A Veil of Frost and Flame

Chapter 1

Chapter

One

“Great Makers, who died?” Matthais jokes as he enters the tavern and eyes me where I sit frozen at one of the long tables near the mostly unused fireplace, parchment in hand and shock on my face.

We live in the southern-most port on Hypathia, as far away as I could possibly get without actually leaving the empire, so fires are rarely needed, but the stone hearth does have a certain aesthetic quality that gives the tavern a homey feel.

I miss the true winters of the North. I miss the ice and the snow, the beauty and stillness of the earth when it’s wrapped in a blanket of white.

But no matter how much I might miss it, I swore that I would never, ever go back there.

But now…

I raise my eyes from the parchment to meet his gaze. His smile immediately fades, his dimples disappearing and his eyes growing stark. “Oh, Great Makers, who died?” he asks again, serious this time.

“My sister…” I croak.

“Your sister died?” Math echoes, confusion furrowing his pale blonde brows.

I rarely speak of my sister, and Math and Cece are the only two people in the world who even know she exists.

Cece emerges from behind the long, polished bar with two tankards of sweet ale in her hand, just arrived this morning on a ship from Sol, the big island to the south.

She rolls her eyes and kicks out at Math’s rump as she walks by.

“No, you daft idiot. Her sister sent a letter.”

“Well, how was I to know that?” he grumbles, coming to join us at the table and stealing a sip of ale from Cece’s cup. She swats at his hand, but grins fondly at her husband. “She sent you a letter? After all these years?”

I nod numbly, staring at the elegantly written letter before me.

Of course Tesni’s penmanship would be impeccable, I think savagely.

Tesni had been given every luxury, been raised in a castle, tutored by the best scholars, dressed by the finest seamstresses.

She’d never wanted for anything in her life.

She’d never been cold and starving. She’d never thought she might die or be taken by Hunters at any moment.

She’d never slept in the rain, been bitten by rats, or had to beg for food—and fight back against men who thought to take something in return for the scraps they threw her way.

I clench my teeth, bitterness clawing inside of me like a living thing, a beast with razor sharp claws and a hunger for vengeance.

I grab my ale and drain the entire cup in three long gulps.

It’s sweet and crisp, spreading a delicious warmth through my belly.

Randolph knows this is one of my favorites and makes a point to bring a cask or two anytime he returns from Sol.

Perhaps I’ll sooth my frustrations with him tonight, thank him properly.

My lips curl slightly at the thought, but even the temptations of losing myself with Randolph for a few hours can’t assuage my anxiety over the letter.

I glance to the parchment, trying to push past all of my feelings about it and think logically, not emotionally.

Why the letter now? I’ve heard from my sister only once before this in nearly fifteen years.

About a year after we’d opened the tavern, a missive had arrived for me.

It had been a simple letter, just a few sentences, but still it made me nearly vomit from fear:

I know where you are. Barony believes you to be dead, thanks to me. Stay away and live your own life, and I’ll let that lie be a secret kept between sisters. If you try to come back or interfere, I’ll make the lie an absolute truth.

Live well…

-T

The threat had been clear as glass, and I’d been all too happy to oblige.

I wanted nothing more than to forget my sister, forget King Barony and Lyanna and everything my life used to be.

I never knew how she found me, but I knew without a doubt she spoke true.

Even then, her reputation had traveled throughout the continent.

She was cold and ruthless and wouldn't bat an eye to choose violence before all else.

So, I never thought I’d hear from Tesni again since I kept up my side of our silent bargain. I stayed away. I stayed hidden as far from her as I could get, never interfering, never stepping foot anywhere near Lyanna again, doing my best to pretend that she didn’t exist and that I wasn’t who I was.

But now, this damned letter arrives. I grit my teeth, fingers flexing on the parchment.

I just stop myself from balling it up and throwing it across the room.

Instead, I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose, taking slow, deliberate breaths.

When I open them again, Math and Cece are both staring with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

“She says she wants me to come to Lyanna. She says she needs my help and she wants to…make amends.” The words taste like acid on my tongue, and my own shock and confusion give way to anger.

