“Welcome to your new lodgings, sire,” Dmitri exclaimed eagerly as they strode into the main hall of what would be the center of his new kingdom.

“Hm… It’s hardly half the size I had anticipated,” Alek said, tapping his foot in slight annoyance.

“To be fair, given the size of this fiefdom, the locals have done quite well, in my opinion. I think they are to be commended.” Luka chimed in, tightening a belt over his shoulder that kept the heavy furs and leather he wore in place, typical clothing for such extreme weather as their land was known for.

“Well, they shouldn’t. The lord of winter isn’t renowned for his mercy.” He strode into the large space. Tables and chairs hewn from wood surrounded him. And at the head of it all, a large wooden throne stood above all others. High above them, the stone edifice, cold and unspeaking, loomed.

Luka and Dmitri followed behind as Alek, excited to have his very own throne for the first time, leapt into the oversized seat.

“And don’t forget that this is only the beginning. Your father wants to see how you rule, see that you are capable of governing this land, before he gives you others to rule,” Luka added, always a spoilsport, focused on Alek’s father’s business.

“Where are the gold and silver accents I requested for my throne?” Alek interrupted, feeling not very kingly in his current lodgings.

“The people here lack for material wealth. But they make up for it in good hard work and a hardy disposition,” Dmitri said cheerily.

“Well, I’d like to see how hardy their disposition is if the lord of winter’s demands are not met,” Alek said, rising to his feet.

“Just give it time. After all, your people have yet to meet you in person. I think you’ll like them,” Dmitri advocated.

Alek harrumphed. “What is there to possibly like about humans?”

Dmitri opened his mouth but paused when Luka interjected.

“There are more important matters to attend to anyway. There have been reports of another dragon encroaching on this land. Stealing goods, threatening the outlying townsfolk,” Luka said.

Alek laughed. “Ha, as if anyone could possibly pose a challenge to me.” He paced on the raised area where his throne stood, folding his arms. “Very well. I would love a chance to test my strength anyway. I’ve yearned for a bit of sport for some time now.”

“The people will certainly be grateful for it, I would think. Just try not to hurt their farms like in the past. For many of your people here, it’s all they have,” Dmitri said.

Alek ignored the advice. It was their fault if they got in the way. “I will see to it that this becomes the greatest fiefdom in my father’s kingdom. Then I will rule over all of his lands.” Eager energy surged through him at the prospect of more power. “In no time at all, I will surpass even my father. It is my destiny to do so, is it not?”

Luka and Dmitri glanced at each other, expressions blank. Then they looked up at him and nodded.

“We want nothing more for you than that, Alek,” Dmitri said.

“Good.” He took his seat once more, satisfied, tapping his foot on the ground as he imagined what it would be like to be king.

“There are several people who would like to meet their new ruler as well,” Luka remarked. “Some are here to discuss the status of this season’s harvest, as well as current construction projects. A few of them even have ideas to increase this year’s wool output for the sheep herders.” Luka pulled a piece of parchment from his satchel, putting it forward for Alek to take.

Alek yawned, waving his hand. “Send them away, Luka. I can’t possibly be bothered to handle such petty things when I have more important things to tend to.”

Luka stood still for a second, then slowly withdrew it into his pack.

“Besides, I’m exhausted from the long journey. And when I wake, I desire to seek out the foul interloper who dares intrude on the lord of winter’s lands and give them a proper greeting.” Alek rose, making for his bedchambers upstairs, uninterested in such trifling matters that Luka seemed insistent on foisting upon him. As he walked, a chilled wind blew through the keep, whistling as it did, though he didn’t feel the sting of the cold at all.

“As you command,” both Luka and Dmitri exclaimed behind him.

* * *

Talia didn’t know what had come over Alek to make him run like that.

Had he thought she was going to use him as an experiment? She was still processing everything Iris had told her, but she had tried to make it clear to Alek that even though she was surprised by him, it didn’t make her see him differently when it came their relationship.

Whatever that relationship was…

If anything, it made her more eager to protect him. The way he always protected her.

She directed the cab to continue home and decided to ask his friends for help since she doubted she’d be able to follow him into the snow even if he wanted her to, given the way the storm was kicking up behind him.

Plus the way he’d looked at her, that expression of fierce, pained warning, as if he truly didn’t want her to come.

She’d felt she had no choice but to respect him, even if she desperately wanted to grab his arm again and ask what was wrong.

When the cab dropped her off, she nearly tripped jumping out of it and quickly ran up to the front door of her apartment, fumbling with the key as she let herself in.

When she opened the door with a whoosh, she saw everyone staring at her.

A movie was on, and Chelle was sharing a couch with their two visitors, looking hilariously small nestled between them.

Talia’s eyes widened at the sight, but Chelle simply smiled, and Dmitri and Luka didn’t seem to see anything wrong with the situation.

There was nothing to suggest they were anything more than friends, except their slightly odd proximity.

Chelle noticed Talia’s distress, however, and rose immediately. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Dmitri rose, too, running a hand over his shaved head, blue-green eyes blazing. “Where is Alek? Wasn’t he supposed to come back with you?”

Luka stood hesitantly, ice-blue eyes narrowing as he waited to hear her out.

“I… We were riding home, and he just… Something happened.” She pushed back a lock of errant hair. “I just was talking to him about something, and he got this weird look on his face and just bolted. He got out of the car and just ran into the forest, surrounded by a blizzard.”

Luka and Dmitri shared a look she couldn’t understand and nodded to one another. Then they began to grab their coats, as if ready to head out.

Chelle put a hand on Luka’s arm. “Be careful out there. It’s cold.”

Luka looked down at her as if confused at the contact, but he nodded, pulling a woolen hat on over his dark, silky hair.

Dmitri’s eyes were on Chelle for a moment, but then he turned back to the issue in question. “We’ll go look for him.”

“I’ll come,” Talia said, feeling anxious at the idea of just waiting at home, not knowing if he was even all right.

Dmitri shook his head insistently. “No. And you aren’t to come find us either. It’s too dangerous out there in the cold.”

“But—”

“You said it was a blizzard, right?” Luka asked, staring her down with that icy, frank gaze. “Then you aren’t fit to handle it. We are. We belong in the ice and snow.”

“Yeah, you were frozen there,” she bit off sarcastically. Then she groaned because she knew her worry didn’t give her a right to be rude. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want it to happen again.”

“It won’t,” Luka said. “But listen, you going out there is the last thing Alek would want. This time, we’ll save him.”

“This time?” Chelle asked, looking between them. “What?”

Talia bit her lip. Had something like this happened before? When they were frozen? Luckily, things like that didn’t happen here. It just never got that cold. “Be safe out there. Alek wouldn’t want anything to happen to you either.”

“We will,” Dmitri said, pulling a hat on as well. But she could tell he was already in warrior mode, planning how to bring his friend back.

Though, if she were honest, she had to admit Dmitri and Luka often acted less like friends and more like subjects.

But not now, as they opened the door and set out with grim, determined faces.

Still, all that mattered was that they brought Alek back and that everything turned out safe. That he knew he had somewhere to come home to. Someone waiting to make sure he was okay.

As the door swung shut, Chelle walked over to Talia, putting her arm around Talia’s shoulders with a sigh. “Those guys really aren’t normal.”

Talia nodded. “You have no idea.”

Chelle was right, and the tests that morning had proved it.

They were truly made to be out in the ice.

She just hoped it was only for a short while this time.