IT WASN'T LONG UNTIL Calder and I reached the edge of the fjord. It was completely frozen just as Halvard had said, and stretched out for miles. Calder set me down and I took a step onto the ice before being pulled back.

"Careful Eerika," he said, gesturing to the cracking ice from where I had stood.

"How do we get across without the chance of falling through?"

"If Halvard's description is right we'll be going through the water anyway to get to Nilsine's dwelling. But we need to get out onto the ice without falling through on our own."

Calder then gently thrusted his hand forward, creating a hard walkway of ice about seven feet across the fjord.

"Of course you thought of that," I said, feeling stupid not to think of it myself.

Calder gave a cocked smirk. "Well I am more experienced, remember?"

I rolled my eyes back at him. "Let's just get this over with shall we, Hansen?"

Calder chuckled, grabbing my hand and helping me hobble onto the ice with him. "As you command, Princess. I want this finished just as much as you. The frozen queen's time will come and her blood will make up for all she has spilled upon my own skin and others. Especially your family."

Venturing out to the end of Calder's path we stopped, but I was unsure of what to do next. Calder had said that if someone declared why they needed to see the sidhe and their heart was true, the dwelling would open up. I knew in my heart why I wanted to see this woman, which was to save Calder and my people. But I didn't exactly know how Calder felt about it. I had never asked him.

Even though I assumed he saw it as protecting me and freeing the land, in my head I almost felt like it was something deeper. I knew how much he hated his mother and had no ounce of remorse in killing her. In his own words, she was dead to him. In Calder's determination. . .was there a slight vengeful aspect?

"Alright, here's hoping this works," he said, looking down at me. "Declare why you want to see Nilsine."

"Is it really that simple? Will she even hear us?"

"It's all we have to go on," Calder replied, gently squeezing my hand. "Just try."

Giving a heavy sigh I tightly held his hand back and cleared my throat.

"I want to save my people and this realm. . .by killing the frozen queen."

The next thing I knew the ice below mine and Calder's feet caved under us, and we were plunged into the freezing fjord.

The impact caused me to lose grip of Calder's hand, and though I couldn't see him from the bubbles thrashing about with our movement, I felt him try to grab my arm. My lungs were aching as I held my breath, some of the water in my mouth from screaming as we fell through.

When some of the bubbles dispersed I could make out Calder who was struggling to hold onto me and remove what was weighing us down. He grunted as he tugged on his sword holder, unlatching it from his waist and letting it sink below us. He removed his cloak and unclasped mine, and I knew the map was now long gone. Calder urged me forward to swim with him, and through the pain of my wound I kicked my legs.

Swimming down towards the water's floor where Calder's sword had went my lungs were close to giving out on me. My eyes burned and my wound began to seep blood through the wet bandage, making a red ring around us. I could only hope wherever Calder was taking me that we would get there quickly, or we were surely going to drown.

As the bottom of the fjord then came into view I noticed it wasn't sand or rock at all, but ice like a polished ballroom floor. Gravity seemed to suddenly come above us and our feet planted on top of it. Calder bent down and began beating on the ice to try breaking it, even using his sword that had landed a few feet away, but didn't succeed.

Thinking it was over I tugged on his arm to abort the mission and get back to the surface, refusing to die like this. Then as Calder turned his attention to me to follow my order the ice crystallized up his legs and arms, swallowing he and his sword whole.

My mind screamed Calder's name, panic settling into me as I too started beating on the ice to get to him. I couldn't see anything behind the ice with how thick it was. All I could do was plead in my mind for it to take me too.

My lungs couldn't forgo without air any longer, only seconds left until they would be as dead as I. The crystallized mouth of the ice then opened up and I reached my hand through to feel for Calder. For several heartbeats I felt nothing but open space, until something grabbed my hand and pulled me through.

Landing hard on the floor against Calder I coughed up the water that had filled my chest, sucking in as much air as I could. Calder was breathless, pushing away the wet hair clinging to my face.

"Breath, baby. It's ok. We're here. We're alright," he said, giving me relief. I placed my head against his wet shirt and closed my eyes.

"I thought I lost you," I huffed in and out, his arm wrapping tightly around me.

