Chapter 16

There was a blizzard in mid-February, leaving every road to Corus blocked. No news was getting in and the only way to contact anyone was by having a mage do a far-speak.

A week after the blizzard, Eliena and Leo sat in her chambers. It had been cold enough that none of the snow was melting, so they were basically stuck in Corus. Leo was supposed to be visiting his parents at the Swoop. They were in front of the fireplace, with one blanket underneath them and another wrapped around their bodies. Eliena was leaning against Leo, and he was resting his chin on her head.

"It's snowing again," he remarked. Eliena picked up her head and saw white snowflakes floating by outside her window.

"Oh, Goddess, again?" she groaned.

"Apparently," Leo said. Eliena sighed,

"I'm tired but I can't bring myself to move," she commented.

"Then I'll help." Leo managed to pick her up and drop her on the bed. She wore only a nightshirt, and shivered.

"Don't forget to bolt the—"

"Your highness!" someone was thumping on her door. Eliena swore.

"Leo, hide!" she hissed. Leo hid and Eliena walked over to the door. "Yes?" she asked the servant.

"It's the queen, your highness." That was all Eliena needed to hear.

"Mithros!" She grabbed her dressing robe and ran, barefoot, to her parents' room, ignoring how cold the stone was against her feet. Duke Baird and Jonathan stood by the Lioness, who was shivering and a pale blue. "What happened?" Eliena rubbed her arms—it was cold!

"She came out of the bath and stepped into the room—she was still wet and someone had left all the windows open," Duke Baird explained. "Apparently for some time, because it was literally freezing in here. The water froze on her. We've melted it off, but she's still not well." Eliena touched her ember—something didn't seem right—and saw her mother glowing steadily orange. Eliena swore.

"That's not it," she told them. "She's glowing. Orange."

"Orange," Jonathan spat. "I should've known. Baird, help Eliena to push it out of Alanna. Roger and I need to have a little chat."

"I'll come. This will only take a second." Eliena walked over to her mother, placed two hands glowing purple on the queen, and shoved her magic in. She forced the orange blasting out through any open hole, but managed to leave her mother's violet Gift alone. She turned to Duke Baird. "Keep her warm and make sure that the orange doesn't come back." She spun on her heel and followed her father to the rooms they had given Roger.

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"Roger!" Jonathan boomed. He stalked into the room and Roger looked up from a pot.

"Oh, Jonathan, Eliena, good to see you," he greeted.

"What are you doing to my mother, scumbag?" Eliena demanded, drawing out her blade, Faithful. She and her father had taken their swords, just in case.

"Ask your father, young princess," Roger replied smoothly. Eliena glanced at her father, who had gone pale. He stood over the pot and his hand dripped water.

"What is it?" she asked. Jonathan met her eyes.

"This water is a mix of water, snow, and a temperature-retaining mixture. This is essentially water, cold as snow, but won't freeze." He reached in, wincing, and pulled out a figure.

It was the queen.

Eliena turned to Roger. "You son of a bitch! You send the blizzard and this storm—you went to my parents' room and made it look like an accident," she accused through clenched teeth. Roger smiled.

"You're catching on," he told her.

"You…" Eliena swore, drew back her sword, and plunged it straight through his black heart. Roger fell, still smiling. "That's for my mother!" she screamed at his corpse.

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"You mean…" Alanna slammed her fist into the bed. "Its not fait! I'm the one he almost killed—even if I don't want to admit it! I wanted to be the one to kill him!" She paused. "Again!"

"I could bring him back so you could do so if you'd like," Thom mentioned. Alanna glared at her twin.

"No. Having him come back once is more than enough," she said, and turned to Eliena. "But you killed him?" The girl nodded, feeling like Alanna wasn't her mother. "Gods be praised that it was my daughter who double saved me. How did you do it?"

"Plunged my sword straight through his heart—if he even had one," Eliena replied smugly.

"So you are a Tigress after all!"

Author's Note- I basically planned out the rest of the story last night. I have some good parts coming up that I think you'll like. Anyway. I'm very sore (can barely move) because my horse (Bo) and I had a little disagreement. He spooked (at the WIND) and went one way. I went the other, landing on the side of my tailbone. My butt up through my mid-back is KILLING me. I had to say no to going to town with my friends because of it! I am MAD, and it doesn't help that I had to GET BACK ON. –Sigh- oh, well. REVIEW, please.