CHAPTER V - AN ICE-HEARTED BEING

 

 

 

A fierce, icy wind shocked me out of my daydreaming as I opened the door to my room. For a moment, I was blinded by my hair swirling around my face in the wind, but once I managed to push my curls behind me, a strange sight met my eyes. The main window had completely melted; all that remained were a few icy fragments, lying on the bedroom floor. A stranger stood in front of the gaping hole where the window had been. His bearing was regal, and he held himself gracefully, but his gaze was dark and brooding. He was looking at me like I was an object, a good to be taken, and as I met his eyes he smirked, as though convinced that he had almost achieved his aim.

Despite his unsettling gaze, I could not look away. His eyes were absolutely bewitching, his pupils like two polished onyxes. He looked at me like he was scrutinising my soul, his gaze piercing mine with ease. His dark brown hair was tied loosely at the nape of his neck, and several wayward strands delicately caressed his face. He was wearing dark leather trousers and boots, as well as an oversized linen shirt, too loose to cover his chest entirely. A silver ring glimmered on his right forefinger.

Many times, I had tried to envisage what he would look like, but he was unlike any of my imaginings. I had expected him to look rather odd and unattractive, yet he was handsome and elegant, though despite his pleasant appearance, he looked more intimidating than I had anticipated. I could not stop myself from looking him up and down in silence, petrified that he was here, in my room.

“I have a feeling that I don’t need to introduce myself,” Netis remarked in a tenor voice, smirking.

Looking deep into my eyes, he came closer to me. I moved back immediately, trying to give him my darkest stare whilst feeling like my heart was about to leap out of my chest in terror.

“I knew you were dauntless,” he continued.

“I know exactly what you want… but I’m not coming with you.” I spoke through gritted teeth, trying my best to sound fearless.

He chuckled darkly, looking me up and down.

“You’re as beautiful as I thought you would be.”

“Complimenting me won’t work, Netis. I’m not coming with you. Go away.”

He stepped towards me again, but this time, I did not move. I wanted to face him; he had to know that I was not afraid of him.

“I’m not leaving without you.”

I hated his air of self-assurance.

“Get out now, or I’ll call for Maheliah and you’ll be forced to leave.”

He chuckled; his body was now so close to mine that I could feel his breath on my face. I remained fixed to my position, trying desperately to control my limbs and stop them from shaking.

“Do you really think that I fear Maheliah? She has never been able to do anything. She even failed to bring you here. If that traitor, Angel, had not brought you to her, you would be mine now. Maheliah is no threat to me.”

His words stabbed at me, fuelling my rage. How dare he speak ill of Maheliah and Angel.

“Perhaps if you had shown me the same kindness that Maheliah and Angel have, I would have come with you gladly. But you’re a monster; despicable and cruel. You don’t even know what kindness is anymore. I’d sooner die than be by your side. Now get out.”

Netis’ face screwed up in an expression of rage, and he bent his head, clenching his fists in anger. I stumbled backwards, afraid that he was going to hit me, but as soon as I moved, he unclenched his fists, seizing my left arm right under my shoulder and gripping it fiercely. I let out a scream of agony. His hand burned my skin, like I had just plunged my arm into a furnace. The pain was so strong that I collapsed onto the floor, my arm still in Netis’ grasp. I closed my eyes tightly, tears trickling down my face. The burn was so intense that I could feel it raging through my entire body.

On the edge of consciousness, I felt Netis release my arm and place his hands on my back, lifting me into his arms. I could still feel the burn, and had no strength left to resist. I felt my body rocking as he carried me to the window, the icy wind on my eyelids waking me just long enough to see the landscape passing before my eyes at rapid speed before the pain claimed me again, and I succumbed to unconsciousness.

 

I was woken by a dull, throbbing pain, coming from my arm. Confused, it took me a few seconds to realise where I was. Netis had taken me… kidnapped me. As I slowly returned to consciousness, I realised that I was lying in a bed, in the centre of a room, which looked not unlike the rooms in Maheliah’s palace.

Turning my head to the left, I looked at my arm: there was a bandage around my wound, where Netis had burned me. I touched it with the tips of my fingers but instantly recoiled in pain. Taking a few deep breaths, I decided to try and sit upright, and slowly pushed myself up using my uninjured arm. That was how I discovered Netis, sitting in the corner by the door with his arms folded, his head nestled in the crook of his elbow. He was staring at me.

