“Jeff, she’s lying,” Melinda argued, crossing her arms over her chest. “She’s trying to get out of trouble for running away, and pinning the blame on me.”
He sucked in a deep breath, the anger blazing in his gaze as the truth dawned on him. The muscles of his neck tightened as he faced the woman who’d been Lyra’s nemesis for far too long.
“That’s not like my girl. But the behavior she’s talking about—I’ve noticed the extra cup out on the table when I’ve returned home. The cigar stubs when I know you don’t smoke those. Lends her story a little more credence, doesn’t it?” His voice remained hushed as he restrained his temper.
Melinda’s features crinkled as tears began to stream down her face. “Baby, I made a mistake,” she pleaded with him. “You were gone so often, and I got lonely.”
He shook his head, resolute as he tilted his chin up. “No, I’m the one who made the mistake. I’ve held onto you for far too long when it’s been clear for some time this relationship isn’t working. You don’t give a damn about my girl, and I’m tired of trying. Get out, Melinda.”
Lyra swallowed hard at the words she’d longed to hear for so long, her eyes growing hot with tears. Still, she watched in silence as Melinda stomped on the ground.
“You can’t just kick me out,” her stepmother exclaimed.
Yet her dad wasn’t faltering. The man she’d known as a little girl had returned. “I can, and I am. We’re finished, Mel.”
Melinda spat on the ground. “Don’t come crawling to me when you realize you’ll spend the rest of your life alone.” When her father didn’t respond or move from where he stood, Melinda got fed up and stomped toward her car.
He wrapped an arm around Lyra’s shoulders and pulled her in tight. “Honey, I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry.”
Tears flowed down Lyra’s cheeks as all the events of the past few days came crashing down—all she’d seen and all she’d experienced. Her lip trembled, and her body quaked as she leaned into the crook of her father’s arm, letting the warmth of his embrace soak her to the core. She had come home at last, and this time, she wouldn’t leave. A staggering wave of relief rushed through her, and her knees threatened to buckle.
Her father guided them over to the steps, and they took a seat. Minutes later, Melinda’s car peeled out of the park, and Lyra didn’t miss the middle finger out the window. While the woman would be back to collect her things and have a less than civilized talk with her father, the knowledge the harpy’s looming presence would be absent from the house released a burden Lyra had carried for too long.
She hunched forward, elbows digging into her thighs as she stared at the ground, barely daring to believe she’d survived. Her time in the ice castle hadn’t been a dream. She pulled the stone out of her pocket, looking at the glittering brilliance under dawn’s light.
Her father’s eyebrows lifted, even though he kept his arm tight around her shoulders. “Where’d you find something like that? A gem that perfect has to be worth a fortune.”
“Out in the woods,” she stated.
Even though she could launch into the tale of where she’d been, she knew better. The strange magic of that realm didn’t belong here and would sound like some sort of fairy tale. She flipped the stone over in her hands, her reminder of what had happened. The knowledge would stay with her because, even though it seemed a distant dream, every moment spent in the castle had been real.
Lyra had been born in the cold, a child of winter, and beckoned by the ice prince’s lure, she’d arrived at a castle fit for the richest of rulers. So much treasure and so much wealth, but she’d given it all up for something greater. For home and family. Though the ice prince might beckon and though the distant ringing might filter through the forest, Lyra was wiser now.
She’d heed the warning of the bells.
Acknowledgments
This is a story that I’d written years ago, but it’s one that I’ve always believed in, and so I decided to bring the story up to caliber with meticulous revisions. Of course, I’d never be able to create this wintry fairytale without the help of Tammy, Joe, Ally, and Rob whose input was so invaluable. And the lovely author Ember Leigh offered fantastic critiques to help whip this story into shape! As always, I have to thank my amazing friends and family who not only support me but who make sure to drag me out of the writing cave too!
Note from the Author
Hey all! If you enjoyed the book, leave a review! I’ll be honest, it’s made the difference for me personally in persevering when I’ve been at the brink or ready to give up. Writing is a career full of ups and downs, but it’s those kind words from readers that illuminate our darkest days.
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Come chat with me at any of these places—I’d love to discuss anything from airships to unicorns!
About the Author
Katherine McIntyre is a feisty Irish chick with a big attitude despite her short stature. She writes stories featuring snarky women, ragtag crews, and men with bad attitudes—high chance for a passionate speech thrown into the mix. As an eternal geek and tomboy who’s always stepped to her own beat, she’s made it her mission to write stories that represent the broad spectrum of people out there, from different cultures and races to all varieties of men and women. Easily distracted by cats and sugar.
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Also by Katherine McIntyre
Captured Memories (Cupid’s Café #3)
Of Tinkers and Technomancers
Note from the Publisher
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Thank you again for purchasing and reading A Reflection of Ice.
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Happy Reading,
Opal Moon Staff
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