The Ice Queen - Epilogue (Patreon)

Neytiri

It amazes me how much planning Cassian put into protecting our people. The island was built many years ago with the intention of protecting our people and shielding them from the human world. As far as they are concerned, this is just another uninhabited island. The Ikniri village has been hidden deep in a mountainous region, surrounded by trees and rock. And the Dragonborn have been located near the no longer active volcano. They are not nearly as far as they were on Brineua. But every person has been accounted for and given a place to stay. Each family registered on Brineau already had a home on this island should this happen—cassian thought of everything.

Caius knocks gently before entering the room. Cassian and I share a home that overlooks the Ikniri enclosure. I love this one much better than the one on Brineau as I can see my people and feel them.

“Have you heard from him?” I ask, keeping my eyes glued on the village. It’s been five days since we evacuated Brineau. I have yet to hear from Cassian and my wounds are still too great to use my abilities. I can’t even sense him through the blood oath thanks to him suppressing my abilities, so Caius has been my ear for the time being.

“Cassian is en route to the island. He should arrive in a few hours.”

I nod, relief washing over me as I turn away from the village. Caius is watching me with a strange expression.

“Is he alright?” I ask.

Caius smirks, nodding as he sits on the window seat, looking at the village with me.

“Everyone that infiltrated the village is dead. Cassian left no survivors.”

I tense, my eyes widening from Caius’s words, but he continues to speak.

“I want to tell you this because I think you’re the only person he could possibly listen to. Cassian is a complex man. He loves hard, harder than anyone because he’s felt the pain of losing. I support him wholly for what he is going to do for our kind, but you have to stop him from going over the edge; from crossing the line. Because your attack almost cost him everything… more than you know right now. And he is losing himself to the bloodlust. He will scorch the earth before he allows innocent humans a way out.”

Caius’s words don’t come as a shock to me. I felt that coming from Cassian when I awoke. It won’t be long before he’s so far gone, no one can appeal to him. Not even me.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let him lose himself,” I say.

Mentally, I don’t know how I could possibly promise that. Cassian is a king. He’s seen more wars and battles than me, which is why he so easily defeated me. He is his own plague, ready to wipe the world of those unfit to survive it. And the world has proven itself unfit time and time again. When I honestly think about it, not a lot of time has passed for me living in this world and I am already sick of it. I only awoke a few months ago, having to become accustomed to this world and protect myself and my people all with the weight of being hunted on my back.

I’ve had to ignore all of the pain and hurt that fell upon me over my life, not just by Cassian but by the humans for the sake of adapting. My gaze shifts to the village beyond, my irritation growing. My people have had to move time and time again for the sake of their own safety. Every time humans overstep, we must change our ways. We must adapt. We must suffer when we are the ones with the power.

I look at Caius, my sadness growing.

“I will not let him lose himself, but I will not stop him from getting the revenge we all deserve.”