Panicking, I tried to escape, but my legs refused to obey me; I was too weak to move. Netis stood up and began to walk towards the bed, his gaze fixed on my eyes. I clutched the duvet, drawing it towards me like a cotton wool shield, shifting backwards until my back was flat against the bedhead. Netis kept coming closer, all the while looking deep into my eyes, scrutinising my soul. Sitting on the bed, he leaned towards me, his face so close that I could feel the heat of his breath on my lips.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” he murmured.

I turned my face to the right, breaking his gaze. What could I say? Yes, he was making me uncomfortable. I knew that he was dangerous, and I had no idea what he had planned for me. But, at the same time, part of me enjoyed being this close to him; if I was uncomfortable, it was more because I felt strangely attracted to him.

Furious with myself, I tried to get out of the bed again, reaching for the wall and using the solidity of it to help me drag myself away from Netis, towards the door. But as I slid away from him, Netis stood up and immediately pinned me against the wall, placing his hands gently on either side of my head. My back was flat against the wall, and my face close to his chest, as he brought his face closer and closer to mine, still looking deep into my eyes. I knew that I should be trying to run, but my body refused to listen, transfixed by how close we were to one another.

His behaviour confused me. I had assumed that he wanted me by his side to train me, so that he could use me as a weapon. But in this moment, he seemed to want me for entirely different reasons, his face now so close to mine that I was unable to move. Was he going to kiss me? Did I want him to? Why was I even contemplating that? I hated this man; despised him. He had taken me against my will.

“Don’t be afraid of me. I mean you no harm,” he murmured, lifting his face up a little, away from mine.

“And yet you burned my arm,” I answered gravely.

He took my chin delicately between his fingers, his expression suddenly sorrowful.

“What do you want from me?” I whispered.

“I want you, Fada. You shall be by my side, eventually…”

I was so confused; I could not keep up with his constantly changing narrative. I wanted to push him away and to run towards the door, but just as I tried to do so, someone entered the room and called out something in the Hagal language. I recognised the voice. Angel.

“Angel, please, help me,” I cried.

Netis muttered something in a grave and threatening voice and Angel took a step backwards, bowing his head. I stared at him in horror. Why was he not doing anything to help me? Was he really so afraid of Netis? I looked up at Netis and felt my blood boiling. I would not let this man control Angel anymore, and I would not succumb to my body’s traitorous desire for him.

Mustering all my courage, I shoved Netis backwards, kicking him in the crotch. As he collapsed in on himself in pain and surprise, I ran towards Angel, grabbed his hand, and ran from the room. As we fled downstairs, I could feel my adrenaline wearing off, and my body began to shake. Fortunately, now that he was away from Netis, Angel took charge, pulling me through the castle and out of the back entrance. Maheliah was waiting outside for us, a portal still shimmering behind her.

“Fada, are you all right?” she exclaimed anxiously, pulling me into her arms.

But I could not answer, for all I could hear was Netis, his voice thick with hatred and fury as he shouted Angel’s name. I looked at Angel. He was biting his lower lip anxiously, clenching his fists. I imagined the worst. Netis’ voice seemed so furious; I was afraid that he might kill Angel. I could not let that happen.

Suddenly, Angel lifted his head, his expression determined. He took a deep breath, then, slowly, he began to make his way back towards the palace.

“No, Angel! You’ll be killed.”

He ignored me and continued to walk to his death. I wanted to stop him, but Maheliah grabbed my right arm and pushed me through the portal, following after me as the portal closed behind her. Stumbling forwards, I found myself back in front of Maheliah’s palace.

“I was so anxious, Fada,” Maheliah exclaimed, as she emerged from the portal. “I knew that this moment would come eventually, but I did not expect him to discover that you were in Hagalaz so soon.”

I was barely listening to her words, my thoughts fixed on Angel and the fate that awaited him. All I wanted to do was go back and rescue him, but Maheliah had just spotted my bandage and did not give me a chance to vocalise my concerns.

“Fada, what happened to your arm?”

Without waiting for me to respond, she removed my bandage, causing me to cry out in agony. I looked at her, expecting her to apologise, but Maheliah was simply staring down at my arm with a horrified look on her face. Following her gaze, I could see why. My arm looked hideous; the skin where Netis had touched me was red as blood and ragged with blisters, all of them oozing a viscous, yellow liquid.

“He will pay for this…” Maheliah murmured viciously. “How dare he touch you. How dare he…”

I was too horrified by the state of my arm to respond. It looked as though it had been corroded by acid. I started to tremble. How would I ever recover from this?

