Keepers of Ice

Chapter 16 - Consumed

Stacey was furious. Seeing her team being roughed up by brutes was not how she expected the day to go. When they had approached her aunt, she had thrown herself at the thugs. However, she could not take all three of them. Two of them had grabbed her arms and the third had punched her in the stomach with an evil grin before being knocked out by her brother, who had finally come to the rescue.

Now Tara was dead and her brother was lying unconsciously on the floor with Estella kneeling over him in worry. Even though her stomach was still hurting, she felt a lot more angry than upset. Stacey immediately got up whilst her body returned to its normal temperature, grabbed her bow and arrows and glared at Ky, who had just pulled out the two shards in his arm and leg.

Ky took a step back when he saw how angry she was. When she began to reach for an arrow, he sneered at her and ran out of the room. Stacey cursed and wasted no time in following him. "Come back here you coward!" she yelled after him. I'm putting an end to this, she assured herself as she loaded an arrow onto her bow.

"Wait up!" a voice called from behind her. Stacey ignored the person running after her and when she had reached a hallway, she raised her bow and took aim at the retreating figure of Ky, who was just about to enter another room in this huge ice castle. Goodbye Ky. She breathed in. This is for Mum, and Dad, and all the Keepers of Ice you and Order have killed. Her arrow was aimed in the direction of Ky's skull.

"Stop!" Someone suddenly grabbed her shoulder, causing her to shoot her arrow into the ceiling out of shock. She watched as Ky safely escaped into the next room.

Stacey turned around and had to stop herself from shoving him away. "Cody, you moron! Why'd you do that for?" her hands were trembling with rage.

Cody seemed unfazed by her sudden outburst of anger and took a step towards her. "I had to stop you. You were going to kill him."

"Why wouldn't I kill him? He's a murderer!" Stacey screamed back.

"Stace, you need to calm down." His eyes were staring gently into hers. "Ky's a sick madman, but that doesn't mean you should kill him...that wouldn't be justice. It would be revenge, and it'll make you a murderer."

Calming down a little, Stacey's anger suddenly dispersed and was replaced by another intense emotion. She realised what she had nearly done if it were not for Cody. Guilt and sadness washed over at once. She had always wanted to avenge her parents but never like what she was about to do a moment ago.

"I... I'm sorry." Stacey dropped her bow as tears started to stream down her face. She tried to wipe them away but Cody had wrapped her in his arms. "Cody, I didn't mean to—"

"It's okay, everything will be alright," Cody whispered gently as he continued to hold her tightly whilst she cried into his chest. She felt embarrassed that her boyfriend was seeing her like this, but she could not help but feel safe and secure in his arms.

When he let her go, Stacey wiped her eyes and reached for her bow. "Thanks Cody." She avoided his gaze out of shame.

"Don't mention it." A few quiet seconds passed by awkwardly. "You know, you still look beautiful even when you're crying."

"Keep going and I'll make you cry next." Stacey threatened teasingly with a smile. "Well, we should return to the others."

❄ ❄ ❄

"So, what's the plan?" Estella asked.

"Well, the glacial keepers are still out there trying to push Order back but they'll need reinforcements soon." Stone glanced at the rescued Blizzard Keepers. Some of them were badly injured. "Where's Tara?"