must help me as well." Titus stood and motioned for King Toro to come inside.

I watched the Fire King approach and kneel to his knees beside me. He then placed a hand over my forehead and his warmth began to travel through me, unthawing my frozen limps. I moaned and closed my eyes, enjoying his touch more than anything I'd ever felt before.

"I'm not your enemy," King Toro began, and the sincerity in his voice soothed me. I opened my eyes and met his emerald orbs. "I do not wish to destroy your kingdom, but I will if the descendent of the Ice King takes back the throne. Please cooperate with your new King."

"He is not my K-king!" I exploded in a fit of coughs, which hurt my chest and made me moan even louder. I needed the infirmary.

"This one is fiery," Titus said. "That's why I liked her. I'm surprised she's an Icelander and not a Firelander."

The King removed his hand from my forehead and I was once again cold and miserable. I reached out and grabbed his hand, meeting his eyes. They were so beautiful and green, and yet so deadly.

I was taught that fire meant bad, and cold meant good. It meant that the Fire King was also bad...even though he showed more mercy than Titus. It was confusing, and even though I didn't trust him, I still used his warmth to make me feel better. I was desperate.

"Please," I told him, and he understood. He placed a hand back to my forehead, and I instantly relaxed.

"If you cooperate with us, I will help you recover," the Fire King stated. "I'm here until I know without a doubt that the Prince will be stopped."

"The Prince did nothing wrong," I argued, and the Fire King opened his mouth to speak. Titus quickly interjected.

"I knew you wouldn't give us any information today, so I'll leave you down here until you decide to cooperate. And you will." He then looked to King Toro. "We are done for the day."

Titus then turned and stormed out of the cell. The Fire King slowly rose from his spot next to me with a sigh. "Remember. I'm not your enemy."

King Toro exited the cell and closed it behind him. Suddenly, the torch lights went out and I was once again alone. I closed my eyes and hoped Anya had made it safe to her destination. Iceland depended on her survival. I depended on it.

Save us Anya, I cried, creating droplets of ice. We need you.

I then closed my eyes and focused on even breaths. It felt as if I wouldn't survive much longer in these conditions. Hopefully, I'd live to see Anya and the Prince's return. If not, at least I had helped.

Or at least I tried.