Maheliah swiftly led me into the palace, calling out commands as she guided me up to my room. Two women entered the room shortly after we did, and Maheliah carefully showed them my burn; I could only assume that she was explaining to them what had happened. They left immediately, returning swiftly with various ointments and plants.

“These two are some of our best healers. They will treat your wound in no time. I must get your window repaired as well. I can’t believe he had the audacity to come here…” Maheliah paused. “I shall leave you now. The healers will attend to your needs.”

“Wait! Please, before you go… how was Netis able to burn my arm with his hand? Is it a magical skill? Like the portals?”

Maheliah sighed, looking down as she wrapped her arms around herself. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a deep breath, before coming back to sit next to me.

“It is an ancestral technique from Othalaz, that kingdom I told you about who we were once at war with. Netis was always fascinated by this power when we were children, but he was not permitted to master it, not only because he was not from Othalaz but also because our kingdoms were at war. But, when the war came to an end, his wish was finally granted…’’

“Is it a power you can learn, then? Or did someone give it to him?” I asked, intrigued.

“Nobody knows, not even me. I never saw him receive any training, but I think it unlikely that such a power can simply be bestowed upon someone. It has always been quite a mystery to me, and to the royals of Othalaz. They were very unhappy when they discovered that the heir of Hagalaz had mastered their ancestral technique, though it is not the first time that Netis has mastered an ancestral power from another kingdom. He is the only person I know of who has managed to acquire such skills from other kingdoms, which is yet another reason why you should be careful around him. His powers make him obnoxious and proud. He thinks he’s invincible.”

“Does he?”

Maheliah paused for a few seconds, looking down with a blank look. She then shook her head slightly and answered in a quieter voice.

“I’m sorry, I was just thinking out loud. I don’t know if he believes himself invincible. He just comes across as being arrogant enough to believe something like that. He’s always been so proud of his powers.”

I was astounded by her story, but also perplexed. If Netis was so powerful, why had he allowed me to escape? He was such a strange, mysterious being, and knowing that he had somehow gained all these powers piqued my curiosity. Maheliah just seemed to accept that he had acquired them, but I wanted to know how. I wanted to understand.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter what he can or cannot do. I don’t want to talk about him anymore,” Maheliah continued, shutting down our conversation. “I need to leave now. I must find some workers to repair your window.”

Once she had left the room, I looked at the two healers, who were busy covering my arm in plants and ointments. I did not understand what they were doing, but they seemed professional, so I stayed still and silent, allowing them to get on with their work. They looked similar in appearance, but they were not twins like Nalhya and Lilhya. They appeared to be in their late forties, and both of them had straight, dark brown hair, tied neatly in a bun. Like everyone else in this kingdom, their eyes were incredible: both a dark, lapis-lazuli blue.

Maheliah came back a few minutes later, followed by several people carrying big blocks of ice, who promptly walked straight to the window and began to repair it. Maheliah, meanwhile, came over to inspect the healers’ hard work. My arm had been covered with dried leaves, plants and ointments, to the extent that my wound could no longer be seen, and had been wrapped in a fresh bandage.

“They’ll come back tomorrow morning to take the bandage off, and to dress your wound again if necessary,” Maheliah explained.

“Surely it will take more than a few days to heal, considering the depth of the burn?”

“Don’t underestimate the power of our medicine,” Maheliah answered, smiling.

Once the healers had left, after gesturing to me and Maheliah in the customary Hagal manner, Maheliah came and sat closer to me.

“Angel’s outside,” she whispered gravely. “He would like to speak with you.”

I stared at her in shock. I had completely forgotten that Angel had been forced to brave the wrath of Netis. I remembered the rage with which Netis had pronounced his name, and I felt guilty that I had not been thinking about him. At least the fact that he was here meant that he was alive, though I could only imagine that what he wanted to tell me was not going to be good news.

Leaping to my feet, I rushed down the stairs and hurried outside to where Angel was waiting. Strangely, he had no wounds or burns; I had been frightened that Netis would beat him to death, but there was no sign that they had fought, physically at least. He smiled painfully at me, asking if I would walk with him to the frozen lake.

“Of course. Angel, are you okay? What did Netis do to you? What did he say?” I asked anxiously.

