The Frozen Beginning (Elemental Diamond Book 1) (16 page)

Wendelin’s sour face suggests her disapproval. Geri has a dazed look in her eyes.

“
Come along
, Miss Wardgrave.” Wendelin thrusts her hand out for Glacier’s, a nasty scowl turning her lip as she eyes Fielder with distaste. Glacier looks back to Fielder with pleading eyes.

Please don’t make me go with them
.

He shakes his head and smiles his breathtaking smile, flashing a perfect set of pearl white teeth, “I’ll see you there, Glace.”

She nods her head numbly, her mind rolling.

Glace
…

Her heart thuds powerfully against her rib cage. Glacier’s eyes absorb his motions as he strides off, towards his gathered teammates. Geri and Wendelin seize each of her hands, tugging her towards the lobby doors.

“Don’t be expecting anything to come from
that
, my darling.”

Her eyes flicker to Wendelin with surprise. She feigns innocence. “I don’t know what you mean.”

The older woman turns to shoot her a look that has her recoiling. “Be smart, girl. After this competition, you will never see him again.”

The realization of what Wendelin says strikes her roughly.

What
am
I doing? We can't see each other once the tournament is over. Why am I torturing myself?

Through the mist of her thoughts, Glacier already knew the answer.

He was my only friend
…

~

Glacier leans back against the soft black leather, the thundering roars of the photographers and flashing lights echoing just outside the car door.

“Glacier…” She looks up to Lien, sitting in the driver’s seat. The Hover they sit in is stretched and shiny, with an opaque sapphire paint.

Glacier hums her acknowledgement, but her mind is still stuck.

‘After this competition, you will never see him again
…’

“I can’t hold up the entrance any longer. You need to go inside.” The grim contour of his face reflects his pity, pushing her towards the door.

“Sorry.” Glacier reaches out to press the button to open the door, but her fingers freeze when they lightly touch it.

There are so many people out there
…

“Just keep your head up, and shoulders back.” She glances back when she hears Lien speak again, “You can do this.”

Glacier nods her head in acknowledgement.

I can do this
.

She turns back to the door, clenching her fingers into a tight fist.

I can do this
.

“I will see you later on. I need to go and pick up my wife.” Glacier nods her head.

She presses the button for the door. It opens upwards, a quite whooshing sound following. The photographers refocus on her entrance, as Glacier swings her legs from the Hover.

She plants her feet on the raven carpet that leads to the large white-pillared capital.

A small hovering device similar to the one from the introductions flies around her, projecting the recording of her leaving the Hover onto the wall above the entrance like a presentation.

The barrier between the carpet and the photographers is a clear glass. There are thin strings leading to various objects floating in the air, almost unseen.

Some strings have small speakers tied to the top. Some have lanterns filled with small flames. Others have unblemished bowls of clear water. The remaining are ovals of spinning dirt, similar to the motions of a wheel.

Glacier keeps her head held high, and ignores the feverishly blinking lights as she walks speedily towards the entrance.

“Freak!”

Turning to where she heard the voice, all Glacier finds is the continuous flashing of the paparazzi. She turns to continue down her path, her shoulders tense.

“Mutant!”

Glacier flinches away from the same voice, looking out to the crowd with flooding eyes.

“Don’t call me that.” Her voice is barely above a whisper, but the recording hover device seems to have a microphone attached. Her words propel from speakers like a hushed yell.

“You’re a mutant, admit it!”

Mutant. Mutant. Mutant!

Small tears drip onto her cheeks, and her breath stutters.

‘What is she?’

‘She’s what you call a hybrid, boys…’

‘Freak!’

‘Mutant!’

‘Admit it!’

No… Stop calling me that!

Her breathing is short and shallow. Her skin heats embarrassingly as the knowledge of being deeply detested buries itself in her chest.

Make them stop saying that!

A sudden aura of heat scorches her bare flesh of her back. The crowd pauses, gasping with fear. Glacier turns, surprised to find Brink standing directly behind her. He watches the crowd with a dark, heated glare.

