The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice

by Melissa Collins

  “I fail to see how this could ever work out. Our families would disapprove of a union between us and our chance at elopement has long since passed.”

  “Timing is everything, Neomi. You have a strong basis for argument currently and I know you to be a tenacious woman. Present your case to your father when he is well again. If you hold your ground, you have a better chance at success than you do sitting there on the floor accepting failure.”

  His words struck her. She was being foolish. It wasn’t like her to give up so easily. If only it was so simple to talk with her father about a matter of such a sensitive nature. “You are a wise man, Captain. It is no wonder your men are so loyal to you.”

  He chuckled to himself, his eyes drifting to Edric’s still form. “I would not be the man I am had it not been for Edric pushing me. I owe him a great deal.”

  “I do not think he feels you owe him anything.”

  “What he thinks matters little. I know the truth and I know I would be doing him a great disservice if I didn’t do everything in my power to urge you to fight for him. The gods know how hard he has fought for you already.”

  “He has fought harder than any other man would,” she nodded in agreement. It was true. She had put him through more torture than her own people would have endured for the sake of her. And look where that got him; she thought miserably. He deserved better than this. The least she could do was confront her family and force them to see how much he meant to her. But even if she could convince her father, it still did not grant any assurance that Edric’s parents would agree with the arrangement. “I will talk to my father,” she stated, her confidence slowly starting to rebuild. “There remains the question of your King and Queen, however.”

  “Let me worry about them,” he smiled. The sparkle in his eyes somehow strengthened her own resolve, feeding off the positive energy he exuded. “I have a feeling the Queen will be more amenable to the idea than your father. If he complies with your wishes then we can determine where to go from there when the time comes.”

  In a fluid motion she rose from the floor, brushing the wrinkles from her clothes in attempts to make herself look more presentable. Callum had seen her at her darkest moment but the last thing she wanted was for him to remember her in that way. “When do you intend to leave?”

  “Gadiel is already working on gathering what remains of our supplies. We should be on our way by the first light of morning.”

  She hated to hear how soon they planned to depart. It gave very little time for her to prepare. After so many months of having the Vor’shai around, she loathed the idea of them leaving. Moinie was a good friend but she lacked the understanding of emotion the way Callum and the others shared. Neomi would be left with no one to talk to about her feelings if the separation from Edric became too much to bear.

  Reaching into her pocket she removed a long strip of leather, the tips of her fingers wrapping around the object which had been woven onto it. “I want you to give this to Edric when he awakens,” she said, her voice soft, fighting to keep from trembling as she placed the necklace in Callum’s outstretched hand. He stared down at it, obvious recognition of the object causing him to blink in surprise. The leather had been adorned by a single tooth pulled from the Avaern, the width of its base curving in a perfect arc about four inches across, sloping downward to a distinct point. She had taken great pains in dulling the sharpened tip to a rounded design more suitable for wearing as a trophy of Edric’s conquest. “Most of the warriors chose to use the bones for weapons but I thought it only fair that Edric be given something from the beast before there was nothing left.”

  “It will certainly make quite a statement if he wears it at court.”

  “Yes. I doubt the other men could match it,” she smiled. Heaving a sigh she felt the pleasant expression fade from her lips, realizing that it was time for her to say goodbye. There would be other things for Callum to spend the last few hours tending to. Although she wanted to stay there with him and Edric until the moment of their departure, she couldn’t help feeling that she would only be in their way. Her brother would be looking for her soon enough.

  Expressions of gratitude remained unnatural to her. It was unlikely that Onuric would say everything she felt he should but the thought of sending these men away without at least a proper statement of thanks was not something she could let happen.

  Hesitant, she offered her hand toward Callum, unsure if she was even performing the motion correctly. Should she let him kiss the back of it, or would a simple shake suffice? Whatever the proper etiquette was, she prayed silently that Callum would complete the custom accordingly and spare her the embarrassment of fumbling in her farewells. “Words do not seem enough to express how grateful I am for your assistance, Captain. If my father were well enough to speak, I am certain he would have more to offer in return. An extension of our alliance, I am certain. We owe you a great debt for what you have done.”

  “We could not have done any of it if not for you, Neomi,” Callum nodded. Gently he took her hand in his, turning it over to let his lips brush the skin above her knuckles. She tried not to laugh at the memory of the first time Edric had performed the same motion. What a fool she must have looked! To raise her hand to him over such a harmless gesture. She would be sure not to make the same mistake again.

  “Keep him safe, Callum,” she replied, forgoing the formal title of his position. It was important that she let him know he was more than a soldier in her company. In the end, she hoped he considered her as much a friend as she did him. Turning away she cast one final, painful glance at Edric. Not wanting to cause Callum further concern she let her hands rest on the table, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on Edric’s still lips. Although she tried to hold it back, she felt a single tear trickle over her lashes, the moisture falling onto Edric’s pale skin where her face hovered above his mouth. She was only torturing herself by lingering. “I must go,” she whispered. “If you need anything for your journey home, I will see to it that you are provided whatever you ask for.”