"No, you're just getting water all over my floor," an unamused female voice spoke from behind us.

Looking up I noticed who must have been Nilsine standing there, her white eyes gazing at Calder and I with a nettled look. We both stood from the ground to face her as Calder kept close to me. The room was an icy cave, with a table and chairs at the far of the room next to a dark entrance. There were shelves of books and potions, all reminding me of some witchy hobble from a Halloween movie.

Nilsine was tall, near the height of Calder, with skin pure white like the snow that glittered as she moved. Her ears were longer than ours which reached just at the top of her head. All she wore was a white top of fur that went around her breasts and a skirt to match that ended just below her private area. Her sculpted stomach was in full show, her long white hair reaching her belly button the way it was parted over her shoulder.

I felt a sudden twinge of jealousy burn within me at Calder even laying one eye on her. Halvard had said she was a temptress with men, but he didn't explain her appearance. I saw now that it was for good reason.

"Well, well," Nilsine smirked, "If it isn't the lost princess and the secret prince."

"I'm not a prince by blood," Calder defended, his voice sounding offended just as it had with Halvard.

"Hmm, quite," Nilsine agreed, stepping closer to him. I clenched my teeth and tried not to throw her an angry gaze.

"But you do look and act the part," she continued, "You were a prince for sixteen years in the North lands. That counts in some capacity."

"We're not here to talk about my knight," I spoke up in a proper tone. "We're here to get information from you in defeating the frozen queen, which you will provide."

Nilsine pretended to seem surprised by my authority. "I didn't expect such commanding from someone so petite and vulnerable. I am partially surprised by you, Eerika Arnesen."

"No you're not. You're just wasting my time. So let us get right down to it, shall we?"

Nilsine's eyes surveyed me a moment. "Right. Would you like to dry off first, or continue to present yourselves like wet animals? Oh Henrik! Bring towels!" she called behind her, confusing me.

A young boy who looked the age of sixteen entered, indeed holding two folded towels for me and Calder. He was wearing armor, most likely one of Sylvi's men, and Calder slowly pulled me behind him. The boy's face and movement was zombified like he was completely under some sort of spell. He walked over to Nilsine who praised him.

"Thank you darling. You are such a help to me."

Gently grabbing his face and kissing his lips she sent him away and outstretched the towels for us to take.

"Why do you have him?" I asked her warily. "What did you do to make him-"

"My pet? Well I'm sure the troll informed you I was. . .a temptress, didn't he? I'm not ashamed of the word. In fact I revel in it. I love to have fun with the men who worship me."

"They do not worship you. You control them," Calder told her.

"Wait, how did you know we were with Halvard?" I questioned.

"Sidhes can read minds just as much as they can predict the future, Eerika," Calder informed in my ear. "Watch your thoughts around her."

"Yes, it is quite the gift. I can read every thought and feeling you have ever had. You have a very significant hatred towards your mother don't you Calder? And Eerika, you should probably keep the jealousy of me being in the presence of your secret lover out of your conscious," Nilsine smirked. A hot blush coated my cheeks but I wasn't going to let her get to me.

"I'm not playing games with you," I told her sternly. "I want answers and I'm not leaving here until you hand them over."

Nilsine smirked once more, sauntering over to her icy table. She sat down in the chair and crossed her legs, which I knew was just for Calder to see and to get under my skin.

"Proceed then."

"My father went on a journey before I was born to try to secure my life from the frozen queen's hands. The story claims he met a seer and she told him of my fate, that my family would die and I would be separated from this realm until the seventeenth year of my life. The only thing strange about that story is where my father met her. It was said the snowy hills were where the sidhe woman resided, but Halvard only knew of you. So that just leaves one of my many questions. Are you the one that king Asger Arnesen came to?"

Nilsine paused as she looked me over while my heart thumped against my ribs, waiting for her answer. If that answer was no, this entire struggle to get here was void.

"I remember Asger," she said, biting her lip. "He was the most attractive of men I have ever lured into my home. Apart from your knight next to you."

I ignored the flirt towards Calder as my heart fell over my father. "So you did seduce him in exchange for information?"

