Ice-Bound Promise [Wattys 2023 Shortlister]

42

It would remain with Ylthara until her dying day, as the memory of killing her husband would never leave Únik's memory. That kind of death left a scar and Únik would not wish that upon anybody. Least of all the woman she loved.

-+-

They reached the gates of the keep far too late. Arrows littered the bridge that approached the walls, crossing a deep crevasse that held the keep separate from the rest of the city. Melting ice also covered the stones of the bridge and several bodies, fallen from the battlements above.

Stepping through the bodies, Únik and Ylthara saw the portcullis and the gates, broken and bent, hanging at odd angles. It seemed Hatyara had battered them both with a relentless stream of icy missiles. Once again Únik marvelled at the power that Hatyara had hidden, not only from her, but from Ylthara, too.

Picking her way forward, Ylthara had a look upon her face that spoke volumes. Even though her father had talked of Hatyara's Ice Mage abilities, in his dying delirium, she had no idea that her sister could call forth such destructive power. She seemed both awed and horrified at the same time and Únik shared those feelings.

Within the confines of the keep, they could hear further sounds of battle and, behind them, Únik heard the hushed whispers and shocked intakes of breath from those Hagragng and Ūtharan troops that had managed to keep pace with Ylthara and herself. It seemed no-one had seen the like of this assault before.

"We keep going!" Using her ice-like sword, Ylthara swept it forward, pointing in two different directions. "Work in pairs. One Hagragng, one Ūtharan. For the good of our nations, we must stay united! Search everywhere, for Hatyara and for survivors, but do not engage my sister alone. She's ... she's too strong."

Ylthara did not show her feelings, not in any way that the soldiers could tell, but Únik could see it. The strain and horror at witnessing what her sister had shown herself capable of. Únik, too, felt horrified. She had travelled with Hatyara and Shihiri long enough to think she had come to know them. She never thought either of them capable of this.

Every body they passed showed signs of damage from bolts of ice, or pierced by arrows that no longer remained in their bodies. Shihiri's magical bow and quiver would never run out of arrows. A legacy of killing a Patron and Únik wondered if her having to witness the deaths that bow caused was some kind of punishment for taking Frianchenzer's life. If 'life' could describe the existence of those unknowable beings, the Patrons.

"Has Hatyara ever been here before? Does she know where Vraniik could be?" With caution, Únik followed Ylthara as the Ice Kin edged forward into the bailey of the keep.

"Yes. She knows exactly where the King is and so do I." Every so often, Ylthara would stop and check the bodies around them for signs of life. Some yet lived and she indicated to the remaining soldiers, in silence, to take the injured to safety.

"Then why separate the soldiers? Sending them searching for her?" Up ahead, Únik could see another door, set into the main tower of the keep, twisted and shattered. "We need every soldier we can get against this."

Waving a vague hand around, taking in the carnage, Únik felt surprised Ylthara had not shown better strategy. She had expected more precision from the Ice Kin. This separation of their forces seemed, even to her, foolhardy. She didn't have the training or knowledge of Ylthara, but to her mind, they needed more than her, Ylthara and a couple of archers.

"I won't have more deaths on my hands than I have to." She turned and scowled, but the scowl wasn't aimed at Únik, it was, instead, aimed at herself. "I've already sent Turug to his death. And Barsa. I won't lose any more."