I loathe my sister with a fire that could thaw even my cold heart.

Why the fuck would I care if she needs help?

Why would I want to make amends? I know without a doubt that she doesn’t actually think I’ll care—she knows she has leverage over me and is just pretending to let the decision be my own.

My location. My identity. Still, I’m going to pretend as if I have a choice here for as long as I can.

Cece and Math share a look, one of those looks that two people who are so connected and in love can share and words somehow pass between them without speaking.

I’ve sure as hells never shared such a look with anyone before.

I’ve had bedmates, of course—some that I’ve cared about, some that I couldn’t even tell you their names—but everyone in town likes to joke that my heart truly is made of ice.

It doesn’t stop most of the men from trying desperately to thaw it, or to at the very least chip away enough that I might agree to one of their marriage proposals.

I always smile slyly at them, hold my hand over my chest, and frown, quipping, “Sorry, lads, still cold as winter. Perhaps next time...”

“Could it be true, you think?” Cece asks gently.

She knows the story of the fallout between Tesni and me, knows the depth of my twin’s betrayal, yet she still has a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Cecelia is all warmth compared to my cold.

She sees the good in every person and in every situation, never met a stranger, is truly good and bright.

No wonder Math loves her so much, I think as I watch him absently brush a wayward chestnut curl from her forehead.

The touch is so tender, so unthinking, it makes my chest clench. To be loved like that…

I shake myself. I can never be loved like that because I can never let anyone truly know me.

Without truth and honesty, love can’t exist. Everyone jokes about my cold heart, but the truth is that I desperately want it to thaw.

I want someone to share my life with, myself with. But it can never happen.

I roll Cece’s question around in my head.

Could it be true? I can’t imagine how or why Tesni could possibly want to make amends after all this time.

She has plenty to atone for, there’s no doubt of that, but why now?

There are rumblings even this far south, disturbing rumblings about war brewing between the northern kingdoms. Helios mostly remains out of empire business and gossip, feeling almost like we’re an island like Sol to our south, separated from the rest of the continent by two rivers called The Vines.

We’re welcoming of any who wish to come here, of course, but we’re a peaceful kingdom, more keen to revelry and drink than war and destruction.

But…could Tesni really need my help? Is that why she sent the letter requesting my aid, instead of having guards arrive on my doorstep simply demanding it? Maybe she really does want to try to make things right between us…

“What if…” Math chews his lip. “Well, what if she’s sick? Dying even? I’ve heard plenty of tales of folks changing their tune about their lives when they don’t think they have much life left. My own grandpa begged my pa’s forgiveness for being a right ass his entire life as the fever took him”

“That’s a good point,” Cece agrees.

A loud caw! echoes through the room, making Math jump and spill his ale down his front.

“Bloody ruddy fucking fuck! What is that!?” he sputters, shoving his chair back and staring at his now damp chest. Cece snorts and hands him a rag, shaking her head, clearly saying what am I to do with him?

I feel my lips twitch, despite everything.

Math has always had quite a gift when it comes to cursing.

“That is one of the King’s personal winter ravens,” I say, waving negligently at the bird sitting on the windowsill.

He’s beautiful, with his snow-white feathers and midnight eyes, twice the size of a normal raven and three times as smart, but his presence sends a cold shiver up my spine.

It brings King Barony into my life here, and that’s the last thing I’ve ever wanted.

Not to mention, it brings back too many memories that I’d rather leave forgotten.

I’d had a winter raven of my own before I’d been forced to flee all those years ago.

I’d loved the bird fiercely and it had broken my heart to leave her behind.

I hope Tesni at least had the decency to see her taken care of.

“I’m to have him return with my answer,” I say with a roll of my eyes, motioning between the parchment and the bird.

I should refuse it, obviously. I want to, but…

well, some small, very stupid and naive part of me just can’t.

Despite everything, a tiny, secret part of my heart aches for it to be true, aches to have my sister fix the rift between us.