Angel did not answer; he just stared blankly at me and nodded his head in the direction of the lake. Understanding that he was not ready to talk, I followed him in silence, the only sound being the crunch of our footsteps in the snow. Once we arrived by the lake, Angel took a deep breath and looked into my eyes.

“I’m not going to lie to you and say that Netis has been kind to me,” he told me in a weak, battered voice. “He punished me harshly, but I deserved it. He could have been more violent.”

“What are you talking about? You did nothing wrong, Angel. You don’t deserve to be punished.”

“Fada, I brought you to Maheliah when my duty was to bring you to Netis, and I helped you run away too. He had every reason to punish me. I’m his slave, Fada.”

“No, you’re not, Angel. You’re not a slave, okay?”

“Oh really? Then what’s this?”

He grabbed a necklace from his pocket and thrust it in front of my face. I had never noticed it before; I assumed he must have kept it hidden under his shirt when we had met on Earth. The necklace was a simple leather cord, upon which hung an onyx as large as a pupil. I touch the gem hesitantly.

“I don’t understand,” I murmured.

Angel held my hand, the one that was touching the gem.

“This necklace means that I belong to Netis. But he ordered me to take it off…”

“Doesn’t that mean you’re not his slave anymore? Surely that’s good news, right?”

Angel bent his head and I stopped smiling.

“Not really. It means that I’m not Netis’ slave anymore, yes, but it also means that I can’t live in his palace anymore.”

I looked at him in confusion.

“Why is that a problem? You can just stay with us. Maheliah has a huge palace, I’m sure there’ll be room for you somewhere.”

“Fada, I’m a traitor. There’s no way Maheliah or her people would accept me.”

“Of course she will accept you, Maheliah is one of the kindest people I know.”

“It doesn’t matter how kind she is: I chose Netis, Fada. She can’t accept me.”

“Where will you go then?”

“Nowhere. After tonight, I won’t exist anymore, the snowstorm will make sure of that. It’s impossible to survive a night out in the open in Hagalaz.”

I felt my heart shattering as he spoke those words. It was my fault that he was in this situation. He had disobeyed Netis twice because I had asked him to, and now, he was going to die… alone… in the cold. There had to be a solution; it was unbearable to imagine someone dying because of me, let alone someone I cared so much about. We had only just accepted our feelings for one another… I could not let that first kiss be our last.

“No, Angel, please, you can’t die. You have to stay here, with me,” I sobbed, flinging myself into his arms.

He held me tightly, like he was saying goodbye, and as I looked into his perfect, aquamarine eyes, all I could see was sorrow. I moved my face closer to his, kissing his lips before burying my face into the hollow of his neck.

“Why did you take so many risks for me? You didn’t have to. I don’t want you to die because of me…”

Angel brought his mouth close to my ear.

“Because I love you, Fada.”

It felt like my heart had stopped. I pulled away slightly and looked into his eyes again, not quite believing what I had heard, but his gaze was sincere. My emotions descended into chaos: I wanted to feel elated, but knowing that this might be the last time I would ever hear him say those words tore at my soul. Heartbreak and joy battled for supremacy in my mind, and not wanting him to see how torn I was, I buried my face into his neck again.

“I love you too, my Angel…” I murmured softly, brushing my lips against his skin. “Please, come with me. You can’t die.” Speaking those words aloud bolstered my determination, and I looked up at him. “I will speak to Maheliah. She will agree to put you up, I’m sure of it.”

Pulling away, I grabbed his arm and began to walk towards the palace, trying to drag him behind me. But he would not move.

“No, Fada. She’ll never agree to it. She won’t accept a traitor in her palace.”

“I don’t care. I’m the princess, she has to listen to me. You can’t stay outside tonight. I forbid you to leave me…”

Angel pulled me back into his arms and held me close, laying a gentle kiss on the top of my head.

“It’s okay. I’m right here, Fada.”

As I clung to him, I felt Angel sigh heavily.

“Maheliah won’t accept me in her palace, I know that. But if you think you can convince her otherwise… I suppose we might as well try.”

Relieved that he had agreed to my request, I half dragged him back towards Maheliah’s palace, but as we approached the entrance, he stopped me.

“Fada, wait. I can’t go inside. I’ll wait for you here while you go and speak to Maheliah.”

I looked at him, unsure whether leaving him was a sensible decision, but his expression was adamant. Forcing him inside was not an option, so I nodded reluctantly and entered the palace alone.

Once inside, I sprinted up the stairs to find Maheliah sitting on her throne, apparently lost in thought. I ran towards her and knelt.