  Anxious to be out of the room she turned on her heel, quickly making her way toward the door. The sound of Callum’s voice caused her to hesitate just before the curtain, holding back another wave of tears already forming in her eyes.

  “Take comfort, Neomi. I have faith that we will see you again soon.”

  A loud ringing filled Edric’s ears, jarring him from the darkness. The sound was awful. He felt as though someone was at his side, chiming a bell directly into his ear, yet somehow the noise came from everywhere, piercing through his head until he thought for sure he would go mad. Through the din he was aware that his body was moving. It took too much effort to open his eyes. Wherever he was, he wasn’t ready to face it. If he could just go back to sleep for a little longer…

  “Edric?”

  Something about the voice filled his head with confusion. Father? That wasn’t possible. His father wasn’t in Ethrysta. He had to be hearing things. Still, there were other factors which didn’t quite add up. The familiar chill was gone, leaving his fingers and toes free of the uncomfortable tingling which had plagued him for so many months. A warmth filled the air that reminded him of home. Even the scent of trees filled his nostrils, images flashing in his mind of the woods he used to play in as a child. He was dreaming. It couldn’t be anything more than a cruel trick of his mind.

  Hands prodded at him, the pressure of fingertips over his skin alerting him to the presence of someone at his side. Why did they have to poke at him? He just wanted to go back to sleep… “Edric, if you can hear me, say something.”

  What was there to say? The muscles in his mouth wouldn’t work to form words. It was like being trapped in a nightmare, unable to move or scream while the world continued around him, oblivious to his paralyzed state. He tried to say something to tell this person to leave him alone, hearing an unintelligible mumble come from his lips. That would have to be sufficient. Maybe now they would let him rest.

 
; A second voice was beside him now, the two men speaking in hushed tones. They were talking about him. His condition. He would be seen by a physician as soon as they reached the palace. His mother would be glad to have him home.

  Home. If only he could be there. There was so much he wanted to say to his mother. His father. And Aiva… she would be so happy! Except for Callum… where was Callum? The flashes of memory in his head were coming faster, filling him with the horrible realization of what had happened. Callum was coming to save him. He remembered the Avaern crashing down on top of them. But what happened to Callum? Edric hadn’t been able to get his warning out soon enough to save him from being trapped under the massive creature. “Callum…” The name formed on his lips, silencing the quiet voices of the men.

  “I’m here, Edric. Just relax. We will be home soon.”

  It was Callum’s voice. But how could that be? He’d seen his friend run into the path of the beast. You’re dreaming. It has to be a dream.

  Somehow he knew it wasn’t. He needed to sit up. If he could just open his eyes he would be able to make some sense out of what was going on. Where was he? And Neomi… “Callum, what… where is Neomi?”

  The voice at his side remained quiet for a moment, a soft sigh the only noise he heard over the ringing in his ears. After a moment he realized the two men were speaking again, a strong pair of hands grabbing onto his shoulders to lift Edric from his back, positioning him in an upright position. The seat was comfortable. More so than the icy chairs of Okivra’s home. It felt strangely like the cushions of his parents’ carriage.

  Gathering what little energy he could, Edric forced his eyelids to open, the light burning them after having become so accustomed to the darkness. He expected to see Callum there in front of him, surprised to be met with the silver glow of his father’s eyes staring into his, supporting Edric’s head in his hands. “Edric, try not to worry about the others. You are too weak to be getting yourself worked up. Let us get you home and in bed. Then Callum can answer any questions you might have.”

  “No,” Edric breathed, shaking his head against his father’s grasp. “I do not want to wait. Is Neomi safe? And the Chief… is he alive? Were we able to save him?”

  A light pressure on his shoulder drew his attention to where Callum was seated at his side, a look of understanding visible in his eyes. “Neomi is fine. She would want you to rest, however. I promised her I would look after you, so try to do what your father says and relax.”

  Relax? How was he supposed to relax? Gradually his surroundings started to take shape in his vision, recognizing the carriage they were in, the lush green trees of the Tanispan forests passing by the windows in a blur of color compared to the desolate white landscape of Ethrysta. They were almost home. If that was true it meant they had left Neomi behind in Nahedu.

  His heart ached at the thought. Not since she had denied her feelings for him had he felt a pain of this degree, like a sharp knife cutting through his chest and carving his heart into tiny pieces. “I have to go back,” he whispered. “Why would you take me away?”

  “Because you would have died if you stayed,” Callum frowned. “Focus on getting your strength back before you worry about everything else. The King and I have been discussing the possibility of inviting the Chief and his family to the palace for my father’s retirement celebration. That is not long off, so we need to get you feeling better soon.”

  He wanted to argue more but his energy was failing him. What could he do at this point? They were too far away for him to convince them to turn back now and even then he wasn’t sure what he would do if he saw Neomi again. Onuric wouldn’t let them near each other. By now he would have told the Chief what he’d learned about the two of them. It was more likely that Edric would never be allowed in Ethrysta again. The only comfort he could take in the end was that Neomi was safe. She was alive, which meant more to him than anything. When he had his strength back he would be of a clearer mind to consider how to find his way back to her. There had to be some way to make her his wife. He wasn’t willing to give up so easily.

