CHAPTER 28: COLD
1638 Words
FREYA
By the time I got back to the Jade clan, darkness had blanketed the sky. I headed back to the forest to continue the process I had begun before I found Sara.
When I reached the centre of the forest, I conjured the cauldron again, bringing it to sight.
It was time to finish what I had started.
Before I continued with the sealing process,
I decided to go through all the ingredients to be sure I had them all in the cauldron.
That was when I found out that an ingredient was missing. A strand of Icarus's hair.
While preparing the potion earlier in the day, I was so caught up in my emotions that I had forgotten to get a strand of Icarus's hair from him. It was a very important ingredient and the potion may not work directly on him if I did not include it.
“Arrrrgh!" I growled, pulling at my hair. I did not want to get back to the castle without the potion and now, I was compelled to. I put the cauldron away again, storming out of the woods in frustration.
Everytime, something always happened to terminate my plans and I was getting sick of going back and forth with this.
Now that I had even the rarest ingredients, I was determined to complete the potion and nothing was going to stop me.
I had barely stepped into the castle when some guards ran to me, with Ava following behind, panting as they stopped in front of me.
“Thank goodness we found you!" Ava exclaimed.
“We scoured the city for you but you were nowhere to be found.” One of the guards said, his voice full of relief.
I raised an eyebrow, arms crossed over my chest. “Why?”
“The master ordered us to search for you. He has been worried since your disappearance.” Another guard replied.
“We have to go to him right now." Ava replied, reaching out to take my hand but I hid it from her reach.
“I do not want to.” I replied, walking away from them into the castle. Ava's hasty footsteps followed closely behind and she soon caught up with me, standing in front of me to prevent me from going further while the guards stood behind and beside me, closing me in.
My brows narrowed into a frown. “What is the meaning of this, Ava?”
“I am really sorry, miss, but we really have to get you to the master first. He asked us to.” She replied, determined to stop me.
Anger bubbled within me as I stared at Ava. If I was not ready to see Icarus, nothing and no one was going to make me. I would see him on my own terms, because I want to.
I would not be led to Icarus by a bunch of guards and maids like some prisoner.
“Get out of my way, Ava." I gritted out as calmly as I could.
“I am sorry, but I can't Miss. I am simply following orders.” Ava replied.
Her answer ticked me off so much that I shoved her out of my way so hard that she hit the ground. The guards tried to stop me but I turned around sharply.
“Don't you dare touch me!” I commanded the guards, and then stood down hesitantly.
“I will see your master when I am ready to see him. Go tell him that and leave me alone.”
With that, I disappeared into the castle, headed straight for my room without looking back.
I slammed the door shut, my ears ringing as adrenaline coursed through me. I took in deep, heavy breaths, letting them out slowly to calm my racing heart.
I walked over to the bathroom, staring at my reflection in the mirror. The past few days had been challenging and the dark circles around my eyes was enough to tell.
I washed my face, letting the cool water run over my skin and relax my nerves. I had a quick shower, putting on fresh clothes afterwards.
I was seated at the dresser, running a brush through my tangled mane when a knock resounded on my door.
“Freya? It is me, Icarus.”
The sound of his voice was irritating to my ears. At that moment, everything about him irked me and as much as I wanted to yell at him to ‘get out and leave me alone’, another part of me wanted to give him a piece of my mind and also get close to him enough to get a strand of hair from him.
I walked over to the door, unlocking it to reveal Icarus. If he was going to yell at me about what happened today, I was ready. He would not see what was coming to him.
“What do you want?"
I was surprised at how calm and composed my voice was, compared to the anger that was swirling inside of me.
Surprisingly, he did not look poised to attack. He actually looked somewhat remorseful, but I was not going to fall for his whims anymore.
“Can I come in?” Icarus asked quietly.
”Why?” I frowned, staring daggers at him.
“Really Freya? I thought we had gone past this stage…” Icarus said.
“What stage?" I asked him. “You better explain to me, because I have no idea what you are talking about…”
“Freya please…" Icarus pleaded.
“Louder, I can't hear you.” I said, looking away.
Call me sick if you want, but I had intense pleasure watching Icarus beg and grovel at my feet. I wanted to make him suffer, and this was not such a bad place to start.
“Please Freya, let me come in.” Icarus increased his voice, just like I requested.
“Hmph." I huffed, getting out of the way for him to come in.
“Thank you.” He replied, shutting the door behind him. He revealed a box of chocolates and flowers from behind him. Little wonder his hands were hidden from sight all along.
“I noticed you really enjoyed the chocolate desserts at the White wolf ball, so I decided to get you some...and some white roses too. They kinda match your...hair." Icarus stuttered like a shy child.
I would have found his actions endearing if he had done them a few days ago, but not now.
Not after all that I witnessed today.
“Drop it over there.” I said to him, pointing at the coffee table before taking a seat on one of the plush chairs recently arranged in my room.
“Um...Okay…” He said, reluctantly dropping them on the table.
I picked up a book from the table, ignoring him completely. Icarus cleared his throat, in an obvious attempt to get my attention.
“If you are just going to stand there and do nothing, you might as well use the door.” I said, my eyes still focused on the pages of the book I was reading.
“I know you are really upset with what happened today, Freya…" Icarus began, and I watched him from the corner of my eye as he took slow steps toward me. “...hell you have been upset with me for different reasons within such a short time." He muttered to himself. “And I am here to sincerely apologise, Freya.”
Icarus squatted next to me. He was so close that his breath tickled my skin and I was not particularly pleased with his proximity.
”You can apologise from where you stood earlier on, Icarus. You do not have to be so close." I deadpanned, before turning my attention back to the book in my hands.
“Oh, sorry…" He scooted away, still squatting next to me.
“I am really sorry, Freya. ” Icarus said to me, his voice so gentle and pleading that it tugged on my conscience, but I was not ready to let go.
“Please Freya, forgive me.”
“How does it feel?” I asked Icarus. “How does it feel to beg for mercy? The same mercy you refused to extend to Hera today?”
He sighed, rubbing the stress line on his forehead. “Where are you going with this, Freya?”
“You ask for something you cannot give. Can you see how hypocritical you are?” I sneered at him.
“Those are two different circumstances, Freya and you know that. You can't compare both.” Icarus argued.
“Of course...we can't compare murder to being a witch so I guess that justifies it.” I replied to him, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
.“Freya…” Icarus sighed. “Look, I did not come here to argue, okay? I just...I came to apologise not to prove that I am right.”
“Okay.” came my curt reply.
“Uh...okay you forgive me?” Icarus asked, puzzled.
“Okay, I have heard you." I said.
“So... would you come have dinner with me? Please?" Icarus asked.
“No.” I did not even have to think about my response.
“Oh...um...I understand." Icarus replied sadly, rising to his full height.
“So... should I expect you at the tower later?”
“No.” I replied again, without even looking at him. I could not dare look into those eyes. They always had a way of drawing me in, making me do things I did not want to.
“Um... Alright.” His footsteps echoed as he walked towards the door.
“Goodnight, Freya.” He said, shutting the door after him.
- Writer
