Frostbitten Past

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ANDORRA WAS right; her trainer wanted to work her to the bone. After confessing that she had successfully moved herself and Noah, he was ready to practice with her. It was simple things, like working on her focus, stretching her mental strength, working on building up her speed and agility while moving in-between.

She was still mad at Noah. He doesn't believe in me, she sulked to herself as she walked out of her training room, tired from everything she'd just been through. He always does what's convenient for him. Asshole.

She climbed the large, wide staircase towards her bedroom, dreaming of a shower. All she wanted to do was shower, put on pajamas, and curl up in bed. Just the thought was heavenly enough for her to nearly sigh in content, only there was a person standing in front of her door, blocking the way.

Her smile soured as she looked at Lithe standing there, arms crossed. The dark haired girl flicked a strand over her shoulder as she connected eyes, mouth puckering in distaste. "Princess."

"Hi, Lithe." Andorra moved towards her bedroom door, despite wanting nothing to do with her.

"We need to talk." Lithe's voice sounded angry, but her face turned passive as she stepped out of the way, allowing Andorra to open the door. As Andorra went into her bedroom, Lithe was quick to join her and shut the door immediately.

"Is this where you kill me?" It was a joke, but Andorra would have believed her if Lithe said yes. She moved towards her dresser, shedding her cardigan and placing it on top. She pulled her feet from her shoes and blew out a long sigh, sitting on the edge of her bed.

Lithe didn't move from the doorway. "Why do you look so tired?"

Andorra rolled her shoulders. "Because I am tired. I figured out how to make a gate, but I can only bring one person through. So I've been working endlessly to strengthen my mind or whatever."

Lithe's eyes widened. "So you could take me somewhere if I asked, right now?"

"Yes. But, where would you go? You live here. And if you hate me, then you'll definitely hate humans."

Lithe waved off that comment, sitting on the other side of the bed, suddenly looking eager. "I don't hate humans. I mean, that would be rather hypocritical."

"I don't think the word you're looking for there is hypocritical. If it was hypocritical, that would mean..." Andorra trailed off, watching as Lithe studied her nails, purposefully not looking at Andorra. "That would have to mean..." Andorra stood up from the bed, staggering back, trying to fit together the pieces in her mind. "You're human. Human!"

Andorra watched as Lithe's cheeks grew red, still avoiding eye contact. She shrugged in response, studying the bedspread now.

"I don't understand. Why are you here?" When Lithe looked up at her, making eye contact for the first time, Andorra's stomach bottomed out. The moment she looked at Lithe, she saw her mother's face almost immediately. It shocked her so much she stumbled back, tripping over her feet and landing on the floor with a thump.

"No. No." Andorra was scrambling now, backing up, looking at Lithe. At her dark hair, her hair skin, her large eyes. Her mother's eyes. She suddenly, all at once, saw her mother in Lithe's face, and it made her want to be sick.

"Princess," Lithe stood up, her face looking irritated. "Stop looking at me like that. I'm just human, okay? Sorry I'm not like you."

Andorra shook her head. "You're their daughter. Their real daughter." The girl Andorra's aunt remembered. The reason why her aunt had been so convinced Andorra was a demon. The reason that her aunt tried to kill her.