The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice

by Melissa Collins

  “Well, whatever it was, that person wasn’t the only victim.” A crunch in the gravel behind Neomi caught her attention, twisting her head to see what drew Edric’s eye. In a fluid motion he swept his hand over the ground, retrieving another skull from under the ice and rocks. “I get the suspicion that the method used to entrap the Avaern brought some casualties on the side of the Ythes as well.”

  She stared at the bones scattered around their feet. This couldn’t be. The legend said the Avaern was killed and then buried beneath the land that the Ythes village was built over. But the legend had already been proven wrong. The Avaern wasn’t dead. What was to say that other details hadn’t been altered for the sake of keeping the Ythes failures a secret? “I do not understand,” she breathed, moving past the men toward the widened center of the crater. “The legend is all wrong. Have the Ythes lied to us for so long?” Her foot caught on another bone protruding from the ground, stepping back in a graceful movement. How many people perished in this place?

  “Given what little I know of your people and the Ythes, I could cogitate about a story for what happened, but it would lack a solid basis,” Callum replied, rising to his feet in a swift flourish. “The Ythes seem like a proud tribe, much like the rest of the Ovatai. If they were charged with a task by the Chief and failed, they might not have been so willing to admit the shortcoming. A simple stretch of the truth would spare their reputation. Judging by the number of bones left behind, I would speculate that a large unit worked to subdue the creature and fell victim to the leader’s quick decision to bring the mountain down around them at the expense of his own men. No one other than a select few closest to the Ythes leader would know that the beast was still alive. The witnesses to the falsity were dead, leaving the remaining Ythes to fabricate a tale of victory which earned the reverence they have enjoyed among the Ovatai since that time.”

  “If that is true, then I doubt you will find anything written in the Ythes journals,” Edric added. “They wouldn’t risk anyone discovering their deception.”

  Neomi let her fingers weave through her hair, the light around her body dimming with her distraction. Little could be proven without more evidence, yet the Captain’s speculation made sense. And if it was even remotely accurate, Edric’s suspicion about the journals would in turn be correct. The Ythes would know that to document the treachery would come back to haunt them if the journals were discovered. The truth would go to the grave with the men who survived. Unless the secret was passed on. Their village was built over the living, breathing beast, waiting for the day it would stir and rise again. Would the ancient Ythes have left their people so uninformed that they would risk the creature awakening and killing them all?

  No. Someone had to know. They wouldn’t find the answers in the journals, but they could interrogate every Ythes they came across. Emakai must have known something. He showed no surprise at the rumble of the Avaern’s arousal. He knew what it was before the beast surfaced. His words said it all. It awakens. You will all die. It will see the end of you, Okivra. It will see the end of you all! “Those bastards,” she hissed. “They have known all along!”

  Storming forward she moved into the light which filtered down from above. She wanted to find the Ythes. If they were hiding down there, she would make them pay for the treachery of their people. Her hand reached for the sword at her hip, prepared to draw it on anyone who approached. The Ythes deserved to die. Their betrayal cost the lives of many good warriors which could have been spared.

  Footsteps behind her caused her to jump, drawing her blade defensively, the tip of it lifted to point at the neck of the intruder. She inhaled sharply to find her eyes met with Edric’s, his hands raised in surrender. “Neomi,” he exhaled, swallowing hard at the pressure of the metal against his skin. “It is just me. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “I am not startled,” she stated coolly, lowering the sword back to her side in a deliberate motion. Seeing him reminded her of the reason she’d come there in the first place. Now just wasn’t the time. She couldn’t focus on speaking with Edric when so many other things crashed around inside her mind. “Why do you approach me now when it was only a short while ago that you practically ran from my company? Where is your Captain?”

  Slowly Edric lifted his hand, motioning toward the direction they’d come, never letting his eyes leave hers. “He is with Moinie,” he cleared his throat. “She arrived as you were walking away. I thought I should come to check on you. To make sure you were alright.”

  “I am fine,” Neomi lied. How could she be fine? The Ythes needed to pay for what they had done. Only then would she be able to calm herself. “You should worry about yourself. It is my observation that you are distracted from the mission currently. I suggest you figure out your own issues before you concern yourself with me.”

  “You are offended by my actions, and I cannot blame you,” Edric replied, slowly taking a step toward her. She flinched, prepared to move away. There was no reason to distance herself from him. He was harmless. That much had been established.

  “Offended is an understatement. I came to seek your assistance and you intentionally avoided me. After going against my better judgment to help you replenish the energy lost against the Boeikath, you repay my kindness by running away. And you wonder why I think poorly of your people.”

  “I can explain, Neomi. If you will let me.”

  “We cannot talk about it right now. I must find the Ythes and force the answers from them that we seek. You may accompany me if you like. It matters little to me.”

  Reflexively Edric covered the remaining distance between them as Neomi started to turn away, his hands extended toward her, grasping her slender arms gently to keep her from moving. “Please,” he said quietly. “Allow me to explain myself while we wait for the others. It would be unwise of us to take on the Ythes alone. You are an exceptional fighter but if they hide in numbers, we would have no chance against a volley of arrows. I understand you are angry. Do not let your emotions get you killed. There will be plenty of opportunities for us to get the revenge you desire.”

