Chapter 51
Chapter 51
51. Limits
The temperature dropped several notches, I felt it biting into my bones. “Ah…” I heard Charlene groan from somewhere nearby, but I couldn’t locate her. “The temperature will continue to drop, until your body will not be able to continue to function… Good luck.” “When will you stop?” Charlene asked tensely. “Stop? There is no stopping, unless you find Madelia and are able to stop her yourself.” Theon’s cold voice came.
I nodded in concentration.
Of course, they wouldn’t stop until we were near dead or passed out because they were trying to get Charlene to break the seal on her abilities. Things became colder and colder until I felt it become painful. They were lowering the temperature faster than I could focus. What do I do? A cry from Charlene made my heart thump. I couldn’t see her, but I needed to find her! She sounded like she was in agony. I closed my eyes, trying to sense where she was, listening to her heartbeat despite the cold. It was becoming far more bearable than I had expected. Maybe it was easing up? “Princess, you need to get up. There is no one to help you.” Madelia’s voice came from all directions.
I frowned, wait I hadn’t moved from my spot… did Charlene? If she hadn’t, then surely I could find her…
Following my instincts, I moved forward in the direction I last saw Charlene standing before the fog had settled in. “How is she moving?” Theon’s murmur came.
I frowned. Unlike Madelia’s voice, his came from the far side, so they both must be standing over there.
Where was Charlene?
“Charlene?” I called out.
A groan was my only response, but it was enough for me to pinpoint her location. I rushed over, almost tripping over her, and realised that she was on her knees on the floor. I wrapped my arms around her body, which was ice cold. She felt like a block of ice…
“You can’t help her, Yileyna.” Madelia’s voice came, and the temperatures dropped further.
“Come on, Charlene.” I whispered, my heart pounding.
“I… It’s so cold…” She whispered, her teeth chattering. “Fight it.” I urged her.
I was a little disappointed that Madelia wasn’t doing the same to me. Did she think that I couldn’t handle it because I didn’t have a wolf?
I frowned, and turned in the direction I had heard Theon’s voice, knowing they were probably standing together. Ready to snap at them, but I couldn’t do anything. Charlene needed to do this.
“You are going to be ok, come on, shift if you need to let it go. Take control. Don’t hold back.” I urged her, rubbing her back.
Even her thick coat was cold to the touch. “Yeah, you’re right.” She muttered, groaning as I felt her pull away and try to stand up. I still couldn’t see her, but I was glad she was trying to fight it. I backed away and glanced in the duo’s direction, or where I thought they stood. “Can you guys turn it up for me too? I can handle this.” I sighed. “How cold are you, Yileyna?” Theon asked.
“Not that cold, so please.”
A low growl made me tense when I realised Charlene must have shifted, or was trying to shift. I smiled, glad she was trying her best, but then I heard a thud and Madelia’s sigh, followed by running footsteps.
“She’s out cold.” I heard her say.
“Don’t end it yet… focus it on Yileyna, keep going.”
“But… I don’t even know how she’s still standing.” Madelia muttered.
“Exactly why I want you to keep going…” Theon replied emotionlessly. I frowned. Why were they both talking as if I wasn’t here? “Yileyna, are you ok?” Madelia’s voice came, and I heard something being dragged along the floor.
“Yeah, I am.” I replied.
“Ok… I’m going to keep making it colder.” Her hesitant reply came.
I heard her whisper an enchantment as the temperature plunged lower. I just stood there, wondering what I was supposed to do. My clothes began to feel stiff as a layer of ice seemed to coat them over. However, it wasn’t affecting me… 2 “I can’t lower it anymore.” I heard Madelia’s strained voice come.
“Yileyna, follow my voice and come here.” Theon’s cold, sexy voice came. Frowning slightly, I followed his voice.
“My word…” I heard Madelia whisper.
“Pass me the dagger.” Theon’s command came.
I paused hesitantly. What was he about to do?
I heard a rustle, and then I felt the whistling of the dagger coming straight towards me. It was in that moment that I felt something inside of me, like a faint ripple of something in the pit of my stomach, and then it was almost in slow motion. I moved my head sideways, allowing the dagger to whiz right past before it hit the far wall behind me.
