Queen of Summer's Ice (Book 2)

Chapter 27

The days leading up to everyones arrival was just a wreck with nerves and excitement. Ray and I though made sure that we were kept busy to distract ourselves. He would talk every day with Clovis, Alagan and I hiding stuck to the shadows to hear his words. It was little to more of the same conversation.

"Any letters from my Dad to come and save his first born son?" Clovis would ask.

"Not even a bird," Ray replied honestly.

Good, I thought, It lets Clovis feel as if he's been forgotten. Lets him think that his father wouldn't go to the ends of the lands to get him back. Or even to negotiate. Then again it does take a human far much longer to get to the spring castle than a royal. And I did only leave one to send the message.

When we had spent too much time down in the cells we would visit the closest homes that were damaged and offer our services. They refused kindly but having their backs turned away gave Alagan a chance to secretly re built their stones so they would be sturdy once again. They never noticed that a spring had helped them.

It helped that my brother wore his hood over his face so his spring features would remain a mystery.

During the nights after I rubbed Rays sensitive skin with medicine to help heal his bruises and bones, after he would lay sound asleep, my mind would still all over the place. Overthinking every situation on what my next move would be. Because it was my move next. The other seasons would hold their breaths and wait a century until I decided what to do next. My next plan was to use Alagan. Well, use was very loosely put. He wanted what he wanted, and that was Spring. But how would we get it? Would we go in and slaughter each and every spring royal so he could start fresh? They'll never just give him the throne, lands below they would rather die than do that.

If we do that will that be the final straw for Autumn? Will that make the silent and gentle winds they create turn into tornadoes of vengeance?

But what of Summer? How will that King take the news. Will he feel obligated to start a war with not only Spring, but with his daughter. He'll have to figure out if this will be a fight he wants to fight. If he is ready to put family against family until there is only one left.

Answers never came into mind, just more questions, by the time the sun rose back up again. Except for one morning, my mind didn't have to wonder around in questions anymore. The sun was still an hour before rising, but I woke Ray up so quickly he practically jumped out of bed but relaxed once he saw my smile.

"Please tell me you're smiling because they're here and not because you like to torment your husband."

I laughed deep from my stomach, "I don't like to torment you. But yes! Hurry up get your clothes on they're here!"

The long decent down the stairs I sent little ice hands knocking on my couicils - and Alagan's - door to wake them up. We definetly didn't wait for them to wake up and get dressed, Ray and I had made it to the bottom of the stairs and out into the winter morning the same time the Ice horses that they rode on stopped.

It took a heart beat to count each and every one of them to make sure all of them were really here. And then Ray and I moved together to where Aunt Palma was holding Dax and Nazim Ivory. Both of them were wide awake despite the time, despite that Ivory was such a heavy sleeper and refused to get out of bed most mornings until after the sun was out.

"Mommy! Daddy!" They both squealed in unison.

The four of us sighed as we were finally, finally, reunited after weeks of torture - lies - fighting - and funerals. But none of that mattered now that we were together again.