by S. E. Smith
“Alfred,” Lacey said with a frown. “My Alfred?”
“Technically, he was the family’s Alfred,” Topper pointed out. “The poor man has been trapped as a fish for six centuries! He is bound to have certain… desires.”
Lacey’s mouth dropped open at Topper’s barely veiled suggestive remark. She snapped her mouth shut as her mom and Topper started arguing about Topper taking advantage of the poor guy.
She lifted a hand to her aching head and rubbed her temple. Alfred turned out to be a wizard in training. When the surge to eradicate those who were being labeled as a heretic swept through Europe nearly three hundred years before, Alfred’s mentor had been captured and killed.
Alfred had escaped, but he had been wounded. As a last resort, he had cast a spell transforming himself into a fish. Unfortunately, he had messed up when he was casting it. It had taken the wish and tears of a witch to finally free him.
She turned as the argument began to escalate as her Aunt’s words washed through her tired brain. Between Frost being kidnapped, worrying about Joseph and Jonah, having her house rebuilt and living back with her parents. She was about ready to just start screaming.
“Topper, you said Sean found Frost the last time. Is it possible to do it again?”
Topper turned sad eyes to Lacey and shook her head. “I’m not sure. Frost was already on Earth when the spell Sean asked me for caught him.”
Lacey’s bottom lip trembled as hopelessness washed through her. Walking over to the ottoman, she sat down heavily on it. Her head bowed as she tried to hide the tears burning her eyes. She clenched her fists in frustration. There had to be a way.
“If only Jonah was older,” she whispered. “He would be strong enough to connect with Joseph then.”
It took several long minutes for the silence in the room to draw her out of her depression. She glanced up to see Topper grinning at her while her mother had a reflective look in her eyes. She glanced back and forth between the two of them in confusion as her mother also began to smile serenely.
“Do you think?” Topper said, staring at Lacey.
“Yes, with the right amount of support,” Evanna said.
“Town circle?” Topper asked.
“Yes, yes, a town circle would be needed. And the crystal ball,” Evanna added with a twinkle in her eye. “We may need a bit longer… just to make sure that she is strong enough.”
“What? Who needs to be stronger?” Lacey asked, sitting up straighter.
Topper chuckled and Evanna leaned back in her chair. Lacey’s eyes widened when she saw where they were looking. Her eyes moved back and forth between her aunt and mother.
“How much longer?” Lacey breathed.
“Just a few months. Five, maybe six at the most,” both women replied. “In the meantime, we can be working on finding the perfect spell to help you find him.”
*.*.*
Six months later:
Frost stood on the balcony overlooking the frozen river. He stared blindly out over it, ignoring the cold wind swirling around him. The door briefly opened behind him, before the wind caught it and shut it with a bang. His hand curled into a fist as his mother came to stand next to him. She released a sigh when he did not respond to her presence.
“You cannot continue to ignore us all, Frost,” she finally said.
Frost glanced at her briefly before he looked away. He had returned to his home world after Coal and Idan had revived him and they discovered their stowaway. The fact that he tried to kill Idan had only complicated the situation with his parents. He found it difficult to accept their sympathy when the hatred he felt for Idan still burned like molten lava in his gut.
The only thing that still prevented him from finishing the task was the unexpected appearance of the small Earth boy, who looked very scared and very alone.
He closed his eyes as he remembered Joseph’s pale, thin face staring back at him with wide, pleading eyes. The same scene played over and over in his mind until he felt like he was going mad. It was only the knowledge that Joseph needed him that kept him from going after the other men.
“What do you want?” He asked harshly as he pulled himself back to the present.
“I came to see my son,” Sella replied, placing her hand over his. “And the young boy. I enjoy his company and it has been weeks since you brought him by to see me.”
Frost pulled his hand from under his mother’s sympathetic one. He did not need nor did he want her pity. His father and mother had met him, Idan and Joseph when they landed. The only reason he had transferred to the other transport was because Coal had been ordered to take his transport and go after another fugitive. Passion has told him to pack his personal hostilities away and get off the Coalition’s transport.
“You’re no longer a Star Ranger, remember?” Passion stated. “Coal needs the transport and I need Coal. Get your head out of your ass. You know that lives are at stake.”
He thought bitterly of telling Passion just what she could do with her Directives, but he knew he would need her support when the Directors discovered a Primitive had returned with them. They could easily order Joseph terminated.
“He is inside,” Frost said dismissively. “I’m sure he would enjoy visiting with you. He… likes you.”
Sella sighed as she watched the ice boats racing far below. It was a good day to be out on the river. She remembered watching Idan and Frost as they raced. Her heart ached that two of her sons who had always been close were now torn apart.
They both turned when the door opened again. Frost’s chin rose when he saw his father’s brooding face. His expression was grim as he bowed his head in greeting to Frost before brushing a kiss across his mother’s lips.
Frost turned away from the display of affection, his heart hardening as he did. The forbidding expression could not be good. His father had been arguing with the Directors for the past six months on why Frost should be allowed to return Joseph to his world.
