"Please..." As I walk back to my rooms, I see two figures lit up by lamplight at the end of the visitor halls. One wears a nightgown edged in rosettes; her crimson hair pinned messily against her head. The other is Quinn, dressed in her training undershirt and pants, fresh wounds patched up, a gash on her shoulder stitched. "Please, don't go."
"I have no choice, ást, love." Quinn sighs, pressing her cheek to Zoya's hair. "The king gave me an order."
"But you'll die."
"As a soldier does. You know how hard the barren soil's been for farming families. I wasn't going to bring in any money through marriage, so it was better I join the army and get kicked around but at least send something back to my family." Quinn bows her head. "I'm worth more as a dead soldier than a living disgrace to my family."
They embrace one more time before retiring. Quinn to oversee what's left of her squad, and Zoya to return to her family. Stunned by the sweet brutality of their confession, I return to my own chambers with a sigh. Quinn had to see one of her own men eviscerated by some mythological monster. Zoya might get her heart torn out in a different way.
What use am I if I just hide like the other courtiers? Will I become like my father, trapped in his position with no way out? Or, like Quinn and Zoya, trapped by my duty and expectations?
Or will I be free?
***
I am once more in the space with the Northern Lights shining above me, the bright hues bleeding through the sky and dancing together as one. I walk towards the icy tower, and there's Fell Hallvarðr, huddled with his knees against his chest, clutching his arm to him.
When I reach him, I see his arm is blistered horribly, burn marks etched there.
"What happened?"
He looks to me and slowly shakes his head, his rose-eyes hardly registering my presence. "A waking nightmare. They're all gone."
"Who?"
He grits his teeth against the pain, inside and out. "My family's all gone."
"I'm sorry." I pause, looking at his clothing. It looks like it's spun from snowflakes and frost. "Where did you get those?"
Fell shakes his head. "The nightmare. I was the same, but everything was different." He turns to me, peering into my face. "I don't want to wake up, Cassia."
I twine my fingers through his. "I don't want to either."
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Zoya x Quinn, everybody?