Queen Coral's eyes gleamed with curiosity as Frost stood before her, her posture rigid with defiance. The queen's gaze flickered over Frost's body, lingering on the way her icy scales seemed to shimmer faintly in the soft, glowing light of the chamber. A smirk played at the corners of Coral's lips as she sized up the young IceWing before her, clearly relishing the power she held in the moment.

"Ah, Frost, you are here," Queen Coral said smoothly, her voice the calm before a storm. Her tail flicked, agitated but calculated, as she glanced at Kelp and Seagrass, who still stood by the door. "You can go now. I have Shark and Moray here; I don't need you."

The two guards exchanged glances but quickly bowed and filed out of the room, leaving Frost alone with the queen. The heavy doors creaked shut behind them, sealing the room in an unsettling silence.

Coral rose from her throne, the glint of her dark blue scales catching the light like the ocean's depths. She took a few slow steps toward Frost, her movements as graceful as a predatory sea creature. When she reached Frost, she stopped just a tail's length away, her eyes narrowing as she studied the young IceWing.

"You, Frost, are a princess, aren't you?" Coral's words were soft but laden with intent.

Frost stiffened, her wings twitching instinctively. "What? No," she spat, the denial sharp on her tongue, but it didn't sound as convincing as she hoped. There was no escaping the queen's knowing gaze.

Coral's sigh was rich with amusement, as if she were indulging a particularly amusing game. "You can't hide things from me, dear Frost. I know you are Queen Glacier's daughter." She stepped down from her throne, her tail trailing behind her like a dark wave. She closed the distance between them with terrifying speed, and before Frost could react, Coral's talon shot out, gently but firmly gripping Frost's chin, forcing her to meet the queen's piercing eyes.

Frost's breath caught in her throat, the grip like ice on her skin, but she refused to show weakness. The icy chill of her own blood surged in her veins, a warning that the IceWing bloodline ran deeper than she cared to admit.

"You don't need to be afraid," Coral purred, her voice dripping with honeyed promise. "I will easily get you to your mother without any negotiations."

Frost's fury flared, hotter than the cold she carried in her heart. Without warning, she snapped her wings wide, frost hissing from the tips as her breath surged outward in a cold, biting jet of frost. It struck Coral square in the chest, and for a moment, the queen staggered back, a surprised yelp escaping her lips.

Coral hissed and leapt back, her sleek, regal form twisted in an elegant snarl. "Don't touch me, you insolent sea serpent!" she roared, her voice rising in furious authority. Her tail lashed like an angry wave, and for a moment, Frost thought Coral might unleash a retaliatory attack. But instead, the queen stood still, her lip curled in disdain as she glared at Frost, who was now fully bristling with fury.

The young IceWing snarled, her breath still frosty, ice crystals swirling in the air like a storm waiting to break. "I will not go back to that forsaken Ice Kingdom," she growled, her wings flaring in a threat. "I am my own dragon now."

The tension between them crackled, the air thick with unspoken power. Coral stared at Frost for a long moment, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You think you have a choice, Frost? You may think you are free, but you are still tied to your mother's kingdom. To your destiny."

Frost stepped forward, her eyes hard. "I'm not anyone's pawn," she said coldly. "Not now. Not ever."

Queen Coral watched her, expression unreadable. Then, with a sharp flick of her tail, she turned away, retreating back to her throne. The air between them shifted, a silent understanding passing through the room.

"Very well," Coral said, her voice now cold and calculating. "If you think you can escape your past, then so be it. But remember, Frost," she added, her tone icy sharp, "even the deepest currents eventually pull you back to where you belong."

Frost didn't flinch. She only stood taller, her eyes daring the queen to do her worst. "We'll see about that."

And with that, the queen's gaze flicked away, her mind already calculating the next move in this dangerous game. Frost, however, was no longer concerned with Coral's threats. She had already made her choice—and no one, not even a queen of the seas, could drag her back into a life she had left behind.

Queen Coral's sigh was long and drawn out, a sound of quiet frustration mixed with amusement. She flicked her talon, and immediately Shark stepped forward, a low growl rumbling in his throat. His sharp eyes glinted with malice, and his movements were swift and deliberate. Frost barely had time to react before Shark lunged, his claws latching onto her shoulders and slamming her to the floor.

"Touch royalty, will you, you ice-brained slug?" Shark snarled, his voice thick with venom. He dug his claws into her scales, and Frost cried out in pain as they cut into her flesh, a dark trail of blue blood oozing from the gash. The wound stung, the blood cooling almost immediately in the icy air, but that only fueled her anger.

Frost's wings flared, but it was no use. Shark's weight was too much, and she struggled beneath him, unable to break free. The room seemed to spin, and she could taste the metallic tang of her own blood. Her breath came in sharp, ragged gasps, but she kept her head high, even as her scales burned with the pain of the wound.

Queen Coral observed the scene with icy detachment, her posture regal, unmoving, as if this was all part of her carefully crafted game. "You'll be sent back to the dungeons," she said coldly, her voice cutting through the tense air like a knife. "But this time, I'll make sure you remember your place. I'll have some electric eels tied to your neck. If you try to run or resist, they'll shock you."

Frost clenched her teeth, refusing to show fear, even though the thought of the eels made her blood run cold. The queen's cruelty was evident, but she had dealt with worse. She had survived worse. Her defiance was the only thing keeping her from breaking down.

Coral flicked her tail, and Moray, a SeaWing with a grim expression, stepped forward, carrying a key, chains, and a pair of squirming electric eels from the moat. He moved without hesitation, his talons clinking against the stone floor as he approached Frost.

"Here," Coral said, gesturing to the eels and the chains. Moray handed the eels to Shark, who took them eagerly, his eyes flashing with malice. With a sneer, Shark wrapped the eels around Frost's neck, their slick, slippery bodies winding like coils of doom. Their skin glistened with wetness, and Frost could feel their electric pulses even before they made contact with her scales.

"There," Shark muttered, his voice filled with satisfaction. "That should do it." He stepped off her, his claws scraping against her scales as he moved back. "Now don't try anything funny, princess."

Frost forced herself to her feet, her body shaking with both rage and the lingering shock from the eels. Her neck burned where the creatures had wrapped themselves, the sharp sting of electricity jolting through her, making her teeth grit together in pain. The eels hissed, their cold, slippery bodies tightening, and the slightest movement sent a current of electricity running down her spine, paralyzing her with its force.

She stood tall, her wings twitching at her sides, but there was no hiding the tremor in her limbs. The eels whistled, sending a final jolt of electricity that made her body seize for a moment. She bit back a roar of frustration, but her defiance never wavered.

"You've underestimated me," Frost said, her voice hoarse from the shock but still carrying a cutting edge. "You think this will stop me? You think your electric toys will control me?"

Coral's eyes glinted with amusement, but there was no warmth in her gaze. "I don't need to control you, Frost," she said softly, her voice like the ocean depths. "I simply need to remind you that there are forces far stronger than your will. You'll learn that soon enough."

With a sharp flick of her tail, Queen Coral turned, her presence heavy in the room. "Take her to the dungeons," she ordered, her voice final.

Shark grabbed hold of Frost's arm, pulling her forward, and the electric eels tugged at her neck, sending another shock through her body. Every step felt like a battle as her muscles clenched with each pulse, but she refused to stumble.

As they dragged her away, the last thing Frost saw was Queen Coral's back, her tail flicking with a satisfied, almost smug rhythm. It wasn't defeat that lingered in Frost's heart, but the burning need for escape, for freedom, for vengeance.

This wouldn't be the end.

Not by a long shot.