“Maheliah, please, I’m begging you. Help him!”

She stood abruptly, clearly shocked by my behaviour.

“Fada, what are you doing? Stand up. Who are you talking about?”

“Maheliah, please help him. Netis banished Angel and he can’t go back to the palace anymore. But if he stays outside tonight, he’ll die.”

“What do you want me to do? He chose Netis. I can’t accept him in my palace.”

“You can’t say that! It’s thanks to him that I’m by your side now. Without him, I would be with Netis.”

Maheliah bent her head. She knew that I was right; she owed Angel many things. He had betrayed Netis numerous times now, and she had taken advantage of it. He had brought me to her palace and had helped me escape from Netis’ clutches. She owed Angel a debt of gratitude, and I was hoping that she would respect that.

“You’re right, Fada. It is thanks to Angel that you are with me, and I can see that you are very fond of each other. I can’t host him in my palace – my people would never forgive me – but we have a cave outside the palace that we don’t use. He can sleep there tonight.”

It was not what I had expected, but a cave was better than nothing. I just hoped it would be warm enough to protect him from the storm.

Maheliah and I walked outside to find Angel still standing there, waiting for me beside the guardians of the palace.

“Dear Angel,” Maheliah declared, in a voice worthy of a queen. “I know what has happened to you, and though I cannot accept you into my Court, I cannot deny that you have done many things for me. It is thanks to you that Fada is by my side now, and for that, I am grateful. You shall sleep in one of the caves adjacent to the palace for the night. Tomorrow, you will have to find another place to stay.”

“I am most grateful to you, Maheliah. You are a most wise and gracious queen. Netis should treat you like one.”

Moving his hand from his heart to his forehead, Angel made the same gesture that the others in the palace had done when they had greeted me earlier. For two people who were supposed to be enemies, Maheliah and Angel had been nothing but courteous to one another. It made me realise how lucky I was to have convinced Angel to take me to Maheliah’s Court when I had first arrived here. I could not imagine Netis behaving in such an understanding manner.

The cave was situated on the side of the palace, just beneath my now-repaired bedroom window. It was quite small but seemed to provide shelter enough for one person, though the solid floor did not look especially comfortable. Angel thanked Maheliah once again for her hospitality and then gestured for me to leave with her. Reluctantly, I complied, spending the walk back to the palace contemplating how I could make the cave more comfortable for Angel.

Upon re-entering the palace, I headed straight to my bedroom, picking up two of my three duvets and one of my pillows. As I made my way back downstairs, Maheliah stopped me.

“Fada, what are you doing?”

“I’m taking these to Angel. I am grateful to you for hosting him in this cave, but the floor is hard and cold; I don’t want him to catch a chill.”

“What about you? What will you sleep with?”

“I still have a duvet and a pillow, so I’ll be fine. Don’t worry, Maheliah, I know what I’m doing.”

She looked at me quizzically for a moment before waving me on, telling me to make sure I was back before nightfall. Thanking her, I ran towards the cave, to find Angel sitting cross-legged on the floor, contemplating a bracelet that he was holding. He stood up when he saw me.

“Fada, what are you doing?”

“Could everybody please stop asking me that? I’m bringing you some duvets and pillows. I hope it’ll be enough. The floor doesn’t look very comfortable.”

He thanked me warmly, layering the duvets on the floor, before pulling me into his chest and kissing me softly. I stayed there in his arms for a few minutes before pulling away, conscious of Maheliah’s warning. Angel held me back, encircling my fingers with his.

“Fada, wait. I’ve got something for you.”

He showed me the bracelet that he had been looking at. It was an arm bracelet… an arm bracelet that looked strangely similar to the one I had been drawing all those months ago at the museum, the first time that I had met Angel. He handed it to me, and I held it gently, mesmerised and overwhelmed.

“Is it really for me?”

“Yes. Netis ordered me to give it to you, to hide your wound…”

A present from Netis? How bizarre. Why would he offer me a present, especially one designed to hide a wound that he had caused me? And how had he created such a bracelet so quickly? He must have owned it for a long time… that was the only logical explanation. But why? Did it belong to someone?

My mind was brimming with questions, but I could hear the snowstorm coming and I knew I had to go. Angel kissed me once more before hugging me tightly; I did not want to leave his embrace. Reluctantly, I left the cave and dragged myself back to the palace, leaving Angel alone to deal with the frozen night…