  Her eyes scanned Edric’s face, curious by the intensity she saw in his features. He was worried about her. The crease in his forehead revealed a desperation that was concealed in his tone, the light from his eyes flickering in his failed attempts to mask it. She hated to admit that he was right. Two of them against even a small band of Ythes would result in death. The few they might take down before they fell would not be sufficient enough for punishment.

  Giving in to Edric’s gentle urging she let him pull her back. There was no sign of his earlier contempt, making no move to place distance between them. Instead she felt him step in closer, tossing a cautious glance over his shoulder to where Moinie and Callum stood at the mouth of the crevasse from where they’d come. “Talk fast,” she nodded. “When Moinie finishes with your Captain, she will see our conversation interrupted.”

  Edric’s eyes trailed down to where his hands rested on her arms, a look of surprise passing over his face as if only just realizing that he was touching her. “I’m sorry,” he breathed, retracting his hands, suddenly uncomfortable. “Why did you not push me away?”

  “Would you prefer it if I did?”

  “No,” he shook his head in dismay. “I prefer it when you and I are amicable. It is unfortunate that such occasions are so rare.”

  “Then tell me why you denied my company earlier when I attempted cordiality. Did it have something to do with that vile woman you were speaking with? I can only imagine what lies she must fill your head with.”

  Heaving a sigh Edric gazed down at the ground. He looked miserable. Confused. Had she hit closer to the truth than she thought? “The two of you have my head addled,” he replied. “You tell me one thing of her and she tells me another in regards to you. I have no way of knowing which one of you I can trust, yet I find myself more willing to believe that your intentions are less deceptive than Sahra claims. Perhaps it is wishful th
inking and I am nothing more than a fool, but I like to think that you and I are friends, to some degree.”

  Friends. It was a strange concept. One that she wasn’t entirely used to. There were few people in her life that she would use such a word to describe. Friendship implied something more personal. Maybe Moinie is wrong after all. Perhaps it is mere friendship I feel toward this man. “To some degree, yes,” she nodded. “What does Sahra say about me which makes you question my honor?”

  “I’m almost embarrassed to say,” he chuckled nervously. “She seems convinced that you are trying to seduce me in order to use me as a tool against my fellow men.”

  That wench! Neomi could feel her anger rising again, fueled by the thought of what Edric was saying. Her? Trying to seduce him? It was the other way around! Sahra was the deceptive wretch who intended to sway Edric into falling for her so she could have his crown. Why would she say something like that?

  She would take care of that woman. This insult would not be overlooked. A stream of expletives tumbled from her lips, muscles tensed, her legs carrying her forward in the direction of the wall where they had made their descent into the crevasse. Her progress was halted by Edric’s strong arms wrapping around her from behind, his hand reaching out to clasp over her mouth, silencing her profane curses against Sahra. “Neomi,” he breathed, his mouth only a few inches from her ear where he held her in place. “Your language is worse than most sailors I have known. I didn’t tell you this to upset you. It’s merely an explanation for why I’ve been confused about you.” Gently he spun her around, staring hard into her eyes, the volume of his voice lowered. “I keep thinking about the other night. While it may not have been intentional, your lips touched mine, and you cannot deny it. You sought me out against Moinie’s wishes. Sahra even claims you rendered her unconscious so you could slip past her to see me.”

  Her shoulders slumped forward at the accusation, unsure of what to say. Of all the nonsense, that particular claim was true. “I will accept responsibility for that,” she replied calmly. “She would have insisted on sitting around babbling about vacuous topics long into the night had I not helped her to sleep. You cannot tell me you have never wanted to do the same when she opens her mouth.”

  “And the perfume?” he questioned. “What about that? She says you tried to steal it from her once you discovered it was rumored to be a favorite of mine. I smelled it on your skin.”

  “I already explained that it was a test…”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Neomi blinked, mouth agape, bewildered. He didn’t believe her? What right did he have to accuse her of lying? But she was. The excuse about wanting to test him had been the story she fed Moinie. Deep down she knew it was more than that. She wanted to see if it drew Edric’s attention. She’d wanted him to notice her. “Fine,” she huffed. She couldn’t tell him the truth. She needed to think of another line that would appease his curiosity. “That was the night Sahra told me of her intentions to trick you into falling for her. She thought the perfume would somehow catch your eye and make you want her. I did not want to allow such games to take place while on this mission so I took it to prevent her from distracting you.”

  “And in taking it from her, you felt compelled to then wear it yourself ?”

  “My wearing it was a mistake. Are you happy now?” she gasped, flustered by his questions. He was more observant than she gave him credit for. “I was trying to hide it when I must have caused it to spray. It is humiliating for me to admit that I fumbled over such a simple device. The last thing I wanted was to let anyone else know.”

  Her heart was racing. Something about the way he held her sent a tingle along her skin, the light she exuded from her body pulsing in a quick rhythm, reminding her of the energy she continued to manipulate despite the distraction of her mind. Edric seemed hypnotized by it, his gaze shifting from her face to her arms, watching the glow fade in and out with every beat of her heart. Could he sense her discomfort? It was oddly pleasurable in a way though she didn’t want him to know. The light was giving her away. In a conscious effort she dispersed the energy, leaving them in the natural rays from the sun overhead.

