[wattys 2018 shortlisted]
Humans see her as a dangerous threat -a witch that must be executed. With the uncontrollable ability to form ice at her fingertips, Ravenna is forced into hiding amongst the humans, stealing to survive. That is, until she h...
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AS THE DOOR to her room closed shut behind her, Ravenna's scowl deepened. Her fingers lifted to her temples, rubbing small circles against her skin, and she forced herself to take some deep breaths. The anger that churned through her veins was dangerous and she knew that she needed it to simmer down.
She made her way toward the bed, sitting gingerly on the edge of the mattress. Her lips wrinkled into an angry line and she rested her hands in her lap. Her gaze focused on her fingertips, on the tendrils of ice that danced atop her skin.
If she were being honest with herself, she really wanted to start creating a massive army of her ice soldiers —an army big enough to help her utterly destroy Tylat. The sheer amount of disrespect that he had shown toward her, simply because she was a woman capable of using magic, was utterly ridiculous. His constant attitude and offensive words were completely unnecessary. His mindset was that of pure ignorance. She wasn't a helpless damsel in distress, nor was she a voiceless servant or piece of property.
It seemed as though he needed to be shown just how powerful a mere woman could be.
The only thing that made her hesitate was the forest that surrounded them. Even Vyses couldn't figure out how to get them through it. Tylat was the only one who knew how to navigate it, and he wouldn't be much help if he were dead.
A knock at the door startled her from her thoughts.
Her jaw clenched tightly as she stood and made her way toward the door. Her fingers curled around the doorknob and she cracked it open. "Can I help you?"
Vyses stood on the other side of the door, a spelled stone of light held tight within his right hand. His wine-colored eyes shimmered, an unnamable emotion swimming within them. "May I come in?" he asked.
She almost slammed the door shut in his face.
Forcing in a deep breath, she turned around and started back toward the bed. He pushed the door open and quietly shut it behind him. A small frown was present on his face. "I understand that you are angry at Tylat," he said, his voice soft.
Ravenna crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Vyses. "Oh, that's absurd. What on earth makes you think that?"
Vyses closed his eyes. He sucked in a deep breath, his fingers curling tighter around the stone in his hand. It glowed brighter, almost blindingly, for just a moment. Then it dimmed as his grip relaxed. "Lass, it's just one night. The moment the sun rises tomorrow morning, we can leave and you'll never have to see this man again. We don't even have to stay for breakfast."
"He was incredibly insulting," she snapped.
"I understand. But there is no use in instigating a fight that we cannot win," Vyses said. His lips parted around a yawn and he rubbed at his eyes. "I highly recommend that you just let it go for the night and get some rest. We all need some rest. We are all exhausted from our travels."
