Frost: An Otherworld Tale (The Otherworld Tales Book 1)

by Chelsea Clemmons Moye

  I sighed and rubbed at a knot of tension that had formed at the nape of my neck. “Who are you going to have escort her into the queen’s camp?”

  “Captain Burns volunteered to take her.” Rolf's answer was distant, and I knew that the catch-22 he was in was a struggle for him. He was a man caught between two of his own promises, and having to break his word on either of the two points was killing him.

  My head snapped up, and I shot Rolf a wide-eyed stare of alarm. “How are we guaranteeing his safety during the transfer?”

  “Honestly? We’re just relying on the queen’s good graces for that." Rolf shrugged, his shoulders sagging under the weight of the situation. "That’s why Burns volunteered. He hasn’t got a family to grieve his loss if Sigrid hasn’t any good graces left.”

  “Jesus,” I hissed. “I want to see him before he goes.”

  Rolf looked down at me, surprised at the vehemence of my demand. “You really care about him, don’t you?”

  “Why do you sound so surprised that I care?" I snapped, feeling as if I'd been slapped in the face. "I’ve spent the last few weeks getting to know these people. How could I possibly not care about them? They’re my friends, and their lives matter to me.”

  Rolf's expression softened slightly. “I’m surprised because the only things that you’ve seemed to care about since you arrived are that crazy dog of yours, and getting Noah home to his family.”

  “First of all, my dog is not crazy," I growled, getting a bit hot under the collar. "He’s brilliant, and he has more than pulled his weight since we arrived here. Secondly, the only reason I’m not dead already is because I agreed to come to this godforsaken world. Why? I came here because the Messengers told me my success here could mean Noah could go home. However, just because that was my initial motivation in coming here, that doesn’t mean it’s my only motivation now.”

  “What is your motivation, now?" Rolf shouted, beginning to crack under the stress of the situation. "What’s changed? All I've ever seen from you is selfishness and a single-minded desire to get Noah home.”

  “My motivation now is to prevent further loss of life in this fortress, Rolf!" I was shouting, too, hating being on the defensive after all I'd been through. "I love these people. They’re like family to me now, and I can’t bear to see anyone else hurt because the queen wants to punish me for coming here! Handing Adele over only buys us time, but it’s time we need.”

  Just as Rolf opened his mouth to reply, Burns appeared carrying an semi-conscious Adele.

  “What’s wrong with her,” Rolf snapped, obviously still sore about the whole situation.

  Burns shrugged as well as he could with Adele in his arms. “Wynne gave her a sedative to make the handoff easier. It should wear off within a half hour.”

  Rolf scowled, gave a curt nod, and left me alone to speak with Burns. I stared into his dark eyes and frowned fiercely. “I don’t want you to be the one to deliver her. We should send someone else.”

  Burns chuckled and shook his head. “Everyone else here has a family, child. I don’t. It makes sense.”

  “But what if something bad happens to you?” I felt my jaw tremble around a ragged sigh as I fought back the sting of tears.

  “Everything will be all right, Lauren, even if something bad does happen." Burns gave me a gentle, benevolent smile. "You’ll rally, and you’ll overcome your grief at least long enough to see that Kie—that Noah finds his way home to his family.”

  I took a deep, shaking breath. “Burns, I need you to give Damon a message for me when you hand her over.”

  Burns gave me a confused frown. “The head of the Queen’s Elite Guard?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded, working up the courage to tell him what I wanted to.

  “What would you like me to convey to him?” Burns' frown was growing fiercer and more concerned by the second, so I took a deep breath and plunged ahead.

  “Tell him that I know what the queen really wants. She doesn’t want to hurt the people of Tiernan any more than is necessary." I started pacing in front of him as I spoke so I wouldn't have to look at his face as I gave him the rest of my message. "I know she wants me, and she wants the truth from me about how I came to be in Daraglathia. Tell Damon that the queen can have what she wants if she’ll just let Noah go home safely.”

  “Do you mean to tell me that after everything we’ve been through, you’re willing just to give yourself up now?” Burn's voice was cold, and when I looked at him, his expression was a mixture of horror and disappointment.

  “It could be our only chance to end this without someone else getting hurt, or worse." I was pleading with Burns, by that point. "Are you with me or not, Captain?”

  Burns hung his head and sighed before looking back up at me with both sadness and respect in his eyes. “I’ll give him your message, and I’ll bring you his response.”

  “Good,” I nodded, giving him a quick hug in spite of the she-elf in his arms. “Now hand her over and buy us some much-needed time.”

  Burns’ only response was a grim nod and a quiet exit with Adele hanging limp in his powerful arms.

