463

I like that number. 463.

AND NOW...WHAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! AN EXCERPT!!!! *squeeee!*

We sit down, and I can't help but notice how comfortable he looks here in my ratty living room.

"I used to live in a place like this." He gives me a pleasant smile. "You look a bit shaken. Are you all right?"

I stare at him. It takes some of the fear away. You and your loved ones will burn...But I can't think about that right now. "My brother...He was enlisted."

"Ah." A flit of emotions fly across his face. A dirty scowl, a concerned frown, and the feeling that I'm not telling him everything. "Queen Tinaila is wasting her time."

"May she live forever," I mutter. He gives me a strange look.

"Oh, I almost forgotten...Veerdalean customs regarding royalty are so ridiculous."

"They are descendants of Aine, though." I don't mean to argue, but...but the descendants of Aine should be treated with utmost respect. Karayan practically rolls his eyes at me.

"Yes, very well. My point is that she's wasting her time building an army to fight off the Ice Queen. The Ice Queen doesn't give a rat's ass about your queen--"

"May she live forever." It seems to annoy him, but he doesn't say anything, so I throw something out. "Haven't you heard the legend, though? The Ice Queen must destroy the Queen of Veerdale, Aine, her sister. Or her descendant..."

"Aislin, I hate to tell you this, but you don't know anything about the legend."

I'm starting to get offended now, but there's still no point in starting an argument. Then he arches his thick eyebrows, as if daring me to refute him.

"We've heard the legends of Aine since we were little, generation after generation--"

"And do you really think the true account of what happened? Do you think that survived generation after generation? You know nothing about Aine, or the Ice Queen."

"And you do?" I'm about to leap out of my seat, I'm so offended, but then a look of impossible misery crosses my visitor's face.

"I know many things, Aislin." His eyes are open, but I know he's seeing something else. "I know the Ice Queen was born of jealousy and murder, and is as cold as ice, but possesses in herself a burning hot spirit, capable of great good more so than great evil. I know she is capable of love--great love--" He swallows thickly, his brilliant green eyes a million miles away. "--And that she loves her sister very, very much. No, it's not her fault." His voice rises, his expression turns angry, but there's still overbearing sadness in his face. "She would never harm a hair on Aine's head, were it not for the blasted angels--"

"There are no such thing as angels."

I know I shouldn't have interrupted, but the words slipped out before I could say them. His words were too shocking for me to think clearly. He gives me an atrocious look, but then a dark laugh, which is somehow more frightening.

"No such thing as angels? That's like saying Fraenir, King of the Underworld, is just a fairytale! Aislin, angels are very real. They are the servants of the gods, but their connection to the mortal world makes them interfere more than their masters. They are the most vain, petty, vengeful little--" He shakes his head to stop himself. Perhaps he knows that if there were such thing as angels, they wouldn't appreciate him insulting them. "Oh, my dear, they are very real, and I can tell you right now that you are not in their favor--not at all."