Iron Frost - Clan of the Rim Chronicles #1

3

COLD SNOW. BOTH FALLING and underneath me where I laid. Cold but not making me shiver. I wondered if this was death.

My eyes were either closed or there was nothing but darkness around me, though it didn't really matter which. I was dead. I slowly began twitching my fingers that seemed to ache with even the slightest movement, and touched the powdery snow. It felt so strange, considering I'd never felt it before, but maybe it was supposed to be that way in whatever place I was in.

I moved one foot, and then the other, one arm and repeated the same. Every orifice of me pained. I slowly began to open my eyes. I expected to either see a heaven where it apparently snowed or a hell that must've frozen over, or even something completely unknown.

But instead I was greeted to a man's face in very close proximity to mine; and our lips about to make contact.

"Whoa, what the hell are you doing?" I gave a little shriek, pulling myself back away from the stranger.

The man simply looked at me like my startled outburst didn't phase him at all. "I was going to transfer some of my power to you," he said. "You're clearly hurt, if you're unaware."

Slightly confused I gave a glance down at my shoulder, my shirt wripped at the sleeve and exposing its entirety. A large burn covered my skin from my collar bone to the end of my shoulder, welps and bloody sores on the surface. I gulped down a lump in my throat and looked away before I was sick.

"Let me help you," the man spoke once more and came closer to me, but I pushed back further.

"No, you stay away from me," I gritted, holding up a hand in defense. I tried to shove down the awful pain rippling through me.

The man sighed, sitting down on a snow covered rock across from me. "I suppose this is not going to be as easy as I hoped."

"Who are you? Where am I?" I interrogated, getting straight to the point. ". . .Am I dead?"

The man gave a slightly bitter laugh, but I didn't find the matter so comical.

"If you were dead, I certainly wouldn't have to be doing such an execrated task."

"You didn't answer my question," I spat back at him. "Who. Are you?"

As I got a better look at this stranger I realized it was in fact the man I'd seen in my dream, and standing over me after the knights attacked. He was dressed in a white sleeved button up shirt, with black pants and leather boots. A dark blue cloak the color of the sky after sunset clasped over his shoulders, a grey fur lined at the top as if to keep his neck warm.

More visible now I noticed his black hair had highlights of blue in certain movements of light, and a clear look at the frozen lake of his irises. His pointed ears drew my attention even more than before, and I still wanted to laugh at them if the situation weren't so serious. His face was a cold expression, his eyes still distant, and I couldn't help but let my curiosity wonder why.

"You were the man at my house. You attacked those knights, you. . .you kidnapped me!" I accused, leaving the part of the dream out.

"I did not kidnap you, Your Highness," he tried to defend, "I rescued you. I-"

"Wait, hold up," I quickly interrupted him, wanting to make sure I heard correctly. "Your Highness? What the hell is that supposed to mean? Who do you even think you are? You come into my house after it's attacked by these. . .evil knight creatures and take me, bringing me God knows where thinking I'm some kind of royalty or something? Because by all that I think I'd clarify you as insane."

"You just don't understand right now, but you will, trust me," he assured.

"Trust you? How am I supposed to trust a stranger who took me from my home, unconscious, and brought me here? How do I know you weren't involved with those beasts and you're just waiting to kill me like they did my parents?"