The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice

by Melissa Collins

  Neomi didn’t care about a few pieces of fabric. They could worry about drying their clothing once they were out of the water and safely on solid ground. Diving under the surface she held her eyes open in the murky water, searching desperately for where Edric had gone. From her vantage she could see the sharp drop of the lakebed. The crater was deeper than she anticipated. Below she could see Edric’s arms pressing him toward the surface, hindered by the cold which had set into his body, weighing him down, his motions sluggish. He was having a difficult time controlling his muscles.

  With expert strokes she swam to meet him, her arms wrapping around Edric’s waist to assist his efforts to reach the surface. Kicking with all the strength she could muster they fought their way upward. Her lungs burned. They were further down than she realized, impressed by the depth. Stealing a glance, she saw nothing but darkness at their feet, the bottom of the lake looking like nothing more than a gaping, endless pit.

  Just when she thought they wouldn’t make it, she felt the cold rush of wind blow across her face, inhaling deeply through her mouth, coughing at the sensation of water running over her tongue, choking her. There was nowhere for her to stand. In her arms she could hear Edric gagging on a mouthful of water, their bodies clinging tightly to one another as they treaded water to keep one another afloat. Through her hazy vision she saw Ehren’s hand reaching for them, grabbing firmly onto Neomi’s arm to pull them both back up the incline to set their feet on the ground.

  Clearing the last of the water from her throat Neomi placed her hands on Edric’s arms, staring at him, searching his face for some indication of his condition. His coughing was more severe than her own, shivering uncontrollably. “Edric? Edric, can you hear me?” she asked, shaking him gently to get his attention. His gaze was glassy, unfocused. Shock was starting to set in. “Sarhik, don’t do this,” she whispered. There was nowhere for her to go. Nowhere to take him. Whatever she chose to do, she needed to do it fast or he was going to die.

  She refused to turn back. It wasn’t an option. Her mind reeled, unaware of what her hands and arms were doing, already working to support Edric’s weight, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Directing Ehren to come closer she helped drape Edric’s other arm over his brother, the two of them swimming forward into the darkness of the cave. She wasn’t sure how much longer she would have Ehren’s help. His own body was starting to shudder violently, lagging behind in his attempts to keep up with Neomi’s determined pace. There had to be somewhere in that damnable cave with flat, dry ground. It was formed from natural ice. A cavern of that size had to have ledges and crevices created by falling snow and erosion.

  Underfoot she noticed the lakebed starting to rise, the water lowering around her legs with every step they took. They were at an incline. The slope was unnaturally smooth and steep, like a ramp guiding them out of the water. Droplets of water splashing up the sides left a coating of slick ice along the surface. Her boots didn’t have enough tread to make the climb without slipping back into the lake. Reaching to her waist she pulled forth a sharpened knife, motioning toward Ehren wildly in the darkness. “Grab a blade,” she commanded, stabbing the tip of her dagger into the ground. “We can use it to scale this wall until it levels out.”

  It made sense. Had they been in any other cave, she might have had more faith in the possibility of it working. Here, she wasn’t so sure. She couldn’t see the top of the incline. Her stomach churned to think that it was nothing more than a wall and they would find their path completely blocked. After so many years, it was an unfortunate truth that the cave could have collapsed. The environment was constantly shifting and changing. This place wasn’t any different just because of what might be hidden inside.

  A soft clink against the ice came from the other side of Edric. His brother was struggling. The cold was taking him over, no doubt numbed from head to toe from the extended time they spent in the water. And where was Onuric? Did he still stand out on that shore and call to her like some lost puppy? He was a fool if he thought she would come back now.

  Groaning from the strain, she dug her foot into the side of the slope, slamming the tip of her dagger into the surface again. She wasn’t strong enough to drag all three of them. If Ehren lost consciousness, they would be doomed. You could try and take them up one at a time. It was the only option she was left with, but it wouldn’t work. The Vor’shai were too sensitive to the cold compared to the Ovatai. While the first she dragged out might have a chance at survival, she would have to leave the other in the water for the length of time it took to find a safe place for the first. Whoever she left behind would never make it.

