Forged in Ice Read Online Free Page A

like myself again—yet at the last minute I set aside the pants and put on a dress. I was feeling good, and that made me want to look my best. I pretended it had nothing to do with James’ preference, but I knew it did. That thought should have annoyed me, but it didn’t. My feelings were chaotic, but overall I was excited. The fear I should have felt had somehow been buried under much more exhilarating emotions.
    After brushing my teeth and managing to button up enough of the back of the dress myself, I headed downstairs to find Charlotte. In my hurry to take a bath I’d forgotten to ask her where we were to meet.
    I looked into the dining room and found it empty. I searched around the area, surely they wouldn’t have left me completely to my own devices. I considered heading outside, but I didn’t want to get myself into more hot water. Instead I headed back upstairs to my room.
    I counted the doors again before I found my own. I paused before the door next to mine. There was a fresh bouquet of blue flowers laying on the floor in front of it.
    I tried the handle, and surprisingly it turned under my hand. I had expected it would be locked.
    I looked inside the room. A large four poster dark wood bed was pushed against one wall, while a desk was pushed against the other.
    Otherwise the room was empty.
    “This was my uncle’s room.” Charlotte’s voice came from the doorway behind me.
    I turned. “Sorry.” I stepped out. “I don’t know why I came in here.” Snooping wasn’t usually one of my vices.
    “It’s okay. He isn’t around to use it, and none of us can stand to change anything here.”
    And then I felt even worse as I realized she wasn’t talking about him being on a trip. Her facial expression and voice said it all, and the flowers outside the door suddenly made sense. He was dead. “I’m so sorry.”
    “Don’t be sorry, it wasn’t your fault.”
    Without her saying another word, I knew it was someone else’s fault. “I am still sorry to hear of your loss.”
    She sighed. “He was an amazing person. You’d have liked him. Everyone did.”
    “Did he spend most of his time here or in our world? I mean my world. You know.”
    “He’s from here, but he lived in Charleston for years. He actually coached the basketball team at my high school.”
    “Wait, is he the uncle that Kevin said also played for the Tar Heels?”
    Charlotte smiled. “Yes. Uncle Monty. I was pretty young when he played, but he talked about it a lot, especially when Kevin started to play for them.”
    “You have a very athletic family.”
    She laughed.
    “What?”
    “So you still don’t know everything about my Guardians yet.”
    “No. Only the bits and pieces I’ve been told.”
    “A Guardian is always incredibly strong and fast, so it makes them predisposed to be good at sports. Next time you see Liam ask him about his basketball transformation.”
    “What?”
    “Ask him. He’ll enjoy telling you about it.”
    “Ok…”
    “Anyway, James is really athletic too of course, but sports aren’t his thing. He didn’t spend enough time outside of Energo for that part of our culture to rub off on him, although Henry spent even less time, and he loves basketball.”
    “Henry seems nice.”
    “He is. He’s grown up a lot in the past few years.”
    “I bet all of you have.”
    “True. Very true.”
    “Did I give you enough time to get everything done?”
    “Oh. Yes. Absolutely. Ready to do some exploring with me?”
    “Yes, but could you do that top button?” I lifted my hair.
    “Sure. I’m impressed you stuck with the dress.”
    “It seemed the most fitting.” I wasn’t about to admit I did it partly for James. I wasn’t going to be that girl, particularly not to someone as strong as Charlotte.
    “You look nice, and they are surprisingly comfortable. I never thought I’d say that.”
    I laughed. “It’s funny how our perceptions change in life.”
    “Very true.” She stared into the room, and a