"No," Nilsine rebuked, "He wouldn't betray his queen. He was a waste of the fun, but I gave him what he wanted. I told him his fate and that there was nothing he could do to change it."

"But there was something he could have done. He just never had the chance," I said. "And you know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you?"

Nilsine glared at me like she was angry that I had brought up the object of mine and Calder's sights. "The sword is a myth," she said, folding her arms.

"You're lying," Calder spoke up. "We had a map that showed where the sword might be. The troll even told us he referred the king to you to help him find it. What did you tell him when he came to you?"

"Just as I said, handsome," Nilsine bit back. "There is no sword. That's why he never found it."

"Then what was the purpose of the map? Why would he go to all that trouble making it if he didn't have just an ounce of a hunch where it might be?"

"I don't know darling, why don't you ask him?"

Anger boiling within me now and not a second thought crossing my brain I turned and grabbed Calder's sword from his hand. I pointed it at Nilsine's throat as she laughed and Calder said my name.

"I've been here before, little princess. Your father threatened me with a sword at my neck too when he didn't get his way. You are just like him. He didn't go through with it and neither will you."

I shook my head, not letting the sword's tip leave her skin. "Don't think I won't. I've fought off iron knights and snowcaps, ran from the frozen queen's men, nearly drowned, and almost lost my leg. Even after all of that crap, I am not about to give up. I will do anything to save my people and this realm. I'm tired, I'm bleeding, and I'm pissed, so you better tell me where this damn sword is."

Nilsine scoffed but her cockiness didn't waver. "Spoken like a true queen."

"Let us not cause things to become physical," Calder then intervened, placing a hand on my wrist. "Lower the sword, Eerika. This isn't who you are."

I knew it wasn't. I was actually surprising myself even more the longer I stood there. But I was tired of it all. Calder and I were so close to our answer, close to finally defeating Sylvi, but Nilsine wanted to play us with these mind games. I wasn't going to have it, but I also realized even if I seemed remotely like a threat, posing that threat would get us nowhere. I slowly lowered my arm and Calder took the sword from me while gently rubbing my back in assurance.

"I know you want the frozen queen gone just as much as we do, Nilsine," Calder addressed her. "You know what she has done to the other magical creatures of the North side. If she wins this battle, she will not stop until every creature is dead. Including you."

I watched the hesitancy flash over Nilsine's face. There was nothing else to be said or done now if she refused. If this was truly a dead end, then death would soon come for Calder and my people. It was something I couldn't fathom. The longer we waited for her to decide the more I felt like I was going to be sick.

"Come with me," she finally said, standing from the table and walking over to the wall. Waving her hands she removed its glamour, revealing an entrance much like the one her minion had come from.

I let out a sigh that had been clinging to my chest and followed her with Calder behind me.

Nilsine grabbed a lit torch from one of the walls to cascade a walkway through the cavern. Above us I could hear the sounds of the fjord and whatever creatures might be lurking in its waters. Near the end of the cave there was surprisingly a door that Nilsine removed glamour from as well and opened for us. It nearly crossed my mind wondering if she was going to trap or kill us here.

"Down there," she pointed, my eyes squinting to land on a pedestal at the end of the room. The vision quickly popped up in my head as I noticed the red satin pillow under the iron sword.

"The sword," I breathed out. Wether it was in relief or fear because my visions were actually real, I wasn't sure. "You had it this whole time."

"Yes. I have been its protector since its creation by man many centuries ago which makes it stronger than any tainted iron earth has today. The iron of this sword is pure. Since it was given to me by one of your ancestors I've kept it hidden so the hands of evil could not obtain its power. An entire race could be wiped out with it. None of your other family over the past generations has known about it until your father discovered it, and then you."

"You had the sword this entire time, for years, and you kept it from him? He could have saved himself and his family! I could have been with them!" I exclaimed to her in anger, Calder's hands on my arms to keep me at bay.

"The prophecy was set in stone. I had to let it come to pass or there would have been far worse consequences. You would have been dead, too, because your father would not have succeeded in getting you out of this world. This sword was not meant for him to bear," Nilsine explained.

"So it's meant for me? All along my birthright has been to kill the frozen queen? Why? Why couldn't it have been different, like to live a happy life with my family and my kingdom? What person is born to kill someone?"