  She cried out at the sudden sensation of a strong arm wrapping around her waist, a loud splash resounding through the cavern. A larger blade plunged into the steep ice, dragging her and Edric up with incredible strength and control, her mind almost believing it her imagination until she realized there was a second man on the other side of them, hoisting Ehren up with them. “Onuric,” she breathed in grateful relief, recognizing the scent of her brother holding her up. Had he just followed her in the first place, they might not have been in this predicament.

  Anger was impossible. He was there and that was all that mattered. A soft glow illuminated Onuric’s body as they reached a sort of plateau, their legs completely removed from the icy water below. The light created by her brother was enough to allow her a visual of the cave, relieved to find it didn’t end at the top of the incline as she’d feared. It continued on, deep into the side of the mountain, the floor situated well above the water level. Good. They wouldn’t have to worry about the icy water anymore. Their concern now would be whatever else might stand in their way.

  Crawling across the ground she moved to Edric’s side, rolling him over onto his back to check for a pulse. He was still breathing. The empty look in his eyes was frightening, his lips and face a distinct shade of blue. Her own frozen body no longer mattered. Edric was in worse condition than her. If they didn’t get his temperature up, he wouldn’t be with them much longer. “Edric, talk to me,” she urged, rubbing her hands along his arms to try and induce circulation. He said something in response, the words garbled. Nonsensical. Anything was better than nothing. “Keep talking,” she begged. “How are you feeling? Are you in pain?”

  “You aren’t going to do him any good if you leave him in those wet clothes,” Onuric stated, kneeling at Neomi’s side, his hands quickly working to undo the buttons of Edric’s shirt. She stared at him in shock, not registering what he was saying at first.

  “We cannot leave him naked in this temperature. He needs to get warm. That will only make him colder.”

  “It will be easier to warm him if he is not drenched in freezing water. Now, turn away, Neomi. Let Ewei and I handle this.”

  He was worried about propriety at a time like this? How like her brother to be so detached from the severity of the situation. Her own clothes were matted against her skin, leaving her chilled to the bone. Following Onuric’s logic, she peeled her coat from her arms, the tips of her fingers trembling uncontrollably as she started to lift her shirt from her torso. If she got out of her wet clothes she could use her body heat to help Edric. Without dry clothes or a blanket, physical warmth was the only thing she could offer. Onuric was to her in a blur of light, pressing her hands back down before she could raise the fabric over her head.

  “Neomi, what are you doing?” he said through gritted teeth, looking over to where Ewei was knelt beside Ehren. “You must keep yourself covered while in the company of these men.”

  “So I must freeze to death because I am a woman?”

  “We will find you something to change into…”

  “All of our belongings are soaked, Onuric. Have you forgotten? What exactly do you propose I wear?”

  “My pack barely touched the water. I will locate a blanket for the Vor’shai men and something for you to cover yourself with until your clothes have been properly dried.” Turning away he moved toward th
e bag lying on the ground next to Edric’s shivering form, reaching in to pull forth a long length of fur and tossing it at his feet. He reached inside further before producing a pair of pants and a shirt, throwing it at Neomi irritably. “Find a corner and change into these. Once you are dry and the Vor’shai men have been tended to, we will work on drying everyone’s clothes so we can continue…since you are so adamant about not leaving this place.”

  She wanted to argue. Onuric had been so against Edric and his fellow men from the moment they arrived in Ethrysta, she hated to think of leaving his life in the hands of her brother. But he was right. The only chance they had at saving Edric was to get him out of his clothes and wrapped in the fur Onuric was already lying over Edric’s midsection. His eyes lifted to her sternly as he pulled his hands away from Edric’s belt, silently commanding her to look away.

