To Melt A Frozen Heart | ONC 2024

Chapter 12 | The Return

"Cassian."

"Aurelia."

"You're in the bed."

"So are you."

I rolled my eyes, exasperated. "You said you'd sleep in the chair."

"I was tired." He sat up.

Stil holding the bedsheets tight, I studied him. "Where did you go?"

"Out," was his only reply.

Our last exchange came flooding back to me.

"You never came back... I was... worried."

He frowned. "Worried?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, it had come loose of its braid. "Yes, Cassian. Worried. Do you even know what happened here last night?"

His eyes almost appeared to widen then. In fear or surprise, I wasn't sure. "No. What are you talking about?"

"The beast... it—"

He cut me off. "Was anyone injured?"

"Some injured... some killed."

Cassian's head fell into his hands. "I should have known..." he mumbled.

Then he looked up and into my eyes. "You were not injured, were you?"

Instinctively, my eyes flew down to my wrist. His hand shot out, grasping it. I flinched, sucking in a breath.

"How?"

I sighed. "I fell on it."

His eyes narrowed. "And why did you fall?"

"I went out to fight the dragon."

His eyes really did widen then. "You... went to fight the beast? Alone?"

I smirked, despite the pain. "And I won too. Well, scared it off anyway."

Cassian stared at me.

"Impressed?"

His eyes flashed. "You should not have been out there."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I had to do something! All those people would have died. And where were you? I found your sword by the way. Abandoned in the snow. It's over there" — I nodded toward the sword now propped up against the far wall — "Where did you go, Cassian?"

He looked away.

I glared at his forehead, watching his silvery hair fall across his face.

"See! There you go again. Not answering any of my questions!"

He whirled around a glare to match my own. "It's complicated, Aurelia."

We held each other's gaze. Neither willing to be the one who looked away first. My eyes softened. "It doesn't have to be... if you'd only tell me."

"I can't." His reply was instant. Final.

Still, he held my gaze.

"Fine." I looked away.

He sighed, seemingly in relief.

I continued, my gaze returning to him. "But I will find out."

He stiffened.

"Aurelia..."

"Do you really expect me to live here and not know what's going on? To be the queen of a kingdom where I am not privy to any of its secrets?"

He sighed, glancing down to where he still cradled my wrist. "No, I don't."

***

The ride home was a quiet one. Cassian rode at a noticeably slower pace to accommodate for my only being able to use one hand. The other hand was wrapped up in a makeshift sling that Cassian had fashioned out of his cloak.