"That's not all you are meant for, Eerika, you know that," Calder defended. "This is just how it has to be."

"You may take the sword and leave, if you do not mind," Nilsine said as she turned to exit. "You can create a portal back to land."

"Thank you. . .Nilsine," I called back to her as she left through the entrance.

I slowly walked over to the pedestal, my mind jumbling with all the different parts of my vision I'd had. The sword too looked exactly like it did in my head, but when I reached out to touch it Calder's hand quickly stopped me.

"Eerika, don't. You'll burn yourself alive."

"I can't believe this is it," I spoke in disbelief. "I can't believe it's actually real."

"I'll carry it out on the pillow. Perhaps Nilsine will let us take one of the towels to wrap it in," he said.

"Are we really doing this?" I wondered more to myself than Calder. "Are we going to finally murder your mother?"

"We don't have to," Calder reminded, "I told you we can find another way. It's your choice. I shall back up whatever you decide."

I bit my lip in thought as the vision poked at my brain once more, and it was pretty much already decided. It had been decided since the full visions began. I had to do this.

"We do have to," I told him, "We'll take the sword to the Clan and start a battle plan from there. Sylvi will die within the next coming weeks. I'm determined on that."

Calder picked up the pillow with the sword on top and carried it out of the cave, coming back to where we had first entered Nilsine's home. I turned to her where she stood stroking her boy toy's face.

"Thank you again, truly. I'm. . .sorry for threatening you the way I did. That wasn't the way to go. I'm not going to be like Sylvi, threatening and slaughtering people to get what she wants. I'm going to be the queen my people need me to be."

"I hope so, or we are all finished. Here," Nilsine gestured as she held out her hand. "A needle and thread for your wound. That is all the kindness I have left to give you. I normally ask for something in return when I give my help, but I shall let it pass to royalty only once. You are the last Arnesen, Eerika. Do not let your visions come to pass."

"Visions?" Calder questioned, now gazing between Nilsine and I puzzlingly. "What visions?"

My heart stopped as the truth came tumbling not out of my own mouth but Nilsine's, and I didn't know how to respond. I couldn't even look at Calder as he kept trying to grab my attention and tell him what was going on.

"Eerika," his voice was now cold. "What visions?"

Turning to Calder I swallowed down the bile risen in my throat, and knew I could no longer hide it from him. I thought if I'd had more time to defeat Sylvi, he never would have had to know. That time was up and I wasn't prepared for what might come out of this.

"Ever since. . . I was six years old I've had dreams about walking through the snow, up to an iron sword that burned me every time I touched it. There were always screams from somewhere that I couldn't find the culprit to, and then I would wake up to dream about it again the next night. The day you rescued me. . .you were in that dream. You told me we had to go, that I had to run from something and you would protect me from it."

Calder clenched his jaw. "Protect you from what?"

I writhed my hands together nervously, continuing without answering his question.

"Once I entered this world the dreams became more frequent, and as things started happening I realized they weren't just dreams. They were. . .visions of what might be the future. The screams were of my people dying, and we were running from Sylvi. I don't understand how or why I have these images in my head, but they haven't stopped."

Calder's expression was blank but I could tell in his eyes he was hurt, mixed with something else undefinable. "Why didn't you tell me about this? Did you tell anyone else?"

"No. You're the first person to know."

"I should have known from the start," he gritted back, setting the pillow down to run his hands through his hair and pace the floor.

"I'm sorry," my voice slightly shook, "I was scared. I didn't know what to do."

"You come to me, Eerika, you confide in me! You're not the only one a part of this! I made myself a part of it too since the first kiss in that barn. I was terrified to tell you about my past thinking you would be scared of me, even expose me to everyone. But I trusted you. You just didn't trust me."

"No, Calder, you don't understand. I-"

Before I could finish Calder had made a portal, securing the sword in the towel and stepping through.

"Calder, wait!" I called for him but he didn't come back.

"You better go before it closes," Nilsine said. "You don't know how to make portals of your own yet."

"I could do without any more mind reading, thanks," I groused, hurrying through the portal to catch Calder.