Page 17 of Throne of Ice and Blood
As soon as I have passed him, I once again reach out with my magic and increase his fear. Metal clanks and rattles as he struggles to close and lock the door behind me.
A victorious grin spreads across my mouth.
It’s followed by a wave of relief and pure joy.
Cool fall winds whirl across the sloping mountainside and fill my lungs as I stride away from the Ice Palace a free woman. I did it. I made it out. I will never have to go back to that suffocating castle again. Never have to wear that awful iron collar again. Never have to kneel at Draven’s feet or watch the Icehearts smirk at me.
I’m free.
And now, it’s time to fight back.
A path has been cut into the mountainside, and it leads down to the city below. I follow it.
Excitement pulses through me like lightning when I reach the end of the path and the first buildings appear before me. The Atonement Trials might have been a sham, but ultimately, Iachieved my goal. I made it out of the Seelie Court. And now, I have a chance to start a new life.
Buildings made of wood and stone line the wide cobblestone street that I start down once I leave the small footpath behind. It’s deserted. But the sound of voices comes from farther down. My heart patters against my ribs as I make my way towards it.
I have no idea how to find the Red Hand and the human resistance, so first, I just need to explore the city and get a feel for it.
Reaching up, I once again make sure that my hood is in place. As long as my pointed ears are covered, I can pass for a dragon shifter. Or a human.
Another burst of ridiculous excitement shoots through me.
Humans. I’m about to see real humans for the first time.
The soft chatter at the end of the street gets louder with every step.
My heart thumps in my chest.
This is it.
I turn the corner.
And walk right into a busy road.
People in all shapes and sizes bustle up and down the street in groups or pairs or alone. Trailing to a halt, I just stand there and stare for a while.
Two people with dark brown hair lug a large sack from an open doorway and towards a waiting cart. After swinging it back and forth, they heave it up onto the already half full cart. It lands with a thud, sending a small cloud of what looks like flour swirling into the air. They dust their hands off and then walk back into the dark wooden building to grab another one.
Across the street, a woman in a simple green dress is sweeping the porch in front of what looks like some kind of shop. She wipes her forehead with the back of her hand beforeleaning the broom against the stone wall of the building. Then she disappears back inside.
More people are strolling up and down the street.
“Do you need help, dear?”
I start in surprise. Realizing that my mouth was slightly open, I snap it shut and give my head a quick shake to clear it before I turn towards the source of the voice.
A short woman with a round face and a kind smile looks at me with eyebrows raised. Her wavy blond hair ripples over her shoulders as another gust of wind swirls between the buildings.
I blink, remembering that she asked me a question.
“Uhm, no,” I manage to press out at last. Then I force a smile onto my own lips and nod. “But thank you.”
She nods back and pats me on the arm before she opens the door that I was standing right next to. Still trying to process everything, I once again give my head a quick shake and move away from the door that I was almost blocking.
Since just standing here is obviously drawing attention, I decide to just pick a direction and start walking. I choose the one that looks to be leading farther into the city.
Sunlight streams down from the blue sky and glints in the windows of the buildings that I pass. Small flowerpots that contain evergreens dot several of the porches, and a few of the wooden houses have even been painted in bright colors.
