The memories of the City of Memories wrapped around my mind, suffocating me with the cruelty and destruction of the Desert Kingdom.I felt deep regret. On the day I took on the role of a savior and shed that blood, I lost a real piece of myself. Even if I were the savior mentioned in the sacred text, that piece would never return. What was lost was gone forever.
Now, even if I couldn't fix everything, I had to push beyond my own limits, to tear down the King of the Abyss and this broken order. The King alone wasn't the problem, it was everyone who used this system selfishly. I had to accept my power, no matter how hard it was.
I left the memories in that sacred room and stepped out of the cave. Lethia was waiting, arms crossed, clearly anticipating my arrival.
"You're back, but don't relax just yet," she said, running her hands through her hair, "After all, I am a cruel princess, and I have things planned to make you suffer," she added playfully.
I smiled at her attitude. I wanted to say, Stop listening to me all the time, but I held back. That would have been too much.
"We'll return to the Ice Kingdom. I spoke with Kieran, he knows about your power."
I thought there was no need to drag him into this.
"And the King?" I asked, hugging myself to keep warm, curiosity prickling my chest.
"We'll prove it to him, of course. Kieran will help you," she said, reading the uneasy expression on my face, "Kieran isn't what he seems. You'll get used to him," she added, extending her hand, "Come."
Hesitant, I took her hand. She was not cruel - I knew that. Perhaps I was the best person to understand her.
We descended the long staircase step by step; thankfully, it was less exhausting than the climb.
"Is the necklace with Aaron?" she said.
I was used to her knowing things.
"You already know."
"Maybe things are happening that even I don't know about, Luna," she said quietly.
"I can only hear your mind," she said. But she continued after, "We'll find out why, eventually." She still spoke formally, but I didn't expect her to warm up immediately.
We arrived at the Ice Palace in a waiting carriage. My legs felt disconnected from my body, every step a struggle.
As we entered, Kieran greeted us.
"It's good to see you, my sister," he said, his voice laced with ironic sharpness. Did they dislike each other?
"It's good not to see you," Lethia replied.
I widened my eyes. This couldn't be happening.
Kieran's irritation was clear in his breath. "Don't bother," he said, "Hearing is enough. When they call for the King, you won't want to see me."
"Even if I weren't blind, I couldn't see that anyway."
I chuckled quietly at their absurd back-and-forth. It was exactly like a brother and sister squabble.
Kieran's eyes flicked to me, noticing my laughter.
"You must be cold, my Lady - or should I say, Collector of Tears?" He looked serious, yet his tone carried something else entirely.
"You may call me the protector of these lands, my prince," I said, my voice sharp and playful.
He smiled. "Are you talking about the lands you slaughtered?"
My smile faltered. I was angry, yet something inside me had dimmed. Cruel prince, I thought. They had given that title to the wrong person.
Lethia intervened. "Ignore him. He's made another mistake in his duties." She took my hand and pulled me along.
As she guided me to my room, I couldn't help but marvel at her strong sense of direction and intuition. She was not someone to be underestimated. Being the guardian of the Sacred Book added yet another layer of weight to her presence.
But what haunted me most were Kieran's destructive words. Being the Ice Prince suited him perfectly. He would rule these lands mercilessly, just like his father. The word killer spun in my mind. That familiar suffocating feeling crept over me again, but I forced my focus elsewhere. I wouldn't let those thoughts consume me.
My heart leaned toward Lethia's throne. I had grown fond of her.
When we reached my room, she bid me farewell and left me alone. The palace felt cold, empty, and artificial. I missed Aaron and Donna, my true family.
The room was large, the blue windows wide like the palace corridors, decorated with golden inlays. I threw myself onto the snow-white blankets. My entire body ached at once. I reviewed everything I had experienced. So much had happened in such a short time, more than my mind could process.
But exhaustion overtook me quickly, and I let sleep claim me.
I remember being caught in that space between sleep and wakefulness.
Shortly, I saw an army, shadows moving through darkness. Then Kieran appeared, standing at the head of his icy forces, sword in hand, fighting. But then something happened - Kieran took a sword strike. I saw him lying there, bloodied, on the ground.
A silhouette with long black hair laughed, holding a magical sword. I recognized it. That vision jolted me awake from my nightmare.