Frostbitten Past

X L I I I

WHEN ANDORRA returned to the Snow Clan palace, the first thing she realized was the screaming. There was so much of it, she immediately ducked underneath her bed, trying to figure out what was wrong. She had been gone for the day, and she suddenly felt like her being gone had imploded.

Her heart was in her chest, beating so hard she was struggling to breathe. Panic filled her chest and made it tight, and she felt lightheaded enough to make her close her eyes. Breathe, she told herself, flattening herself against the floor.

There was a large roar, something inhumane, and more screams filled the palace. Get out, she told herself in a panic. You need to get out! But, she thought about how she was a Princess, a leader, and running from the problem wasn't going to help anyone. She knew she had to do something, or at least figure out what was wrong. She rolled out from under the bed and pressed her ear to the door. It seemed quiet on the other side, but she was too afraid to leave the safety of her room. She wanted to check on Noah, but the pain in her chest from his potential betrayal made her ignore the need to see him.

Instead, she pictured Oberon. She wanted to know if he was safe, or if he had been killed already. Just the thought of him dead made her chest constrict painfully, and she stepped into the in-between, praying he was okay.

The world turned hazy and then she was in Oberon's bedroom, relieved to see he was safe. He was huddled against the wall, Lithe beside him. He held her hand, squeezing it tight, closing his eyes. She was doing the same, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"We're going to make it out alive," he told her, and Andorra could hear the hope in his voice. There was no way he knew they would make it out alive, but he was still trying to reassure Lithe that things would all work out in the end.

Andorra stepped out, immediately stepping towards them. "Obe, Lithe, what's going on?"
Both let their eyes pop open, then immediately looked at the door, seeing it was still locked and closed.

Oberon leapt to his feet, wrapped her in his arms. "Where the fuck have you been? Everyone has been looking for you! We thought... we thought you had been killed."

Andorra didn't want to say the truth, that she had been in Anlithamy, so instead she lied. "I was practice transporting. I went to Maine for a little bit."

Oberon pulled her down on the ground. "Next time, let one us know when you're going to go on an adventure. We're under attack, and there are so many dead. So many." He crammed his eyes shut, willing the tears to go away. "I don't know where my mom is!"

"I can find her!"

"No." Oberon's answer was immediate. "I am not letting you go out that door."

Andorra smiled, but it was strained. "I don't have to." And then she was pulling herself into the in between, thinking of Melisande, praying she was safe.

It took only a moment, and then Andorra was looking at Melisande, who was hiding in the kitchen, squeezed in the pantry, praying. She was muttering words Andorra didn't understand, her eyes closed.

She didn't leave the in between. Instead, she forced open a gate for Melisande and called to her. "Melisande, it's me! I need you to trust me."

The woman opened her eyes, looking at Andorra through the tears. "What?"

"Come with me! I'm going to take you to Oberon."

Melisande looked like she wanted to ask questions, but she didn't. She jumped up out of the pantry and into the in between, and Andorra was bringing them back to Oberon, back to the bedroom, where it felt safer.