“Who spoke?” His timber voice is dark with coercion. His stance is tense. Brink observes the crowd with a deathly stare, his hands clenched in tight fists.

The photographers slowly lower their eye cameras, and turn around to a man standing awkwardly in the centre. The singled man looks around the crowd of betrayers with shock.

Brink takes a step forward towards the barrier, with his hand raised. “What was it you called her? There was a lot of shouting, I couldn’t really make it out.” The lanky man takes a step back away from Brinks intimidating aura, bumping into another reporter that simply pushes him back to the centre.

The pot of fire hovering above the walkway slowly melts into sludge, slopping onto the ground like falling mud. Glacier knows what will follow.

No one else!

“Brink, no.” She reaches forward, pulling his arm towards her.

He looks back to her with furious eyes. Her nails burry in his suit jacket as she gazes back with frightened eyes. Her cheeks are damp, her eyes bright red and puffy. His eyes soften at the tragic sight.

“He is calling us mutants.” He argues, his teeth gritting.

“He called me a mutant–”

“You and I are the same!
We are the same
.” His diverse eyes regard her with aggravation. From his eyes, Glacier can decipher his thoughts.

‘You are weak.’

She nods her head, “Just leave it…”

He watches her for a few moments longer, his eyes blazing, before storming off down the black carpet. Glacier releases a lungful of air as he strides into the building.

~

The ballroom is overly extravagant.

Individual pillars litter the main floor like markers. The bleached walls are decorated with floating drops of white frost, and the ceiling sits sky-high.

The room is crowded with hues of sparkling silver and blue, like a winter wonderland.

There are a number of tables set with white tablecloths in the centre of the room. Four tables sit separate from the group of white, with either a blue, orange, green or white cloth cloaking them. The coloured tables each have six chairs. Glacier notices the green table has only five.

Pinching a small section of her dress, Glacier descends the staircase, immersing into the wide crowd.

Sensing a numerous number of eyes on her, she keeps her own trained to her footsteps.

She beelines to where most of her team members stand at the bottom of the steps talking amongst themselves. Keena, Tric and Aleena stand together. Neena and Branch are nowhere to be found.

Tric notices her approach and discreetly nudges Aleena’s side. After she turns to face her oncoming teammate, she mutters something to Keena. Before Glacier reaches them, Aleena and Tric strut off in the opposite direction. She hesitates with her approach, her steps stuttering as they walk away. The self-despising returns, clawing through her chest.

Glacier instead turns, and walks in a different direction as well. She stops to lean against one of the large white pillars that reach from the floor to the high ceiling.

She surveys the room, absorbing the layout of people. There is a small platform close to the grey table, and beside that, is a trifling set of steps. The guests that float around the room talk amongst themselves, sipping on champagne, having their pictures taken with the contestants. Many of the ladies are dressed in extravagantly decorated dresses, their makeup a bright rainbow of colour. The men wear waistcoats with green pocket handkerchiefs, and varying shades of white undershirts.

The High Chamber gathers around the white table before three representatives take to the stage. As Sasis leads the two other men to ascend the short steps, the crowds slowly hush.

Sasis wears a long moss cloak with long billowy sleeves, tightened with a belt, and dark dirt-brown trousers. His wispy long hair is brushed back in a frazzled manner, with a small braid from one ear to the other.

Karn and Hampton are in similar apparel, the only difference being their colours. Karn is clean-shaven across his strong jaw and his hair is swept back neatly, and Hampton has his dark hair groomed to perfection.

By the time they reach the centre of the minute stage, the audience surrounding the tables are silent. Some eyes still linger in Glacier’s direction. She ignores them.

“My children,” Sasis sighs, a warm smile on his face, “welcome to the first of the Winter Galas.” Glacier’s posture stiffens at the mention of winter. An uncomfortable queasiness settles in her stomach.

“Now, if you could all please welcome our guest of honour for tonight’s event–” Glacier’s heartbeats loud like a thunderstorm.

Please don’t say my name
–

“Miss Glacier Wardgrave.”

Before Glacier can deliberate hiding, a guard surveying nearby spots her, and gently hauls her toward the stage. She is pulled toward the stage by his callous hand, his grip tightening when she slows.