  They said nothing, their eyes locked on one another, unable to look away. Neomi’s chest heaved under the strain of her pounding heart, her breathing ragged. He was so close. The sapphire glow of his gaze was mesmerizing, the silver flecks seeming to flash like stars in their depths. Reminded of the night when her lips had been in contact with his, she felt a familiar urge once again, longing to feel the pressure of his mouth. The warmth of his kiss. But there was no excuse for it now. The mingling of their essence had long since worn off during their journey to Isavo. Whatever sensations that had been caused by the bond should have dissipated. Yet here they were. Edric’s hands released his grip on her arms, sliding slowly behind her shoulders to draw her closer. And even worse was her disinclination to stop him. She wanted this. Moinie would never approve…

  “Edric?”

  Neomi’s stomach fell at the sound of Callum’s voice coming from behind them. Immediately Edric’s arms released her, his feet stumbling backward to place distance between them. “Yes, Captain?” he called back, averting his gaze to keep from meeting Callum’s accusatory stare.

  Embarrassed, Neomi brought her hand up to shield her face from view. This wasn’t happening. What was wrong with her? They were only supposed to talk. How had she let things get so out of control… again?

  The sound of gravel and snow crunching underfoot signaled Callum’s approach, a second set of footsteps only adding to her discomfort to realize Moinie was not far behind. Had they seen the two of them together? Part of her prayed desperately that Callum’s call for Edric had come before they were within line of sight. “Your Highness, I think it might be a good idea if you headed back to the surface to check on the others. We should not leave them unattended in the event of an attack by the Ythes,” Callum commanded. “I will be up shortly to speak with you.”

  Edric said nothing in response. It would be pointless to argue. They were caught in the act by their friends and no amount of denial could change what happened. He moved away from the group, head held high in a desperate attempt at displaying pride through his humiliation. If she was in a position to stop him, she would have. She didn’t want him to go. His presence would ease the lecture Moinie no doubt prepared to give the moment Edric was out of range.

  A hard grip on her arm pulled Neomi from her thoughts, dragged away from Callum by Moinie’s stern hold. She was surprised by how much it hurt. Angered by the assault Neomi spun around to face her friend, eyes narrowed, glaring furiously at her through the light of the late afternoon sun. “Unhand me,” she said through gritted teeth, tearing her arm from Moinie’s grasp. “You are out of line! I will not be treated like a child in front of the Vor’shai. You dishonor my father by disgracing me in such a manner.”

  “And you were only supposed to talk with the Prince,” Moinie hissed. “Imagine my surprise, and the Captain’s, to walk out and find the two of you together in that way. Why did you let him touch you?”

  “It is not what you think. I was angry. Edric knew my intention was to seek out the Vor’shai woman and tear her head from her shoulders. He was trying to prevent me from doing so.”

  “The Captain and I agree that you two are getting too close. He has already been taking steps to prevent you both from being alone together and we have decided it is imperative such measures are continued. As soon as we return to Nahedu, the two of you will be separated. You will not work with him again.”

  “That is not your decision to make!”

  “No, but it is your brother’s, and I will see that he does so.”

  “You would not dare…” Neomi’s voice trailed off at the sound of something whistling through the air nearby, a soft crunch indicating the landing of an object hurtled to the ground at an impressive speed. Her ears twitched, listening intently. She could hear nothing, surrounded completely by
the silence of the massive crater. Curiosity got the better of her. There would be time to scold Moinie for her behavior after they investigated the strange noise.

  Lodged in the rocks a few feet away was a long, slender arrow, the flights meticulously placed by the hand of a skilled weaponsmith. It was of Ovatai design. She recognized it instantly, though who had fired it into the chasm was unknown. Their own soldiers wouldn’t fire their weapons without cause but an enemy wouldn’t be able to see them clearly enough from above. “Oh no,” she breathed, tilting her head to stare up toward the surface. “They are under attack.”

  The words had barely formed on her lips when another arrow rained down from above, shattering against the icy wall several feet above their heads. They weren’t prepared for an ambush. If they tried to reach the village it would only alert their enemy to their place of hiding deep in the chasm. Strategy dictated it best to remain in concealment until the enemy had left so they could seek a means of escape without notice. Moinie’s immediate retreat into the shadows told Neomi that she was thinking the same. It was Callum’s frantic gaze that gripped her heart in fearful realization. Edric was on his way to the surface.

  Without thinking she took off at a brisk pace along the uneven ground, eyes locked on the mouth of the crevasse. She had to reach Edric before he began the ascent. If he reached the top, he would be killed. They had to stop him.

  “Neomi, what are you doing?” Moinie shouted, following her over the rocks in confusion. “We have to take cover. If you go up there, you will die with the others!”

  “I must get Edric!” she replied loudly, uncaring about what Moinie would think of her decision. At least in this matter she knew Callum wouldn’t argue. It was two against one. There was nothing Moinie could do to stop her.