Once Upon A Time Frozen Over: Shards of Secrets (Book One) [COMPLETE]

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - REVELATIONS

Present Day

Kristoff rode furiously through the dark forest, taking every short cut he knew. It was a relief knowing he could navigate through the woods without the queen's approval of which direction to take. This part of the forest was all too familiar to him  — he could find his way with his eyes closed if he had too.  His mind raced, the trees a blur as he rode by them; he wasn't sure if it was the last bit of ale that still swirled in his head or the bombardment of everything that had happened that day. He was thinking of the dangers that lie ahead with the Blood Gang, the unknown sorcerer who created the manticore, the fact that Evie could possibly be his sister, and that his father could still be alive.  And above all, he was thinking of his feelings for Anna.  He knew he loved her, but he didn't know how  to love her — or worse, how to live through another loss if he couldn't keep her safe. That's why he knew he had to do this. He had to put a stop to this.  He had to protect everyone.  He had to protect her.  He rode harder and faster as his clouded mind became muddled with his thoughts. 

Just then, he saw the faint glow of a small campfire through the trees ahead on the left of the path, he slowed down and quietly trotted into the trees to keep hidden. He dismounted his horse and tied it to one of the many pines. He treaded gently across the pine needles and twigs, being sure not to make a sound. He could hear the crackling of the fire as he approached the hidden camp. He quietly entered the camp, but to his disappointment — no one was there. Everything looked the same as he remembered: the two logs by the stone fire pit, the green cloth tent next to a brightly lit torch and a hitching post, and the tree house that brought a flood of memories back to him. As he looked around the camp, he saw chests overflowing with treasures. He sat down on one of the logs next to the fire and picked up a crystal unicorn laying on the ground next to the adjacent log. The firelight shone through the crystal, causing a spectrum of luminescent beams. Kristoff scoffed and tossed the unicorn back onto the dirt. 

Just then, he felt the cold, steel blade of a knife at his throat.

"You didn't do a very good job hiding that royal horse. You have two seconds to tell me who you are and what you're doing here before your blood decorates my firepit," a dark voice growled.

"Wow...three years and that's how you greet your own brother?" Kristoff said disgusted.

"Kristoff?" the voice said taken aback, pulling the knife away from Kristoff's throat.

"Hello, Flynn," Kristoff said coldly as he got up from the log and turned around to face him. "I see you've been busy."

"Kristoff, my little brother! ...Bring it in," Flynn said enthusiastically with his arms outstretched for a hug. 

Kristoff crossed his arms to brush off the hug. "Don't pull that act on me. You can't undo the fact that you betrayed me....I don't understand you....You were with the Blood Gang for three years and were finally able to brake yourself away from them and instead of actually trying to change and make things right, you just become a wanted thief again?  Honestly, Flynn, do you have any sense of morality left in you?"

"Aw, come on, you've been holding a grudge all this time?" Flynn said with his crooked smile and his arms outstretched again, waiting for his hug.

"Grudge? You stabbed me then left me to die!" Kristoff shouted angrily, pointing his finger in Flynn's face.

"No, you don't understand!" Flynn shouted back. "I knew you wouldn't die from that wound — I had  to do that so the Blood Gang wouldn't kill you.  You knew too much so they wanted you dead.  I was going to explain everything to you and tell you to run, but one of Angus' head men came with me so I needed a different course of action and had to make it look convincing....A day hasn't gone by that I don't think about what I had to do to you."