Ice [ book 1 of the nine sisters ] will be rewritten.

Chapter 17: Amber's Encounter

"This is just a warning, sister." The ends of his mouth twitched up to form a smirk and before I knew it, he'd dissapeared. 

I sat there, hating myself for letting him do this to me. Then I remembered Amber and Adrian. I snapped my head to Amber, only to find her kneeling beside her prince with a tear struck face. I shook my head and hurried to them. 

He was laying there----lifeless.

I didn't believe he was lifeless though. He was still alive, but losing much blood. Fast. 

My sisters--along with my parents and the guards and most of the kingdom--have dashed inside the garden. Maybe my powers have stretched all throughout the kingdom. I was that angry.

Adrian was set on a soft bed of grass. Amber was being healed by Demetria. Her wounds were small but dealt much damage. Jeremiah was by my side, horror and worry plastered on his face. 

I looked around to find mother and father. And one look at them, I knew they knew what had happened. 

The garden was full of people from all over the kingdom. Some princes and princesses from other kingdoms were here too. Everyone was busy engaging with each other in soft conversations. About the kingdom perhaps.

My eyes were back to it's icy blue self, not much like the bloodshot ones I had earlier. On the day my third child was born---he would come back. And Amber knew who he was now.

                                             ~* * *~

 The whispers started to fade away as I moved farther from the lake. Mother and Father were beside me, not daring to start the conversation. I knew that they wanted me to start, since I was the one there.

I opened my mouth to speak, but was terribly cut off by my father.

"He's.....he's back isn't he?" he whispered. 

I flinched.

My body warmth turned icy cold, giving off an icy aura from me--more than usual at least.

"I could--" I managed to say before being cut off again by my mother.

"Take him on? Antarctica, he's older than you. Stronger than you. You would only be killing yourself in the process. Please, don't kid yourself." she gushed. I stared back at her, biting my lip. She knew the power I held was stronger than anything---only not stronger than Michael's. And it hurt for the words to come out of her mouth. Tears welled in my eyes.

"Mother--I was simply going to imply that maybe I can talk to him" I lied. I was going to say that I wanted to take him on. But instead--that was what came out.

I looked at them. Fear washed over their bodies. They looked at each other. And I knew the answer.

I couldn't bear to be with them anymore. To know that they think I'm not capable of defeating someone that I've known for years. I ran and I finally let the tears stream down my face. 

                               ~* * *~

As I reached my room, I closed the doors immediately and let my back fall on the door. Sobs and wails were the only things heard in the room. 

I had to take an invigorating bath.

I turned the water on, filling the tub fast. I stripped myself of the blood and tear strained clothes I've worn and gently placed my body in the tub. It was icy cold, but nothing I couldn't handle. For me, this was warm.

A wave of peace washed over me and I felt my body relax.

The happenings today have left--without a single trace. 

As I exited the tub I took hold of the towel on a chair and wrapped it around my body. When I entered my room I immediately opened my closet and took out a short night dress, icy blue with snowflakes adorning them.

I put on the dress and made my way to the bed. The large window in the room let the moonlight shine through, making the snowflake design glitter. 

As I was drifting off to sleep a knock came on the door. I hesitated to open it, but in the end I still did.

What I saw made my eyes widen and my heart drop.

Amber.

Her usually vibrant eyes were bloodshot. Her usual beautiful face was now wearing tear tracks and her gorgeous white and red dress was full of blood stains. Her hair was scattered everywhere. She looked far more than depressed.

Could Adrian be---

Amber fell weak on her knees and let all the tears come out.

"A-antarctica?" her voice shook, but there was a gravelly edge to it. "Who was that?" she demanded.

"You can't find out now, 'tis too soon." 

I hate Armando. He broke his promise. He made me hurt my own sister. He, I fear, almost made Adrian die.

I swear to the heavens, once I get married, I will not wait any longer to fight him. I do not care if I have not bore child yet. I will fight him, for all that it is worth. We must put an end to this.

"Too soon?! Antarctica, I think it is too late." Her voice snapped me out of  my furious thoughts.

"I know what happened out there. I know that you are severely wounded. I understand why you long for his identity. If you find out who that was, he will hurt not only you, but all of us even more. I can't risk that happening." I sat down on my bed, exasperated.

Her face dawned with understanding. "So we have to wait until your third child is born before we can truly fight him?" 

Her tone surprised me. It was unsure, laced with icyness that I thought never existed in her. I didn't remark on that, to further avoid any other arguments.

"I was thinking," I started. "that if we fight him immediately after the wedding, it would be over. No more problems, no more fear."

"Are you sure?" She faced the darkness of night out of my window.

"I was never more sure."