The giant beneath the mountain has awakened after three centuries' slumber and devours some of my fathers' best men every morning. He will continue taking lives, one for every giant our ancient ruler killed to steal his land. But I know this ice gia...
"Forwards! Brace overhead." Quinn screeches. She's put me near the back of her squad. I struggle to raise my shield. Seeing me, she rolls her eyes and points to the soldier next to me. "Hand that one a training shield."
"But—." The soldier protests. He stops at Quinn's lethal glare, giving me a thinner shield that I manage to lift overhead.
"Get hit, maimed, or killed," Quinn hisses into my ear, walking towards the back of the formation, "I'll travel to Hel myself and drag you kicking and screaming back just so I can murder you again."
I nod, fighting to keep the shield perfectly still.
The squad moves towards the bailey, which the jötunn is already lumbering towards. Half of the village still stands. The smithy, where some of the finest swords in the city of Ymir were forged, lies in ruins. Melted metal's already hardened into pools of shiny sludge.
"BRING ME YOUR QUEEN!" The giant roars.
The jötunn hurls a piece of mortar. The soldiers brace, but just as it aims towards me, Quinn dashes back to raise her shield above mine. She grunts at the impact, but the projectile scatters at her strength.
"Prepare for the next one," she croaks to the men. She links her arms in mine. "Miles, soldier, with me."
We make a break for the gates. I'm already breathing hard, choking on the frigid air, the heat beneath my borrowed armor. "I'm... sorry." I gasp.
"For what?" She hardly turns to me, focused already on dragging me to the side, far from the action.
"For this." I hurtle my training shield at her. She grunts as it hits her shoulder. Somehow, I managed enough adrenaline to actually knock her to the side.
I dash for the gate.
"No!" Quinn screeches, but I'm a lone soldier sprinting towards the giant. The other squad mates cheer my bravery on. Others, the older ones that still believe in the gods, scream prayers.
Mother Metis have mercy.
"Jötunn." I cry, removing my helmet and letting my hair, pale locks streaked through with some of my great-grandmother's fire, fall. "I am Cassia Boadicea Dominus, of the blood of Cloelia Crispus Regina, the one who defeated your kin."
The soldiers roar bloody murder.
I raise my arms. "Consider your debt paid."
As he leans down to scoop me up in his fist, I see it.
His eyes, beneath a jagged helmet made of ice, they're the color of rose-quartz.
The color of Fell's eyes.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Don't forget to like and comment. Praise Lord Algorithm!
Oooh. Quinn is looking out for our favorite ice monarch. Let's go. To battle!