Karn stands at the top of the steps, monitoring her approach. The guard releases her at the stairs, taking a step back. Karn outstretches his hand to her.

Staring at his offering, Glacier hesitantly takes it. He assists her up the steps to the platform, walking her to the centre.

“You look lovely tonight, Miss Wardgrave,” Karn whispers as he leans in close.

Keeping her head low, her white curtain-like strands shield her from the penetrating gazes of the Alluvium audience. Glacier stands slightly hunched, her free arm draped around her waist awkwardly.

“Here is she. Doesn’t she look beautiful?”

Sasis approaches her, gently taking her hand from Karn. Her hand transfers from soft skin to wrinkled skin. Sasis walks her forward a few steps, leaving Karn and Hampton behind them.

“Darling, stand proudly. You are our guest of honour.”

Glacier looks to him, straightening her spine at his suggestion, “Why?”

He seems to find her question amusing as he shakes his head with a grin, flashing his aged teeth, “Because, my child, you are unique.”

Glacier remembers Branch calling her unique earlier. But the word doesn’t make her feel special, or eccentric.

It reminds her how unfairly
different
she is from everyone else.

She squints her eyes, “Unique, or a freak?”

Sasis laughs, “What is the difference?” Glacier’s jaw tightens and her eyes burn.

Stop it. Stop crying!

She turns her head away as he returns to address the crowd, “With someone as rare and delicate as Miss Wardgrave, she needs a title – a position in our society. But what is fitting, for someone as
inimitable
as this extraordinary young lady?”

The ballroom is silent for a moment, before an unseen woman calls out, “Crystal?”

Sasis weighs on it for a moment, before shaking his head, “Something more extravagant, more
meaningful
.”

Three others call out different names, all sounding rather ordinary.

This is ridiculous. I don’t need a title! I don’t want to be a part of this messed up society.

Gamble is next to speak out, “What about Ice Princess?” He snickers with his teammates at the suggestion.

Sasis smiles and laughs, not understanding the snarky bite of the suggestion. “You are getting closer, Mr Kidman, but it seems too egocentric. Maybe something–”

“Elemental Diamond.”

Glacier looks over the crowd to where the last voice came from.

Brink is standing there with his large hands submerged in his trouser pockets, a black stare tensing his eyebrows.

Sasis smiles in Brink’s direction, “Brilliant!” He turns back to Glacier, raising her hand further into the air, “Hydren’s Elemental Diamond.”

~

The dinner was extravagantly displayed, but Glacier had no idea what it was. Some parts were slimy and others chewy. It tasted well enough, but her taste buds are not accustomed to the finer foods.

A quiet chatter emerges by the end of the feast, but still no one speaks to her. Branch and Neena sit very close as they discuss something soundlessly. Keena is sitting back on her seat with a glass of something bubbly in her hand.

Despite trying to be discrete, Glacier notices Keena’s eyes occasionally flickering in Neena’s direction with an annoyed air. Aleena is out of her seat, schmoozing a table full of elders. They laugh at something she says, and she basks in the undivided attention they give her. Tric is leaning over to one of the younger girls at a white table, a sly smirk on his lips.

Glacier looks over to the white table as Sasis rises from his seat. His eyes flitter around the room before landing on her briefly. He raises a disapproving eyebrow in her direction, and Glacier immediately sits up pin-straight. His eyes continue on past her, summing up the room quickly before he addresses the now silent audience.

“What a delightful dinner. I hope you all enjoyed it.” A chorus of approving hums waves over the crowd.

“Now, it is time for the first dance of the tournament. You all now have the opportunity to select your partner…”

The wait staff that had brought out our meals earlier hurry around the room, collecting tables and chairs and moving them off the dance floor. Soon a soft melody is playing, lulling Glacier’s tired mind.

Suddenly feeling a soft hand gently rest on her shoulder, her heart jumps, before racing with excitement.

Fielder
?

Turning her head, her anxiousness deflates to disappointment. With his hand resting on her ghostly skin, Karn smiles down at her.