Trifecta: Ice [Complete]

Ch 23: First Hypotheses

Supper with just Serge and I was a quiet ordeal, but I was glad because it was easier on my nerves than having the people I love writhing in hostility towards the leader to whom the curse made me desperately want to submit.

It was not just that, though. Sitting there at the same table with him as far away as I could be at a ninety degree angle, eating leftover stew and rewarmed garlic bread while the blizzard slowly began to die off outside was not bad.

Sure, the curse still made me want to cower and hide just as much as it did the first day, but something was different than then.

The first day I had been genuinely as afraid as the curse insisted I be, but now it was only the icy chains sending that prickling fear up and down the back of my neck with every movement he made.

Not that I did not regret everything, but my life here was not going to be as bad as I first feared when I had first been taken away from my pack.

I ineptly assisted with clearing the table after supper.

"You don't have to help," he said.

"I kn-know," I agreed and kept trying anyway, careful to not run into him while keeping my gaze carefully on what I was carrying. I could see the plate shaking, but I simply held tighter and brought my load to the counter.

He did not argue with me.

"Y-y-you know, if I tr-try really hard, maybe some d-day I could even manage to d-do d-dishes," I joked.

He did not seem to find me funny. "You're not going to be my slave, Elise."

I sighed shakily. "Y-you were s-supposed to l-laugh and find m-me h-hilarious," I told him and the curse consumed me for my brazen display of humour.

"Sorry," he said.

I did not bother to push him further. It was like he had cursed himself at the same time as he had cursed me.

* * * * * * * * *

I tossed and turned throughout the night, waking myself up several times. I woke in a bed with the sheets tangled and poor Lizzy somehow tossed halfway across the floor. I was almost relieved to face my terror filled day.

I peeked out the window. The ground was covered in two feet of snow and all the trees that had been previously bare now had scads of the nasty white misery clinging to their needles.

I shivered and sighed and forced myself into the bathroom. I could have ventured out of my room and asked Karen if I had time for a run before we left, but it did not feel worth it. I turned on the shower and tried to make myself look presentable.

I dragged myself out of the warm water and got ready for the day. I trudged down the hall and found Karen in the kitchen.

"Good morning," she said. "I hear you had an exciting couple of days, huh?"

"Y-you could say that," I agreed.

"Sorry that I didn't stay for supper. I thought everything would be fine."

I sat in my usual seat at the counter. She slid an omelette in front of me.

"It w-worked out okay," I assured her. "No bl-blood spilled."

"I only heard the abbreviated version from Serge," she commented. "But the curse really took you down, didn't it?"

Of course he would focus on that bit, I thought with an eye roll. The fear ran down my back and stung my eyes at my action.

I picked up my fork and took a bite, chewed carefully and swallowed.

Though I knew I was asking for trouble, I decided to speak. "I-I thought it actually w-went pretty w-well," I said and the predictable curse swept cold through my blood since I was not permitted satisfaction.