  Dwelling on it wouldn’t get him anywhere. He had so many other things to be grateful for. The most important of all being life. He was there and Callum was with him. Across the carriage he could see Ehren seated, stoic and rigid, his eyes occasionally shifting from the window to settle on Edric. He couldn’t read what was going through his brother’s head. The entire experience had been more than Ehren bargained for when he agreed to accompany Cadell to Nahedu. After witnessing the horrors in Ethrysta, Edric worried that Ehren would never be the same again. There was no sign of the lighthearted boy Edric remembered from before they departed for the war. He sat there now, a man, silent and proud in the presence of their father. The experience had changed them all. Even Callum seemed to carry himself differently. Poised and confident to a degree beyond that which he’d exhibited before. He reminded Edric of the General.

  Thinking of Cadell, Edric tried to straighten his back, peering over Callum’s shoulder to look out the window. Where was the General? It was unlike him to let the King travel anywhere without him. For the first time he realized how odd it was for Callum to be with them and not outside with the troops. Something wasn’t right. He just couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

  “Looking for someone?” Callum peered at him curiously, a hint of concern still visible in the depths of his eyes as he looked Edric over, scrutinizing his behavior in case something was out of place. Edric nodded to him, struggling to sit up straighter in the seat, finding the motion beyond his current capabilities.

  “Where is General Cadell? Did he not accompany my father?”

  “Cadell is enjoying his final moment with the soldiers,” the King gestured toward the front of the carriage with a smile. “You boys have had a rough go of it for the better part of a year. We thought you both deserved to return home in comfort.”

  “I am impressed that you convinced Callum to accept the ride,” Edric started to chuckle, the effort becoming more of a cough than anything else.

  At his side Callum’s smile faded somewhat, his eyes growing distant. Edric couldn’t imagine the anxiety he must feel. Aiva would be there waiting for him. Edric wanted to be able to visit her when they reached the palace but he knew he was in no condition to go anywhere other than his private chambers. He couldn’t help but wonder of Aiva’s health. And the baby… she would be nearly ready to give birth, if the child had not already been born. For Callum’s sake, he prayed that wasn’t the case. Callum deserved to enjoy every moment of becoming a father. To have missed such an important milestone would eat away at him worse than anything he admitted to suffering while in Ethrysta.

  “The General did not give him a choice in the matter,” his father replied, resting his palm on Edric’s chest to press him down against the seat once again. “You need to stop moving so much. You will wear yourself out.”

  It didn’t take much to convince him to do as his father said. His body felt as if it had been run over by a team of horses. In many ways, it had endured worse. It was a miracle he was able to move at all. Drifting in and out of sleep the trip passed by, his eyes occasionally fluttering open to see Callum edging closer and closer to the door. When Edric finally managed to regain some semblance of consciousness he began to recognize the landscape outside the carriage. Shifting in his seat Callum turned to face the King, a hopeful expression spreading over his features as he extended a hand toward the handle of the door.

  “Your Majesty, do you think…”

  “Go, Callum. The General and I can see Edric inside.”

  In a graceful leap Callum was out of his seat, pushing the door open before the carriage had come to a complete stop. Edric could hear his father laughing quietly, reaching to pull the door closed while the coachman gave the orders for the horses to slow. It warmed Edric’s heart to know that Callum and Aiva would be reunited. He succeeded in keeping Callum safe, although with a few mistakes that he preferred not to l
inger on. The important thing was that he was alive and Edric’s promise to Aiva and the General was fulfilled.

  When the door opened again it was Cadell’s face he saw on the other side, his eyes opening in pleasant surprise to see Edric sitting up. “Ah, you have come back to us,” he smiled, nodding to him in approval. “We were worried about you, Your Highness. Gave us quite a scare when we heard what happened.”

  “Resilience is required to be a member of the Levadis family.” Grimacing, Edric tried to move his arms to assist in sliding away from the seat, his entire body giving out from the strain, slumping forward into his father’s arms. Cadell offered his hands to assist the King, carefully lowering Edric out of the carriage. It wasn’t how he’d pictured their homecoming. Somehow he thought there would be more fanfare. A joyous celebration of their victory. Instead the entire palace was like a graveyard, filled with no one other than the haggard soldiers slowly starting to disperse toward the royal barracks. Part of him wanted to be disappointed. He had nearly died for these people and no one seemed to care. But he hadn’t done it for recognition. He was their Prince, and although he would never be King, they still counted on him as a member of the royal family to keep them safe. What mattered was that he knew what he’d done. It granted a new appreciation for the life he had ahead of him.

  As his father braced himself to support Edric’s limp body, Edric felt a surge of emotion well up inside. To think he had almost lost everything. He’d spent so long pining over the trivial things in life that he had lost sight of what mattered most. His family loved him. He could see it in his father’s eyes when he looked at him, concerned for his health, each step they took cautious and slow, making sure not to exhaust Edric beyond what he already suffered. He was the first child born of his parents and therefore held a special place in their hearts, regardless of what path he chose in life. It would have crushed them both if he had fallen to the Avaern.