  For some reason she blushed to think of Edric being disrobed. It felt like years since she’d seen him in such a state of undress although she knew it had only been a few short months since that night in Isavo. Not wanting her brother to see the expression on her face she turned around, clutching the dry clothes tightly in her hands. Yes. She needed to get changed and back to the others so she could keep watch on Edric’s condition. The first few hours would be crucial in seeing him and his brother out of danger. And no matter what Onuric said, she would be there by Edric’s side until he was healthy enough to follow her again.

  The night passed in a blur for Neomi, her attention directed vigilantly on Edric’s condition. From under the fur Onuric had wrapped around his body he continued to shiver, drifting in and out of sleep. His pulse was more regular than it had been before. A good sign of his recovery. Periodically throughout the evening she would rub at his hands and feet to keep the blood flowing, wishing there was something more she could do for him. She felt helpless. It was an awful feeling. One she wasn’t used to experiencing. Not since the day she’d gone to Edric and told him she didn’t love him had she felt so wretched as she did now. If not for her brother’s hawkish eyes watching her every move, she might have been compelled to weep.

  Morning came and went, the monotony broken only by Ehren’s stoic company at Edric’s other side. He was wrapped in a thick blanket, positioned close to Edric, occasionally exhaling warm breaths over his brother’s arms. They sat in silence, neither one knowing what to say to each other. She barely knew him. Despite the closeness she shared with Edric, she knew very little about his family. Ehren appeared young. Significantly more so than Edric. There was a youthfulness to his eyes that belied his attempts at looking aged and experienced. Tiny differences between them could be linked to the genetics of their parents. Edric looked more like his father. She’d only been in the King’s presence for their brief meeting, but she could see the resemblance between the two when they stood side by side. Ehren’s figure was more slender. A trait no doubt gained from his mother. His eyes also matched the dark sapphire hue of the Queen, more rounded; almost feminine in comparison to Edric. Right now his eyes were shifting awkwardly between her and the ground, seeming as if he wanted to speak, but wasn’t sure how to say what was on his mind.

  She ignored the awkwardness of his gaze, sliding closer to Edric’s arm as she began rubbing her hands along the skin. He still felt cold. Like ice to her touch. She was beginning to wonder if the blankets were doing enough to warm him without the assistance of dry clothes underneath.

  “Thank you.”

  Ehren’s words cut through the silence, soft and hesitant. She looked up at him, surprised to hear him speak, her eyes quickly shifting to look over to where Onuric knelt, a twitch of his ear signaling that he had heard the statement, continuing to listen for what Neomi would say in response. Without privacy, she was limited in her reply. It was frustrating, knowing there was so much she wanted to tell Ehren but her brother’s prying made it impossible. “For what?” she stated calmly, sliding her hands further up on Edric’s arm.

  He watched her, following her lead on the other side, rubbing vigorously at Edric’s skin. “In my time here, I have not known your people to show much in the way of compassion. I thought for sure my brother would perish when he lost consciousness in the water. I owe you a great deal of gratitude for what you have done to save him.”

  “I have done nothing. Onuric was the one who stabilized his body.”

  “You do much, though you perhaps do not know it.” His voice had a soft rise and fall, gaining confidence and losing it again, intimidated by her. She wasn’t entirely sure what it was about her that made this man so nervous.

  It was better not to respond. A lengthy conversation of any depth would draw her brother’s unwanted attention even more than they already had. Saying nothing, she reached forward to check the blanket, making sure the fur was still tight against Edric’s midsection. The temperature of his core was the most important. She hated the fact that there was so little she could do to help him. With Onuric there she couldn’t utilize her own warmth to aid in regaining the internal temperature of his body and Ehren wasn’t in good enough condition for his blanket to be passed off to his brother. All she could do was sit there idly, rubbing at his fingers and praying he would wake soon.

  Her silence did nothing to ease Ehren’s discomfort. Leaning forward he started to speak, pausing to rethink his words before managing to form them on his lips. “I hate to ask this of you when you have already done so much but… is there not more we can do for him? In Tanispa I have seen our physicians do great things through the manipulation of energy. Do your people know such skills?”

