2/13/2024 0 Comments To kill a kingdom kyeHis lips mingle with the rest of his face like a variant shade, and everything about him is as sharp as it is straight. He doesn’t look at all dwarfed by the mammoth carcass. Though it stands taller than some men, the Págese king seems to encompass the creature’s size perfectly. As expected, King Kazue is the snow lion. The Págese brothers pull back the animal skins shielding them from the cold. They gleam in a way that’s almost liquid. It’s a stark contrast to their black armor and weaponry – spears and swords that are all the darkest shade of ebony. Their eyes peer through the jaws of their respective animals: polar bear, Arctic fox, wilderness wolf, and in the middle of the warriors and his brothers, the snow lion.Įach animal is a glorious shade of white that melts into the snow by their feet. The four members of the Págese family stand like titans, magnificent hunters’ headdresses swooping down their backs in glorious coats. When they reach us, there’s a momentary silence while we consider one another.Įven with the layers of fur and armor, it’s not hard to tell the royals from their soldiers. They look like giants, their uniforms so dark, they ink the empty landscape. They hike seamlessly in step with one another, feet crushing into the snow with the pound of every drumbeat. The snow does a poor job of obscuring their imposing statures and impressively systematic formation. Even with the blizzard, they’re easy to spot. There’s at least a dozen of them, standing in a perfect military arrow, marching fiercely in our direction. I laugh, but the sound is lost against the rhythm of nomadic drumbeats that barrel toward us. “Next thing I know, the lot of you will be writing love notes in rum bottles.” “I could swear that I’m on a life-and-death mission with a bunch of lusty kids,” he says. I’m not sure whether it’s from the hours we’ve gone without food or his inability to wear cutoffs in the biting cold, but his patience seems to be wearing thin. Torik lets out a withering sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Is it because you think I look sexier wearing nothing?” The fur collar cuddles against his jaw and obscures the bottoms of his ears, making it seem as though he has no neck at all. Kye looks down at the sleek red coat fitted snugly to his lithe frame. “It’s actually quite easy to resist you when you’re dressed like that.” “I already know you find me irresistible.” “I don’t need you to flirt with me,” he says. “Are you jealous because I’m not flirting with you?” Madrid asks him, warming her finger on the trigger mechanism of her gun. “Anytime you two want to stop making me feel nauseated, go right ahead.” Kye shakes the snow from his sword and scoffs. “If that is what pearls are worth these days, I’ll make sure to invest in diamonds.” Lira pulls a line of ice from her hair, artfully indifferent. It lingers in calculated amusement as she considers what to say next. I can barely see Lira’s eyes under the mass of dark fur from her coat, but the mirthless curl of her smile is ever-present. “Nobody wants your words being preserved for eternity.” “You should try not to talk then,” she retorts. When I turn to Lira, the ends of her hair are white with frost. It shakes me more than the cold ever could. It slows me down more than I would like, and even though I know there’s no imminent threat of attack, I still don’t like being unprepared in case one comes. I’m dressed in fur so thick that walking feels like an exertion. The wind penetrates here through every layer, including skin. The air is crisp on my skin, and though my hands are wrapped under thick gloves, I shove my fists into my pockets anyway. I have the key and the map to navigate the route, and all that’s left is for Lira to tell me the secrets of the ritual. I feel the beat of the necklace against my heart as we step foot onto the snow. Snow, reflecting the eternal tinsel of the stars. Even in the dead of night, the sky turns no darker than a mottled blue, and the ground itself acts like a light to guide the way. The mirror of the frozen sky against the white water, flecked by tufts of ice and snow, makes for a kingdom that is beautifully void of darkness. Regardless, it’s just as bright as if it were morning. Cold has a faithful presence here, and with dusk rapidly approaching, the air seems almost frozen by the impending absence of sun. T HE WATER IS SLUSH by the time the Saad makes her berth.
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