Chapter 1
Chapter One
Sylvi
Iknew my first day as the Frostbound Court’s captain of the royal guard would be anything but uneventful.
Between the Frost Queen nursing the wounds of her humiliating failure to invade the Christmas Court, rumors of dissent stirring within our capital, and the looming threat of an attack from the Ice Giants to the west, it was no wonder Queen Virelya of Skadgard had sent a royal courtier to fetch me before the sun had barely crested the horizon.
He’d arrived bearing a summons stamped with the queen’s royal seal.
The letter demanded my immediate presence at the Frost Palace.
And while I lived within the capital’s outer ring, my family’s home sat several waymarks from the palace gates.
To traverse all of Isenheim, even on horseback, would take longer than the queen had patience for this morning.
Her reckless decision to strike Yulreth after centuries of peace had left Skadgard fractured, politically and militarily.
Whispers of dissent echoed through every corridor of the capital.
And beyond the city walls, our enemies sharpened their blades.
Security around the Frost Palace had doubled overnight.
Trust was in short supply. And blame? Blame was everywhere.
It was part of the reason my predecessor lost his position, and how I, his second, was promoted with little warning and even less ceremony.
Not to mention that the queen’s son and my best friend, Jack—Prince Jokullson Drakmyr—had been absent from court since our troops had been called back to the city.
I didn’t doubt that was part of the reason the queen had called for me at this hour.
Some speculated Jack was simply keeping a low profile, hoping to ride out the maelstrom left in the wake of his mother’s poorly executed campaign.
But I knew Jack better than anyone. We’d grown up together, been close friends since my father first joined the guard.
If there was anything I knew about Jack, it was that he would never go into hiding to avoid facing his people.
He was a reluctant prince, not one hungry for power, and he was known for being a bit of a recluse, but he’d never been gone this long without at least letting me know his whereabouts.
I tried not to let dark thoughts creep into my mind, but it was hard not to think the worst when days had passed and no one seemed to have a clue as to where the prince could be.
According to accounts, after they arrived at Nordskar Ridge—the border between the Yulreth southlands and our realm—Jack took a small company of soldiers on a scouting mission before one of the most disastrous blizzards that ever hit our realm swept through the region.
Jack and his company were stranded in the storm.
The prince was a royal fae imbued with ice magic, so the winter elements couldn’t harm him, but that didn’t mean he was free from all potential danger.
The area they went scouting was near the ruins of Dokkvíor in the heart of the Wildlands, a vast, now ruler-less region full of dark magic and cursed creatures birthed straight from the pits of the once powerful Shadow Court.
Gods blood. A sickening feeling settled in my gut. If Jack had gotten himself killed… Skadi save him, I’d wring his fucking neck.
I wanted to make light of the situation, but the way my fingers trembled slightly as I adjusted the polished silver clasp of my new uniform made me realize how much his absence truly affected me.
He should be here for this…
I’d been in the royal guard for years, had been Captain Renfir Skarr’s second in command this past year before he lost his post, so it wasn’t like I wasn’t accustomed to my line of work, but my promotion to captain not only came with heavier responsibilities, but it was also my life’s work coming to fruition.
Jack, more than anyone—more than even my own family—knew how much this meant to me.
Not having him here to support me through this transition, at a time when the kingdom was in peril…
I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath, needing to cleanse the grim thoughts from my mind. Allowing my personal feelings to get jumbled up with my royal duties didn’t serve anyone well. There had to be a perfectly logical explanation for all of this.
Sooner or later, he was going to turn up.
He had to.
It was just a matter of convincing the burning ache wreaking havoc inside my heart.
Meeting my gaze in the mirror, I tried focusing on getting ready before the queen sent more couriers to fetch me.
Pulling my midnight-colored hair into a tight bun, I gave myself a short nod of approval and squared my shoulders, smoothing out my black uniform.
The intricate silver emblem of the Royal Guard pinned over my breast shimmered under the bright early morning sun that had begun to filter through the frost-edged windows of my bedroom.
The tailored fit and pristine fabric made me stand taller, but the weight of the mantle was not just physical; it was the legacy of my father, a mantle I had long dreamed of inheriting.
