Free indigo court 05.5 - night shivers by Yasmine Galenorn Page B

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    I opened my eyes, breathing hard. My heart was racing and I leaned forward, elbows on the table, trembling and relieved to be out of the vision. The experience had been too visceral, entirely too real. But the flush of relief passed, replaced by horror.
    I began to shiver, wrapping my cloak tightly around my shoulders. “He took them. He turned them to frost and then snorted them up like a crack head. He fed on their life essences, didn’t he?” I gazed at Thorn.
    “Yes, Cicely. He did just that.”
    “Who is he and what does he want? And how is he connected to Whitecroft?”
    Thorn pressed his lips together, then let out a faint sigh. “He is Fenrick, the harbinger of the Jötnar—the frost giants from the realm of Jötunheim.”
    I shifted. “Not Fenrir ? You can’t be talking about the Fenris wolf?” Thoughts of the great shadowy wolf figure the Wilding Fae had seen crossed my mind and I edged one step closer to panic.
    “No, not Fenrir. Fenrick was a priest of Hel until she cast him out because he was too power-hungry. He took up with the frost giants, and while I do not know his full tale, I do know that Fenrick is looking to help them find their way into the realm of Snow and Ice. Presumably to be one step closer to the outer world—which they call Midgard. But he brings with him his faithful hounds—the vargr —evil wolves known as wargs in your tongue.”
    I rested my elbows on the table, cupping my chin. This was worse than I imagined it. “What was I seeing? What exactly did he do with the people on The Wave Catcher ?”
    “As you surmised, he froze them and fed off their life force. He is a powerful magician and a terrifying foe. I do not believe we can fight him at this point. At best, I think you might be able to drive him out of the realm, but I doubt you can kill him,” Thorn said, blunt and to the point.
    I shook my head. “How do we do that? And why is he attacking now?”
    “Word must have traveled through the World Tree that a new Fae Queen has taken over the realm of Snow and Ice. A queen who has not yet come into her full power. As the years go by, your magic will strengthen and others will fear you—they will think twice about attacking the realm. But make no mistake, Your Majesty, the throne is still vulnerable. You are vulnerable.”
    Another thought struck me. “If I’m vulnerable to the frost giants, won’t that mean the fire giants might be eyeing Rhiannon as a target? Send word to their shamans at once, Thorn. I want them on alert.”
    “As you wish.” He paused. “In the old days, Summer and Winter would never have helped each other. They were at odds.”
    “In the not-so-old days, division caused both realms to fall to Myst.”
    “This is a new day.”
    “I am a new queen—and so is my cousin. The old ways are gone. You know what isolationism did. Myst was able to drive her forces into both Summer and Winter and she almost won. Another enemy could do the same. Fenrick could do the same. I don’t plan on allowing anything of the sort to happen.” I frowned, tapping my fingers on the icy table. “All right, we know who we’re facing. So tell me, how did he get here? And how do we drive him out? And what about the wargs? Can we fight them? Kill them? Or are they as invulnerable as Fenrick?”
    “So many questions. One answer at a time. Fenrick is not invulnerable, but he is too powerful for you to fight. Yet. There may come a day when you can take him on.”
    I nodded. “Then, how did he get here?”
    “That is easier. He had to have opened a gateway from Jötunheim. Therefore, it should still be open and active. My guess is that he’s scouting before the Jötnar decide to take action.”
    “Then we have to find the gateway and push him back through, I guess. What about the vargr? Tell us about them.” It sounded easier than it was going to be—that much I knew for a fact. But still…at least we weren’t facing Myst again.
    Thorn held up his hand,