At first, his father and he had petitioned to halt the order to terminate the boy. They had received an injunction to stay the motion of termination until after their arguments could prove the boy was not a threat. It had taken three months for the orders to be overturned. Now he was fighting to be able to return Joseph.
“There is to be a hearing tomorrow morning,” Polar stated. “You and the boy are to be present.”
A shiver of apprehension ran along Frost’s spine. The flat tone in his father’s voice did not bode well for their plea. His jaw tightened. It wouldn’t matter. He was already making plans of his own, with or without the Directors permission. If it meant a death warrant on his head, so be it. He didn’t care any longer.
“What time?” He asked in a calm voice.
“First thing,” his father replied. “I will be there with you.”
“So will I,” Sella stated, folding her hand in Polar’s before reaching to touch Frost’s arm. “We are family and have the right to attend.”
Frost gazed out over the frozen world feeling nothing. Family… he knew it wasn’t fair to punish the rest of his family for what Idan had done, but his heart felt frozen. The only thing he cared about was Joseph. Once the boy was safely with his family, Frost would disappear into the star system and wait for whoever Passion sent. He would not fight, but he would not be taken alive. His pain would end then.
“Joseph and I will be there,” Frost said, turning away.
Sella and Polar watched as their son quietly walked away. Sella’s heart broke for him. The desolation in his eyes bit harsher than the bitter winds during an ice storm.
“Will the Directors allow him to return the boy?” Sella asked as Polar pulled her into his arms.
“I’m not sure,” Polar admitted. “It is difficult to tell with them. I… I am not confident that they will. If they turn down his request, I will appeal.”
Sella leaned back and cupped Polar’s chin with her hand. “You are a good father
, Polar, and an excellent counselor. If anyone can convince them, you can.”
“I hope so, my ice queen,” Polar murmured as he watched through the large windows as Frost knelt in front of Joseph. “I truly hope so.”
Whatever Frost was telling the boy, the boy must have understood. A fierce look of determination crossed the young face before he threw his arms around Frost’s neck. The fire of determination burned in Polar when he saw his son’s arms wrap tenderly around the young boy in return.
Chapter 27
Lacey waited impatiently in the center of town. She tugged on the long sleeves of her jacket and pushed back her hair. Her eyes followed Topper as her Aunt did one last fly-by.
This was it. Everything that she had been waiting for was in place. Her family’s ancient crystal ball was placed in the center of the turning circle. The towns people, young and old, were crowded around seven people deep, forming a continuous circle around her, her parents, sisters, Simon, Tory, and Jonah. The last person they were waiting for was Topper, who would give them the all-clear signal to begin.
“Are you okay?” Joanna asked quietly. “You didn’t get much sleep last night or any rest today.”
“I’m fine,” Lacey replied with a smile filled with anxiety. “What’s taking Topper so long?”
“She is just making sure everyone is in place,” Sam said, coming to stand on her other side. “There is going to be some mega-magical charged energy and she wanted to make sure we didn’t blow up the state of New Mexico by mistake.”
“Oh, great,” Lacey murmured, her hand going to her stomach as it rolled. “Mom didn’t mention that part.”
“I didn’t mention what, sweetheart?” Evanna said, smoothing her hat. “Do you think I should keep the minks or leave them behind?”
“Keep,” Brice stated firmly, grabbing Evanna’s hand before one of the small furry creatures could bite her. “They will keep you warmer.”
“Okay, we’re good to go,” Topper said, landing her broom and stepping up beside them. “Lacey, it’s your turn now, darling.”
Lacey nodded and smiled at her family. Simon and Tory were holding each other’s hands tightly. Jonah stood slightly in front of them holding Joseph’s black top hat. Larry was poking his head out of the hat, a small knitted cap and matching sweater covering his green body.
“Good luck, Aunt Lacey,” Jonah said quietly.
Lacey smiled again and turned back to the crystal ball that was sitting on the pedestal in the center of town. Raising her hands, she began weaving the spell that would open the portal between Earth and Glacier. As she spoke, others began joining in. They linked hands, harnessing and channeling the magical energy into the crystal ball.
A bright glow started out from the center of the crystal ball before it slowly expanded outward. Lacey’s heart accelerated as the faint outline of Frost began to show. She kept her eyes glued to his familiar form as she continued weaving the powerful spell that her family and other members of the community had written.
“Joseph,” Jonah suddenly cried out as the image of his twin came into sight. “I see him! Joseph!”
Lacey resisted calling out to Frost. She knew that if she broke the spell, it would be weeks before they could try again. Her voice rose with the rhythm of swirling power. Hope blossomed and she felt the connection inside her reach out greedily for the man she loved.
Suddenly, the swirling colors merged together to form a large colorful doorway. Lacey trembled as she lowered her hands and her voice faded on the last notes of the spell. She felt her sisters grasp each of her hands and pull her forward toward the doorway.
“Let’s go get your man,” Sam said quietly.
*.*.*
Frost nodded to the guards at the entrance to the Directors’ main chamber. He squeezed Joseph’s hand reassuringly when it tightened around his. They had arrived five minutes earlier. His mother had greeted them out in front of the large municipal building in the downtown area of their capital city of Icela.
