A/N: I made a book trailer! Go check it out in the prologue of the book! :D

WEEKS HAD NOW GONE by and luckily nothing more with the queen or her knights had occured. I continued my training with Calder and was slowly starting to gain control, though the power was growing stronger. It began to get easier settling in to this life and world. On the side Calder and I secretly saw each other in the barn or the medical pantry and sometimes in my room if we could get away with it. It was nothing too scandalous--mainly just stolen kisses while taking care of the horses, or holding me in his arms at night after everyone had gone to sleep to keep away my nightmares.

Gulbrand was keeping closer watch of us though which meant we had to walk on eggshells both separately and together, driving me crazy. I also hated the fact of Calder having to keep up an act of pretending like I was invisible when he wasn't on duty of being my knight, always regarding me formally as Princess instead of Eerika. But on the other hand he always made up for it when we were alone, fervently kissing me and holding me so close our bodies might just meld together.

There were still times when he seemed closed off like he was before, but the more he was in synch with me the more he seemed to open up. His walls were chipping away and I was the reason. It felt sublime to be helping him turn into who he truly was-someone with a warm heart under their cold exterior.

I had yet to inform Calder on the dream I was still experiencing. That was one nightmare that hadn't gone away, as much as I willed it to. Nothing had changed in it since the knights gave their warning on the castle those weeks ago, but it all still left me unhinged.

I was weighed with guilt not telling Calder of it all after I practically forced him to tell me all of his secrets. But at my defense I didn't even know what the dream was supposed to mean. It always ended right after the rumbling when Dream Calder told me to run, and it confused me entirely. Frankly I didn't want to think about it, so I chose to drown out the thoughts of it the best I could when I was awake.

Calder's lips trailed over mine as he had me agaisnt my bedroom vanity, my arms wrapped around his torso and hands resting on his back. We were getting in what little alone time we would have today because Eeira informed me of a meeting with her to discuss some things that I had no idea what of.

In fact it kind of worried me wondering if it was about mine and Calder's secret dalliance or involving him in any way. She had been keeping track of my training progress over the past weeks so it easily could've been about that as well, but something just felt off about the situation.

I had to stand on my toes to get Calder closer to me which was difficult at times. The height difference was always arduous considering how I was five feet and four inches while he had to be at least 5'11, so sometimes we had to make it work. Calder moved my things out of the way on the vanity and picked me up by my waist, setting me down on it. Just as our mouths made contact once more there was a knock at the door that startled us.

"Miss? I mean. . .Eerika? May I come in?" Astrid spoke from outside.

"Shit," Calder cursed while trying to catch his breath, helping me down from the vanity and fixing some of the buttons on his shirt. I frantically tried scrambling up a plan.

"You have to hide somewhere!" I told him, darting my eyes around while Astrid continued to knock.

"Eerika? I know you told me not to enter unless you said to come in, but I have your breakfast out here and your clothes for the day. Are you still sleeping?"

I turned and noticed the glass doors that led to my balcony. I gestured to Calder. "Go and hide against the wall on the balcony. I'll make her leave."

Calder sighed, doing what I asked and sprinting over to it. "This is very galling," he complained.

"Are you kidding? If Astrid found out I'm sure she'd run straight to Eeira. She's only fifteen," I whispered back, quickly fixing my hair and fluffing my nightgown.

"That's just nearly two years younger than you," Calder pointed out.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Just go!"

"Eerika?" Astrid called once more, this time opening the door and entering the room. I awkwardly stayed where I stood, glancing out of the corner of my eye to see Calder disappear.

"Why are you standing over there, did you not hear me calling outside the door?" she questioned me puzzlingly, rolling in the breakfast cart and carrying a dress in tow.

"I-I just woke up right before you came in, so. . .no. Sorry. I'll try to wake up earlier next time," I replied.

"Oh nonsense, it's no trouble if you sleep a little late. A princess deserves her rest," she smiled, and luckily it was left at that. "Here's your breakfast, and a beautiful gown for you today. Oh how I wish I could be permitted to wear something so fancy."

I wish you would take it, I grumbled in my head as I stared disdainfully at yet another ridiculous dress.

Astrid noticed the annoyed expression on my face. "Is something wrong, Your Majesty?"

"No, it's fine," I sighed, walking over and grabbing the attire from her. "And I told you forever ago to call me Eerika."

"I-I'm sorry, but I just don't think I can. It is not in my nature, and it isn't professional. I feel I must respect the way it is supposed to be done."

I wasn't really paying attention to her words, aggravated that she was even still here. I kept sneaking glances at the balcony hoping she wouldn't catch on.

"I'm. . .sorry if I've upset you," she apologized.

"No, you didn't. It's fine," I assured as I turned back to her. "Is that all for now?"

"Oh, yes Your Majesty. Madam Eeira told me to tell you that when you are finished to please meet her in the common room down the first floor wing, at the very end."

"There's a lounge in the palace?"

Astrid returned my question with a perplexed expression as if she'd never even heard the word before.

"A. . .lounge? it's the Madam's place of teaching and discussion, actually. She preps the young ones by reading to them and helping them learn the legends and histories of the realm, and all who came before us. And being the advisor of the crown she holds meetings with the other staff members such as I for directions."

"Wait, young ones? I haven't seen any children around here," I pointed.

"Oh no, she teaches the children from the village. It's just like your mother used to do, except she would go down to the village and give them her guidance and kindness in a small hut. The frozen queen struck it down years ago."

I felt a small chip at my heart taking in this new information. I tried to imagine my mother sitting in a chair surrounded by small faery children, reading them a book of frosty giants, the fey and all the magic of this realm.

This made me remember the tales Linnea told me at bedtime of a beautiful icy queen and her king, though they lived happily ever after in their castle instead of perishing in death. Little did I know at three years old that the story was actually about my parents and not just some storybook tale. I couldn't believe I had forgotten about such a cherished memory.

