The Snow Queen's Frozen Heart Book 2

Realizing Mistakes

Aaron's cell was much nicer than others. His actually had a simple twin sized bed with a wool blanket, a torch for light, a bookshelf full of novels, a trunk full of clothes, a desk and chair, and a woven rug. All of this, because he was the son of a king. Even though I rarely visited him, he was family, so every few months I would send him new clothes, paper, quills, ink, and books.
Of all the things I'd expected to see, a mess was not one of them. Whenever I'd visited my uncle in the past, his cell had always been tidy. Now, it was a wreck. The chest was open and clothes were torn and spread out everywhere. All of the books where on the ground near the bookshelf that was no longer standing up straight, but was tilted on its edge, leaning against the wall. The rug was bunched up in a corner and the chair legs had been broken off and scattered around the room. Where the bed had been was only a pile of ash and charred wood, and the unlit torch.
I stepped into the cell, the six ice guards and Elsai following me. The only thing that seemed untouched was the desk. I went over and found a folded note with my name on it. Unfolding it, I read its contents out loud.

Ingrid,
I am sure that you've come back to Arram if you are reading this letter. Honestly, you killed for the throne, yet you abandon it and this country to visit another one for months at a time. What kind of "queen" are you? Even I only killed one of my parents, and even then it was swift and mostly painless. You've killed not only both your parents, but innocent citizens as well, yet it is I whom are imprisoned and it is you in charge of this great land. A cold hearted person like you, dear niece, does not deserve the privilege of ruling Arram. This is why the country needs a strong ruler. A king. And no, not that so called husband of yours. Not like my pathetic brother nor my blinded father either. Now, as you probably already know, it's impossible to escape Haus Des Teufels, just as it is impossible to escape Hell. So ponder this...Where am I?
-Aaron, future king of Arram

"Oh, dear God..." I breathed, turning to Elsai, wide eyed. "Elsai...He's still here...In the prison..."
Elsai gasped and took the letter from me, reading it over himself.
"I want every inch of this place searched!" He ordered the guards, "Leave no cell no shadow unchecked!"
The guards stood at attention before rushing to escort us out of Haus Des Teufels. We were out in the hall and I turned to re lock Aaron's cell, but ran into one of the guards instead.
"A thousand pardons...Your Majesty." He said in a low voice.
"Yes, yes, just step aside." I huffed.
When he didn't move, I glared at him and stepped to the right to get around him but he moved in front of me. I stepped to the left and he moved again. He was too broad shouldered to just brush past him and he was human so I wouldn't use my powers. Then an unnerving thought hit me. There had been six ice guards and four human guards. Only the six ice guards had gone into the cell with Elsai and I. All of the humans had stayed in the hall. This man shouldn't have been between me and the door. He would have had to come out after me...
Just to be sure, and praying I was wrong, I turned and counted. Six ice guards, four human guards, Elsai, myself, and the broad shouldered man...One to many. I gasped and turned to use my powers to push the man back into the cell but he was too quick. He seized the back of my neck, hitting a special nerve, making me fall limp into his arms.
My vision was blurred and fading fast. One of the man's arms was across my shoulders, his other hand held tightly to my jaw. I saw Elsai and the real guards take a sudden move toward us before they saw the position I was in. One easy move and the man could snap my neck, killing me and the baby.
I could see the worried and pained look on Elsai's face, darkness tinting the edges of my vision. As my eyes rolled up and closed, numbness taking over my body, the last thing I saw was the eyes of my Uncle Aaron, peering at me from behind his helmet.