The large building was like all the others, made of ice. The crystals froze together in one solid piece, making the structure extremely strong and durable. The inside was surprisingly warm as natural vents in the planet warmed the interior. The outside temperatures kept the building from melting.
“Your father is already inside waiting for us,” Sella said, lifting her skirt. “He wanted to go over the details of Joseph’s world, his family structure, and how he came to be on the transport.”
Frost refrained from telling his parents about Joseph’s true abilities. Idan, Coal, and him were the only one’s who knew that Joseph wasn’t all he appeared to be. As far as he knew, neither had mentioned or documented the one episode where Joseph had shown his true self.
He didn’t see how Joseph being a Werevamp would make much of a difference to the outcome of the Directors’ decision. The fact remained that Earth was still classified as a primitive planet, making it off-limits for visitation or interaction. Until the planet reached the status of intergalactic communication and trade, it could not be approached.
“Are they going to let you take me home?” Joseph asked.
“I hope so,” Frost replied.
“What if they don’t?” Joseph asked with a worried frown, gazing around in awe as they walked by several glittering pillars. “This is a cool place,” he said before he giggled. “You get it? Cool place… ice?”
Frost smiled down at Joseph. “Yes, I get it,” he chuckled. “That was good.”
“Yeah, I bet Jonah would’ve laughed,” Joseph said sadly.
Frost tightened his hold on Joseph’s hand. He bet Jonah would have laughed as well, even howled like he did when his brother arrived at the complex after he and Lacey had been kidnapped. Pain pierced him as he thought of Lacey. She had been so beautiful that night. He paused outside the door to the chambers and drew in a deep breath, fighting to regain his composure as one of the guards outside opened the door for them to enter.
He stepped inside and froze. The calm mask he fought to maintain disintegrated as his eyes froze on the figure standing up front near his father. Rage reddened his vision as Idan turned to stare back at him. Frost released Joseph’s hand and pushed the boy toward his mother. It had been over six months since he had last seen his older brother. The dam of pain he had been holding back cracked as he stared into the cold blue eyes staring calmly back at him.
“Frost, wait,” Sella whispered frantically. “Please.”
“What is he doing here?” Frost snarled, fisting his hands.
“Please, your father thought Idan could help,” Sella begged, grabbing his forearm. Her eyes widened in fear when she saw the blades of ice extending from his knuckles. “Please, give your father a chance.”
One of the guards stepped forward in concern when he noticed that they had stopped near the entrance. Frost ignored the man as he locked eyes with his father who was waiting patiently by the front table. The look in Polar’s eyes snapped Frost out of his rage. Cold, determination glittered brightly in them. It was clear his father did not plan to lose this battle.
“Frost,” Joseph called to him quietly. “I want to go home. Please. I miss my mom, dad and Larry, but I really, really miss Jonah.”
Frost exhaled the breath he was holding and relaxed his grip. The ice dissolved into a fine mist as he held out his hand again to Joseph. Turning his head away from Idan, he continued up to the front table to stand beside his father. Joseph and Sella took the seats directly behind them.
“Whatever happens, don’t lose your temper,” Polar warned under his breath. “The Directors can be very stubborn, but given time they will see reason.”
“Joseph wants his family,” Frost bit out. “I will do whatever is necessary to make sure he gets back to them.”
“You are not alone, Frost,” Polar said, looking at the stubborn lines of his son’s face.
“I will be if they do not agree,” Frost said, looking at
his father.
Polar inhaled as he caught the meaning Frost was relaying; with or without the Directors’ permission, Joseph was going home. With the Directors’ permission, Frost would live. Without it, his son would be sentenced as a fugitive. There would be no defending him if Frost took that route.
“All rise. The Directors will now hear the case before them,” one of the guards called.
Frost closely observed each Director as they entered. There were nine in all, five women and four men. Each was chosen from a different Providence on Glacier. They moved down behind the chairs set up on the small rise.
The large curved windows of the chambers highlighted each of the distinctive colors of their robes. Red, yellow, dark blue, purple, orange, green, tan, and dark brown and black represented the colors of each Director’s Providence. Only the Black robe was different. It was reserved for the male dress in black. He was the ruling Director. A new ruling Director was chosen every six years. The swirling snow outside made the colors appear even more vivid than they were.
“Sit,” the Director in black ordered after the other Directors had taken their seats.
“Polar, you are presenting additional evidence that the primitive that was inadvertently brought back should be returned to his world,” the Director said looking at the screen in front of him. “This issue has already been presented and denied. This is your last appeal. You stated that new information has surfaced to support the need for this review.”
“Thank you, Director,” Polar said, rising. “It has come to my attention that the boy, Joseph, is not what he seems.”
The Director looked at Joseph, who smiled and waved to him. A slight chuckle from several of the Directors had Frost glancing over his shoulder. He didn’t like where this was going. He glanced at his father, but his back was to him so he couldn’t see his face. The look he gave his brother went unnoticed, almost as if Idan was trying to act like he couldn’t feel Frost’s stare.
“He looks unchanged from the previous visits,” the Director stated calmly.