Madelia chanted something, and the room cleared, then once again I could see them. Both were watching me calculatingly.
I frowned at them.
“I wanted the same amount of pressure as Charlene. I don’t have a wolf, but I can handle it.” I replied with irritation: “I think I felt something.”
“You were able to handle far colder temperatures than the princess.” Madelia murmured. “I’m not a water or wind elemental mage, yet those spells were extremely powerful. I used one first and then I used two for you alone. That was incredible, Yileyna.” I frowned at her words, feeling confused. I looked at Charlene, who was lying on the ground unconscious. Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.
“Maybe the seal on her has sealed away some of her wolf’s abilities.” I said concerned. “Maybe, I do think it’s a possibility considering she has no alpha aura.” Madelia said with a nod. Theon was watching me thoughtfully, a hand to his chin. Our eyes met and he stepped closer, touching my neck, only for him to jerk his hand away. “You’re fucking cold.” I didn’t feel that cold…
“Madelia, the princess’s training is over for the day, but if it’s alright with you, Yileyna and I will continue for a bit.” Theon murmured, and although it sounded like a question, it wasn’t one. His eyes were fixed on me with an interest that was not the usual sexual kind, in fact it unnerved me a little.
“Of course, just take it easy. I’ll report to the king that today didn’t go as well as planned.”
“Yeah, however, keep it at that. There’s no need to add anything more to it. We don’t want him to feel angrier towards the princess, if he compares her to a wolf less woman.” 1 I frowned at him, feeling suspicious. His words of concern for Charlene couldn’t be true, he was always hateful towards her…
Madelia nodded.
“Yes, good point, I will keep it short. We will meet here tomorrow at the same time again. The planned time.” She said, glancing between us. I felt my cheeks heat up a little, wondering if she had an inkling of why we had gotten late.
Theon cast her a cold glare, not even giving her a nod of agreement before she bent down,
lifting Charlene and carrying her out. I turned to Theon, whose eyes were running over me as if assessing me for the first time. “I wonder if the rumours that you may not be your parents’ daughter hold any truth…” He said quietly, making my eyes widen in shock.
If my blood wasn’t cold before, it now felt ice cold as I stared at him, trying to squash the flare of pain that filled me inside. But my moment of shock and hurt didn’t last long, giving way to my anger.
“I am my parents’ daughter!” I snapped coldly, my chest heaving as I tried to control my anger.
His gaze snapped up and he raised an eyebrow challengingly. “You look like neither.” He said, his voice icy and emotionless. “”So? Many of us don’t look like our parents!” I shouted back.
How dare he! Nikolai’s remarks returning to me with vengeance, what the king had said about not seeing Mom pregnant… These thoughts made the pain inside double as I glared at Theon with frustration and anger. How could he, of all people, say that? “How dare you!” He closed the gap between us, his hand wrapping around my neck. The next thing I knew, he had knocked my legs out from underneath me, pushing me to the ground. His hand was still around my neck as he straddled me, one hand pinning my wrists above my head as I tried to push him off, ignoring the pleasure that coursed through me.
“Calm down, why are you getting so worked up? Unless of course, deep down, you feel there may be some truth in my words.” He said icily.
“There is no truth in it. It’s just lies that I can’t believe you are actually entertaining!” I replied hurt.
He tilted his head, looking down at me.
“I’m just saying, there’s no way the princess, a shifted wolf, couldn’t handle the cold but you could. What if your father maybe had an affair and it resulted in you?” 1
That was it.
I felt my anger rise once more, and using all my might, I shoved him off, taking him by surprise or he had simply not been holding me as tight as I had thought. He was thrown off, making his eyes flash as he watched me.
That same feeling swirled in my stomach as I glared at him. “I knew my parents more than anyone else did! They were not traitors, nor would my father or mother ever have an affair and cheat on the other! They were not like that, not everyone is like the king!” I hissed angrily.
Theon stood up, his eyes still blazing gold as he looked down at me emotionlessly. Taking hold of my chin, he forced it up roughly. “Then explain to me, why a werewolf seems to hold elemental powers?” He whispered threateningly. I frowned in confusion, and he motioned to the floor with his eyes. I turned my head, staring at the now ice-covered floor, but the most unnerving part was that it was spreading from beneath my very own feet…