  As soon as Burns left, I found myself regretting the message to Damon. Gabriel must have sensed my panic because he appeared at my side as if by magic, whining and nudging my hand with his cold nose. I knelt down and pulled the cocker spaniel into my arms, kissing the down-soft fur on the top of his head.

  “I love you, Gabriel," I whispered. "You know that, right?”

  He whimpered pitifully and licked my face a dozen times, as if to tell me he knew. “Can you find Mack and meet me in the East tower? I need to check in with the archers and make sure they have enough arrows for the second wave of attacks. If I know anything about Sigrid, there will surely be a second wave.”

  Gabriel gave an affirmative bark, wriggled out of my arms, and took off in search of Mack. I sprinted down to to the courtyard, collected about two dozen stray arrows that were still in firing condition, and I made the short trip back to the massive oak doors. Once inside, I made my way up to the east tower. The climb left me flushed, but I was no longer breathless and ragged any time I exerted myself.

  “There’s likely to be a second wave of attacks if our current plan fails," I announced to the room in general. "I’ve collected as many arrows as I could carry, and I plan to collect more if we’re granted a respite.”

  Tamara’s father nodded at me and took two handfuls of the arrows out of my arms. Some of the others took the rest of the arrows and they began cleaning them up. I reached out and caught Mr. Lindsey by the arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “How’s Tamara doing?”

  A surprised expression flickered across his face, followed by a gentle smile. “She’s recovering, slowly but surely. Between Wynne’s skills as a healer and the spell Sam created to help her manage the pain, she’s doing much better than I ever would have expected, under the circumstances.”

  “I’m glad, really.” Relieved tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and I swiped at them with the back of my hand. “She’s a strong young woman. If anyone was going to survive a dragon attack and recover, my bet would be on her. I want to see her, if we get the respite we’re requesting.”

  “What have you sent the queen in exchange for a respite?” Mr. Lindsey cocked a curious eyebrow at me.

  “I finally got Rolf to agree to give the she-elf up, in spite of his undying love for her mother.” I thought that saying it aloud would be more satisfying than it actually was. The victory felt a little hollow in the face of Rolf's moral turmoil over the decision.

  “Good riddance,” Mr. Lindsey spat. His nod was resolute, his eyes shining with vindication. “I’m certain she’s the reason the queen found us.”

  “I feel exactly the same way, Mr. Lindsey,” I murmured.

  He pulled me into a fierce, quick hug and went back to cleaning the arrows I’d retrieved as Mack entered.

  “Is there a reason your fur-baby, as you call him, insisted on dragging me away from my
work and up all those stairs, lass?” Mack was grumbling, but I could tell he was glad to see me.

  “Yes,” I nodded and stared down at my hands, unable to meet his eyes. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  “Why do I get the feeling that I’m not going to like this discussion?” Mack’s tone was stern, and it made my stomach squirm in the same uncomfortable way that it used to when Grandpa Alex disapproved of something I’d said or done.

  I took a deep breath. “We need to consider whether or not my presence here is worth the collateral damage that’s being done, Mack, and I don’t think it is.”

  “What are you saying, Lauren?” His voice was heavy with suspicion and disapproval.

  “I’m saying I’m done being selfish and putting others at risk to save my own skin, Mack.” I tipped my chin up, meeting his stern gaze with one of my own. I'd made up my mind after seeing the bloodstained, body-strewn remnants of snow and stone in the courtyard.

  “And what if the queen decides to put an end to you when you give yourself up?” Mack was outraged, shaking his finger at me in hot disagreement.

  “So what if she does, Mack? I’m one person," I insisted. "I’m not worth so much destruction and heartache. There are too many wounded and dead already. That blood is on my hands. It’s my job to do what I can to set things right.”

  “You’re a suicidal fool," Mack snapped, his temper getting the better of him. "What good could come of you martyring yourself? You have no guarantee that we won’t all be destroyed after Sigrid dispatches you.”

  I steeled myself against his disapproval. “All I know is that is exactly what I believe will happen if I don’t give myself up. I accept that I’m probably on a suicide mission, here, but I’m willing to take that chance to prevent any further cost to these good people who don’t owe me a damn thing.”

  “I think there are other options you’re not considering,” Mack growled.

  “I think you’re hoping that’s true, but I don’t think it is," I replied in gentle, soothing tones like the tone people use when offering their condolences to the bereaved at a funeral. "Now, either you’re with me, or you’re going to make what I know I have to do very difficult. Which is it going to be, Mack?”

  “Fine, lass," he snapped. "I’ll help you, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Mack’s tone and expression were sour with heavy shades of disapproval, which I chose to ignore.

  “I think she’s doing the right thing,” Mr. Lindsey chimed in as he cleaned the last of the arrows that I’d retrieved.