“You look every bit the captain,” my older brother, Aldric, said, his voice steady and warm as I caught his green gaze in the mirror. His long, golden hair—inherited from our father—caught the light as he leaned against the doorway of my room. “He would be so proud of you, Sylvi.”
I swallowed hard, my throat tightening at the mention of our father. “I wish he could be here,” I murmured, smoothing the front of my uniform again, more to calm my nerves than anything else. I turned around, and we both took a solemn breath, the weight of our father’s memory hanging between us.
His eyes glistened, crinkling at the corners as he offered me a gentle smile, the frown lines around his mouth a reminder of how much my brother had aged since my father’s passing.
He was only twenty-four, three years older than me, but he looked like he’d aged ten years in a matter of two.
Losing our father had been a devastating blow to our family.
Aldric cleared his throat as he pushed off the doorjamb. “Better get going, lest the queen throws you into the snow leopard enclosure for being late.”
Blinking away the wetness coating my eyes, I grabbed my cloak off a wall hook. “That’s not even funny.”
“You know I’m right. People talk.”
“Rumors, Aldric. Rumors…”
“Just be careful, sis. One thing is to be a guard, another to be the captain. All eyes are on you.”
I shook my head as I walked past him. “You don’t need to lecture me about that, big brother. I’m fully aware of the pressure. I was second in command for almost a year before Ren lost his post.”
“Just looking out for you.”
I paused in the narrow hallway and faced him.
My heart ached when our eyes locked again.
We were common fae, but my brother had always been a proud male.
His impressive height, broad shoulders, and strong arms would normally be imposing, especially in a tight space like this.
Yet now, with his shoulders slouched, his short beard unkempt, and dark circles under his usual bright eyes, I struggled to find the brother who’d promised my ailing father to look after this family.
He seemed so worn, so tired.
Long ago, Aldric had wanted to follow in our father’s footsteps, but a leg injury he’d sustained from a fall off a horse had kept him from being able to join the guard. Seeing me in this uniform was bittersweet for him, and his expression failed to hide it.
But there was more behind those sorrowful eyes. Aldric had grown resentful of the crown since our father’s death, and more so recently, when dissention had begun to spread within the city walls. No one seemed to support the queen’s recent efforts to invade Yulreth.
I knew my brother was worried for me, but if anyone should’ve been worried, it was me for him. As captain of the guard, it was my job to put out rebellious fires… Fires I knew were already kindling, and that I prayed my brother was not a part of.
I had no words for him. I knew he meant well, but I also knew how to take care of myself—my father had made sure of that. I simply patted him on the shoulder and offered him a short smile.
Back in the main room of the residence, my younger sister, Lyra, practically bounced with excitement when she saw me, her shoulder-length black hair a mirror to mine, her green eyes sparkling.
She was at the cusp of adulthood, though her precious innocence still lingered, punctuated by her whimsy cheerfulness.
“You look so amazing, Sylvi. I can’t get over how much you look like Father dressed like that. ”
“It’s just a uniform.”
“I’m sure Jack will think you look lovely…” Her teasing grin widened as warmth crept up my cheeks.
“Lyra,” I said, eyes narrowed. “It’s His Royal Highness.”
“You call him Jack.”
“He’s my friend. And no, I don’t…at least, not publicly.” I reached for my satchel leaning against the front door, ready to head out as I draped my cloak over my shoulders.
Lyra raised an eyebrow, her mischief unrelenting, a swooning sigh escaping her lips as she plopped onto a settee, her light purple nightgown splaying all around her.
“Gods, Sylvi. All my friends at school talk about how dreamy he is. His silver hair, those enchanting, glacial-blue eyes… Meanwhile, Father was captain, and now you’re captain, and I’ve yet to still meet him.
I mean, I saw him at the Solstice Ball last year when I was finally allowed to attend, but I’ve never actually met him.
I still can’t believe you’ve been friends with the prince for all these years, and you’ve never brought him over for dinner. ”
“I think you need to get back to bed, Lyra. Seems you’re still stuck in dreamland.”
She looked up at me, her eyes rounding. “All I’m saying is that it would be nice to meet the prince, that’s all.”