  “Of course we do,” she scoffed, the response sounding harsher than she liked. It wasn’t her intention to insult him. She would have to be more cautious of her behavior or Ehren would never speak to her again. “I considered the use of energy to hasten the process of restoring his internal temperature, but we must be cautious. He cannot be warmed too rapidly. We would risk sending his system into shock. Once his core has regained some warmth, I might consider some more intensive methods.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  Raising her brow at him curiously she motioned toward Edric with a confident gesture. “Lie over him or beside him. The heat from your body may aid the process.”

  Ehren nodded in understanding, wrapping the blanket tighter around him. “And his clothes?” he cleared his throat uncomfortably. “When will we be able to dress him again? It… does not seem right to leave him so… exposed.”

  “Onuric is doing what he can to dry the fabric. Until the dampness has been expelled, we cannot allow him to wear the garments.”

  She found humor in Ehren’s question. Although he asked for the sake of his brother, she could tell that his curiosity held a mild concern for his own state of undress. Ehren’s upper body had remained untouched by the lake but his trousers were soaked completely through. While tending to him, Ewei had removed them, laying them with Edric’s clothes to be dried. Ehren’s bashfulness now made sense as it dawned on her that he was seated there, partially unclothed, left with only his shirt and a blanket to cover him.

  Nervously he laid at Edric’s side, conscious of his body position, his hands adjusting the blanket over his legs, watching Neomi out of the corner of his eye. It amused her how awkward he was. His usual confidence was depleted simply by the removal of his pants in her company. Could it be because of her gender? She found it hard to believe that a man of his age and station would be so modest around women. Any of the Ovatai warriors would have thought nothing of disrobing in front of her. In turn, the women would not have thought twice of doing the same if the conditions called for it. Nakedness was not something to be ashamed of. Her body was only kept out of sight because of who she was. A female of the Chief ’s line was considered sacred. Such rubbish. She failed to see what made her different from anyone else.

  For the sake of Ehren’s comfort she looked away, smiling in spite of herself. Their cultures were so drastically different. It never ceased to amuse h
er the way Vor’shai men revered their women, the genders so separated in society. She couldn’t imagine living that way. Frilly gowns and glittering diamonds… she would never make it as a lady of standing. Her personality was so brazen and straightforward. The men would detest her for having a mind of her own.

  Shaking her head she tried to push the thoughts out of her mind. What did it matter if she could make it in the Vor’shai society? It was not something she would ever have to worry about. Even if she and Edric found a way to be together, it was unlikely they would be able to exist in the public eye. She wouldn’t have to wear the dresses or pearls or learn their silly customs like curtsies or having men kiss their hands. Oddly, a part of her was disappointed. She wanted to learn about their people. To know more about the world Edric came from. He’d immersed himself in the ways of her kind for months; it seemed only fair for her to do the same.

  She would have to see that he made it through this alive. There wouldn’t be any need for her to learn about their people if she let their Prince die. The King and Queen would never let her set foot in their country again.

  Lost in her thoughts she was surprised to discover how much time passed her by. At some point she was vaguely aware of Onuric having brought her some bread to eat, going through the motions out of habit rather than conscious thought. She wanted to be moving again. They were down another day of their journey that could have been spent searching for the weapon. There was no way to know how expansive the cave was. It could take days to find what they were looking for… if it was even there at all.

  When nightfall came she opened her eyes, horrified to discover that she had fallen asleep. Her head had come to rest over Edric’s abdomen, her arms contorted at an awkward angle, the circulation hindered, tingling uncomfortably as she started to stir. The cave was silent. No light penetrated the darkness to indicate where her brother was. Had he finally chosen to rest? He’d been so concerned about her since he found her with them that he’d hardly closed his eyes for days. If he slept now, she didn’t want to wake him.