Apparently I had zoned off because the next thing I heard was Astrid bidding goodbye for me to get dressed and eat in privacy, which she was letting me do more often now.

As the door closed I let a breath escape, rubbing my hands over my face and feeling overstretched. Like a ghost Calder was then suddenly behind me, not a single sound signaling his presence as his hands caressed my hips, and kissed the crown of my hair. He didn't have to ask or even say anything; I could feel from his lips in my locks that had begun their snowy transition over the past weeks that he knew what I was feeling.

"I'm sure she was an incredible woman, Eerika. As was your father," he told me.

I gave a light scoff, "So you eavesdroped on the whole conversation? Great."

"Well, I might have just a little," Calder chuckled, trying to keep the mood light. "The balcony doors' glass is very thin."

"You're right, though," I sighed, turning around to him. "She was amazing, queen and teacher. I just wish she was still around to be those things, to teach me, to. . .be my mom. I don't know how all of this even got brought up anyways. I need to focus on whatever it is Eeira wants to talk to me about. You better go so I can get dressed."

"Alright. I'll be back to take you to the common room after I suit up in my uniform and make a quick sweep of the grounds."

"That's okay, I can take myself. It's just on the bottom floor of the castle. I'll see you tonight."

Calder nodded, pulling me to his chest and leaving me with a deep, slow kiss. As he surveyed to make sure it was clear outside he closed the door behind him, and a sigh escaped me once more. Just another day of living like a paramour.

I dressed myself in the blueberry colored gown and ate what little I could swallow down from the nerves taking all the space in my stomach. I braided a few pieces of my hair and slipped on my shoes, leaving the room dreading to meet Eeira.

Coming down the stairs to the foyer I turned and headed for the right corridor that led to the common room. As I neared the room door I noticed a group of children sitting on the ground around Eeira, reading to them just as I had imagined. As I listened I realized it was the same story Linnea told me, but Eeira included the death and even my arrival. She talked about me like I was some sort of Savior to the realm who was going to defeat the frozen queen. At the end of it she dismissed them for the day, and the children began to scatter out of the room.

One little girl who was the last to leave noticed me standing by the door, and I was surprised to see her running towards me. She was small and fare, almost like the way I looked when I was her age. Her hair was white as snow just as the other girls, yet her eyes were not an icy blue but green, like fresh summer grass.

She didn't say a word as she wrapped her tiny arms around my waist and hugged me, all while I stood still in surprise. I placed my arms around her too, and after a few moments she pulled away and looked up at me. Then she simply walked away to join the others. Eeira noticed what had just occured and smiled to me as I walked into the room.

"She seems to have a liking to the princess," she said.

"She had green eyes," I pointed out, "Is she-"

"Yes. Her mother was a young ephemeral woman. Sixteen years old when little Asta was born. The Clan killed the mother and banished her father to the human world to live out the rest of his immortal life in agony over the loss of his lover and child. Asta lives with a family of full-bloods in the village. She is the only child of her background in the realm."

"But she's so young. The breakout of the ephemeral-fey happened even before I was born."

"This was an act of defiance to the Clan's treaty a few years ago," Eeira informed, "He was not ever supposed to travel to the ephemeral world, or do what he did. If Asta had been born with the iron powers she would not be alive now. We still have fey who disobey the Clan's order from time to time."

Thinking back on the past when I was told babies with the iron abilities were slaughtered made me sick once more. Even though no one in the palace knew but Gulbrand and I that Calder was a quarter human, I was so glad that he didn't share what his mother had.

"Does she have a human soul?" I questioned Eeira, wondering if maybe any information on her aging might help on finding if or when Calder's would stop.

"We won't know until she reaches twenty-three. If she continues to age after that, then yes. All we know now is that she can touch and be touched by iron without it affecting her."

Feeling fruitless I decided just to push off the rest of the conversation and sat down in front of Eeira. "Well anyways, faery hybrid talk set aside, what did you want to speak to me about?"

Eeira was hesitant, but she gave a small smile and took a look around the room. "Did Astrid tell you your mother used to teach the children from the village as I do now?"

"Yeah, though I'm not sure why I've been here for weeks now without knowing that until today," I denoted before I went on. "Astrid said my mother taught down in the village, inside a hut that the frozen queen destroyed."

"Yes. After the palace massacre Sylvi did have her knights burn it down. But before you were born and before the tragedy, whenever Freja was not teaching the children in the village she was doing so with your sisters here. Which she would have done with you."

I didn't really know how to respond to her words, so all I did was look down at my lap and twittle with my fingers.

"She was a wonderful teacher and mother, Eerika. She was an elegant and strong queen too," Eeira mentioned.

"I know," I mumbled back, "Everyone seems to keep telling me that. I just wish I could see it for myself."

"I understand your pain. The entire kingdom has shared your grief for seventeen years. They have longed for their queen and the hope and guidance she gave to them during her ruling."

"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about, Eeira?" I slightly snapped at her. "Just to tell me about my mother and what she did and how she was before I was born, before she died?"

"No dear, it isn't," Eeira calmly explained. "It has been nearly two months since your arrival. The time for you to adjust and train has passed tremendously. That being said, it is by mine and Chamberlain Gulbrand's declare, as well as the Clan's, that you as princess take the next step."

I felt my nerves rise up from my stomach into my chest, lodging there between my ribs. I was almost sure sitting there my body now like stone of what she meant, though every orifice of me wanted to deny it. The dream flashed in the corner of my brain and began to taunt me.

I swallowed down a lump that was stuck in my throat. "What do you mean?"

Eeira smiled at me and grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently though it did nothing to shy away my sudden panic.

"It is time to make you our queen."