Crown of Frost & shadows

PROLOGUE

In a dark cell beneath a cruel kingdom, Princess Illiana Thornbriar of Nyxvelyn held her child close, her voice soft as she sang a lullaby:

“Far away, in a land of light and love,

A little girl danced in her room,

She sang of a world that died with her heart,

A world where she was never alone.

She danced through the night and day,

A crown of gold and broken bones slipped from her head,

But she never stopped, she never wept.”

The little girl, her hair as dark as the night and her eyes so light they seemed golden, looked up at her mother, confusion flickering across her face as she saw the tears falling silently.

“What’s wrong, Mama?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

The princess held her daughter tighter, her voice cracking. “My little wildflower, one day you must run. Run as fast as you can, and don’t ever look back. I love you more than anything in this world. You are my only light in this darkness. Promise me, you’ll live.”

The little girl sniffled, her confusion deepening as she searched for her mother’s face. Illiana felt the weight of every moment passing, each one more agonizing than the last. She knew time was running out. The wounds inflicted upon her had gone untreated, the infection spreading through her body. She wasn’t going to survive much longer, and the thought of leaving her daughter behind was a pain far worse than any physical suffering.

She held her tighter, her heart aching as she whispered, “I only wish I could protect you longer.”

The following morning, the guards stormed into the cell like clockwork, their faces hard and emotionless. Princess Illiana stood, placing herself between them and her daughter, who was tied to the wall, her tiny wrists bound by enchanted ropes that glowed faintly, leaving red marks on her pale skin.

“Please,” Illiana whispered, her voice hoarse and pleading, but the guards only smirked, their hands reaching out to drag her away. They pulled her to the center of the cell, where she braced herself for the beating she knew was coming. It was the same every day—blows and lashes that left her battered, her body a canvas of bruises and wounds that refused to heal.

Her daughter’s cries tore through the air like knives. “Mama, stop it! Leave her alone!”

The guards ignored the little girl’s screams, their eyes fixed on their cruel task. Illiana clenched her jaw, her eyes meeting her daughter’s as tears welled up in them. She knew she couldn’t endure this much longer. The infection, the agony, and the torment—everything was breaking her down. But she had to hold on. She had been saving her strength for this moment, the one chance she had to save her daughter.

She had been hiding her power for years, letting the guards believe she was broken, powerless. But the truth was, her magic, the burning ice, was still within her, smoldering and waiting for the moment she would unleash it. It was an ancient and volatile power, capable of freezing anything it touched while igniting flames of frost that could destroy and protect.

When the guards finally tired of their cruelty and left her crumpled on the stone floor, she crawled to her daughter’s side, her body aching with every movement. The chill of her power hummed beneath her skin, begging to be unleashed, and she knew it was now or never.

“Wildflower,” she whispered, her voice barely audible as she pressed her forehead against her daughter’s. “Listen to me closely. It’s time.”

The little girl’s eyes were wide with fear and confusion. “Time for what, Mama? You need to rest—”

“No, sweetheart.” Illiana’s tone was firm, despite the pain that laced it. She reached into her dress, pulling out a small pendant—a necklace she had kept hidden all this time. The pendant was silver, shaped like a crescent moon with a crystal center that shimmered with a faint blue light, holding the last remnants of her magic. She placed it in her daughter’s hands, her touch icy and trembling.

“Take this,” she said. “It’s a part of me, and it will keep you safe. But you have to promise me, no matter what happens, you will run and never look back.”

The little girl’s eyes welled up as she clutched the pendant. “But I don’t want to leave you. I want to stay together.”

Illiana’s heart broke, but she forced a smile, wiping a tear from her daughter’s cheek. “I wish we could, my love. But my power is tied to this place, and when I use it, I won’t be able to survive. But it’s the only way I can make sure you get away.”

Her hands began to glow, an icy blue flame spreading from her fingertips as her magic came alive. The air turned frigid, and frost crept along the stone walls, shimmering with cold fire. She could feel the power building, a force that could shatter everything in its path.

“Close your eyes,” she whispered. “And remember, I love you, always.”

With a deep breath, she unleashed the magic. The burning ice surged from her hands, spreading across the cell in a blinding wave of blue fire and frost. The temperature plummeted, and the air crackled with an icy force that seemed to burn even as it froze. The stone walls groaned under the pressure as cracks formed, and shards of ice shot through the cell.

The guards, hearing the commotion, burst back into the cell, their faces twisted in shock as the icy flames spread toward them. Illiana, with the last of her strength, erected a barrier of blue fire between her daughter and the guards, a wall of cold flame that blazed with unbridled fury.

“Run!” she screamed, her voice echoing through the chamber like thunder. “Run, and don’t ever look back!”

The little girl hesitated, tears streaming down her cheeks, but the sight of her mother’s fierce determination pushed her into motion. She clutched the pendant tightly and bolted past the roaring flames, her heart breaking as she left her mother behind.

Illiana watched her daughter disappear into the shadows, a bittersweet smile on her lips as she pushed her magic further. She felt the burning ice tear through her, freezing her body even as it consumed her. She directed the power into the walls, sending jagged shards of ice shooting through the stone, tearing the cell apart.

As the flames and frost enveloped her, she whispered a final, broken goodbye, her eyes fixed on the spot where her daughter had vanished. The last of her strength left her, but she knew she had done it—her little wildflower was free.

Outside, the girl ran through the crumbling ruins, clutching the necklace to her chest. The sound of destruction roared behind her, but she didn’t look back. Her mother’s voice echoed in her ears, and she knew she had to keep going.

She would survive, just as her mother had asked. She would live.