Free The Frozen Beginning (Elemental Diamond Book 1) by Daphne Robynson Page B

vastness. Glacier hears gasps and louder whispers generate through the onlookers, but many others simply watch her as she slowly scurries onto the stage to stand beside Neena.
    When the camera floats in front of her, the audience gasps louder in shock. Glacier knows it is because of the colours of her eyes, so she uses her pale hair as a shield from the onlookers. She stands unmoving and unresponsive towards the audience.
    “I have a strong feeling that this team of individuals will be the successors of this year’s tournament. Ladies and gentlemen, the Hydra team!” Karn raises his hands to rill the audience. Their momentary silence is forgotten completely as they erupt in cheer.
    Glacier feels Neena grab her hand, and she welcomes the support. Looking down the line, she finds her entire team linked by hand. Glacier follows Neena as they are ushered off stage, until a guard she doesn’t recognize catches her upper arm.
    His hand burns her skin sorely as he tugs her back in the opposite direction her team heads. His dark orange suit fits snug around his chest and biceps.
    “What are you—?”
    “You presence has been requested on stage after the introduction of the Pyre team. You must wait here until then.” His words are clipped as he pulls her back to the set of stairs Glacier had climbed before.
    He drops her arm but hovers close as she waits patiently behind the Pyre team. They stand in line at the stairs like her team had, waiting to be summoned on stage. From where Glacier stands, she can’t see the High Chamber, so their voices surprise her when they boom over the speakers.
    “Greetings everyone. Portia and I are delighted to introduce the real winning team of this year’s tournament, the Pyre team!”
    Glacier doesn’t remember the name of the Third Seat, but his voice sounds snarky. It isn’t until she is watching the Pyre team start to jump from foot to foot that she notices the extra member who had been surrounded earlier was now free of any followers.
    Glacier can only see the back of his head where only his medium length gelled black hair is visible. But he is tall.
    Very tall .
    He is nearly an entire head above the rest of his teammates, and his enormous build reminds her of tree trunks. The dark reddish-orange formal shirt hugs his stature snugly, with the collar slightly raised. Glacier can see orange-eyes from behind, his curly light hair groomed stylishly and his thick shoulders taut with nerves. She keeps her eyes on the back of his head, as she waits for the introductions.
    It is Portia who introduces the really tall one, “Contender one, Brink.”
    Tall-with-raven-hair steps up onto stage. He waves to the crowd with confidence as they cheer him on.
    Brink? Just Brink? No last name?
    Glacier is apparently the only one to notice, when no one else seems as confused as she is. When he turns to face forward, Glacier manages to catch a glimpse of half of his face. He jaw is sharp and wide, and the eye Glacier can see is a reddish-orange colour.
    Glacier tries shifting to a position where she can see better, but the guard hovering nearby grabs her forearm and drags her back to her earlier position without a word.
    She watches Brink intently, waiting for his reaction to the crowd, but he continues to smile smugly without concern.
    “Contender two, Dolby Frisk.” Like the other High Chamber members, they alternate with the introductions. Glacier’s attention is drawn to Dolby, a stubby boy with a tough look as he swings his arms back and forth slightly away from his body, to magnify the attention to his defined biceps. When he reaches the centre of the crowd he winks at the camera. Glacier could imagine Aleena swooning at his shrewd smirk and flirty wink.
    “Contender three, Fielder Vinson.”
    ‘ Are you the third in the Pyre team?’
    It’s him.
    Fielder ascends the short staircase, confident in his walk, though visibly hesitant. His arms hang tightly at his sides as he strides across the