  Mack snorted, Gabriel let out a low, dissatisfied growl, and I shot Tamara’s father a grateful smile. “Thank you. It’s good to know that at least one person in this fortress understands where I’m coming from and agrees that my decision is the right thing to do.”

  I could feel Gabriel’s dislike for my plan radiating off the remarkable dog as he trotted down the tower stairs at my side.

  “I know you and Mack don’t love my plan, Gabe, but I can’t let anyone else be harmed on my behalf,” I coaxed.

  The dog refused to look at me, only responding with another disdainful snort, a vehement shake of his head that made his ears flap violently, and another disapproving growl to finish it off. He was clearly telling me where I could stick my plan, in his canine way.

  “I’m no more important than any other person in this fortress, Gabe. I’ve come to terms with that, and so will everyone else. Now, let’s go meet Captain Burns and see if we’ve been granted a respite for turning Adele over to the queen.”

  Captain Burns was just walking through the fortress entrance when Gabriel and I reached the entrance hall. I strode over to him, Gabriel pacing anxiously beside me as we went.

  “Have we been granted the respite, Captain?” I was breathless with anxiety as I waited to her his answer.

  Burns nodded. “We have until noon tomorrow to account for the dead and missing, and move the wounded so they can receive care.”

  “Well, it’s less time than I was hoping for, but we’ll make do with what we’ve got.” I steeled myself for the work ahead of us.

  Burns nodded and I looked down at Gabriel. “Help us find the wounded ones, Gabe.”

  He gave a short bark and bounded out into the bloodstained snow coating the courtyard, leaving us to follow as quickly as we could in his wake. As Gabriel sniffed out the wounded, Captain Burns and I followed in his wake, comforting them, letting them know they were going to get help soon. Those who were willing and able poured out the fortress doors behind us, following our path through the melting, gore coated snow to aid the wounded. Once everyone who wasn't dead had been moved into the banquet hall for medical care, we did a roll call of sorts, to account for the dead and missing.

  Three-hundred able-bodied men and women had sacrificed their lives to protect the inner fortress, counting those who'd been manning the wall. We were all grim and somber, already mourning their loss when Burns cleared his throat. "Three hundred dead, but only one missing."

  My breath caught in my chest, and I grew lightheaded as I waited for him to voice my worst fear. "Who?" I barely managed to choke the word out around the lump in my throat and tears in my eyes.

  "Kieran, or Noah as we now know is his real name, is the only unaccounted for person from this fortress."

  Black dots danced in front of my eyes and the floor rushed up to meet me with a loud crash as my armor struck the stone floor.

  21

  Farewells

  It was easy to see that someone had blabbed about me considering turning myself in when I went to check on Tamara in Wynne's caverns and found her in the depths of a heated argument with Sam.

  "It's her right," Tamara shouted, propped up on her elbows and glaring up at Sam with surprising ferocity considering her injuries.

  "It's idiotic!" Sam bellowed back at her. "There's no guarantee that giving Sigrid what she wants is going to fix anything! I can't believe you don't see it that way!"

  Tamara's scowl intensified as she stared up at Sam. "Can't believe I don't see it that way, or can't believe I don't see it your way?"

  Sam held up his hands and shook his head. "That's not what this argument is about, at all, Tamara. I'm upset that after everything that's happened, Lauren just wants to give up."

  "Giving up and giving herself up are two totally different things, Sam," Tamara sighed, shaking her head. "If you want me to consider things from your point of view, maybe you should consider looking at this situation from hers."

  I cleared my throat and stepped into their line of vision. I gave Tamara a grateful smile. "I couldn't have said that better myself."

  "Great," Sam muttered. "Why do I get the feeling you two are going to team up and strong-arm me?"

  I shook my head. "I don't want to strong-arm anybody, Sam, but I am convinced that giving myself up to Sigrid is necessary, at this point. No, you may not have any guarantees that Sigrid will keep her word after I turn myself in, but that's the part of my plan that nobody's listened to yet."

  "And that is?" Sam crossed his arms and gave me a dubious stare.

  "Further loss of life can be avoided. There's a way out, through the caverns, and you'll come out on the other side of this mountain range. Mack told me about it." I took a deep breath and plunged on in spite of Sam's grim expression. "I can collapse the tunnels from this end before I turn myself in. Everyone in the caverns, everyone that's still alive can gather the resources that have been stored up and start over on the other side without ever encountering Sigrid's forces."

  Sam looked like he was surprised I'd considered the plan in such broad, far-reaching terms.

  "Listen to her," Tamara urged. "Please? It makes sense. Nobody else has to die this way, Sam.