Queen of Summer's Ice (Book 2)

Chapter 52

     "She doesn't trust us," death sister said. This time out loud.

     "She's careful, as she should be," life sister replied.

     "She needs to trust us," healer sister said.

     And with that the last sister brought her hands to my abdomen and I felt heat. It wasn't a summers burning sensation, instead it was almost like a warm blanket being placed over me in the cool winter night. My wound had recovered before all of this, but that wasn't what she healed.

     When her chestnut colored hands left my body, her sister - the one of death - asked me the question again. "Your powers, or your baby?"

     "Baby," I blurted out, I hardly even let her finish her sentence.

     She smiled, just a bit. So did the others. The ice around started melting, and the people turned back into their normal selves. Many gasped for air, many fell to the floor and gripped their skin. There was only one that stayed in the ice, the one that death was still leaning on.

     "Accept this gift from us Evie. Because we will be watching you from now on."

     There was no time to ask what she meant, or think about why her words didn't frighten me as much as they should have when the other two sisters both grabbed my hands and again, I felt that warmth that promised me love and happiness.

     They both kissed me on the cheek and stepped back to their sisters side in a few heart beats. But in those few seconds, I placed my hands on my stomach once again and I felt it, I felt my baby once again. Alive and well.

     Tears left my eyes and this time it was I who stood there frozen, not able to say a word or very much breath.

     "I must say, that it really is a pleasure to see you three once again," Alagan said. His voice was closer now and I realized that he was standing right next to me.

     The sister of life was walking past the sister of death to where Aunt Palma was. She was trying to hide the shaking in her body, but she became suddenly still when the sister spoke something quietly into her ear.

     I could only make out the words "I know" from Aunt Palma. 

     Out of habit and curiosity, I tried to reach for my powers, but nothing was there.

     I had chosen what I wanted to keep, and not one bit did I regret it.

     It felt odd, but I'd get used to it.

     "You too, King," the sister of life said in a giggly way.

     "They came to me first, telling me that there was about to be something wrong. That's when Clovis and I came rushing, but even still, I was too late," Alagan explained as he wrapped his arms around me. I could feel his heart beating rapidly right next to my ear.

     "Yeah, we try not to meddle in your affairs, but we make exceptions every once in a while," sister of life told me in a hush voice. She started walking to my right. I couldn't help but follow her with my eyes, but I saw what she was doing. She was trying to distract me as Aunt Palma walked to Slator's frozen body. I was not at my full strength and speed, but I was still a royal.

     I saw just in time as Aunt Palma placed her hand to her brother, and pushed him to the ground. The statue shattered, even over the grass, the force that it went down was enough to end it without any repair.

     Aunt Palma looked away in disgust at the broken ice near her feet, but still she looked up at me. Her eyes were red from the tears that were there already, but I knew that her eyes would be red for days to come.