I woke up to a sharp pain in my wrists. My arms were tied behind my back with cold metal. The air smelled frosty as two large guards in dark armor dragged me across a freezing floor. My boots slipped on the ice, and the cold bit through the worn leather. The guards pushed me forward without a word.
The fortress of Celeste Iverson was made of ice and steel. The walls of ice shone with a strange light. Tall columns of crystal reflected a blue fire that burned in the great hall. The silence was heavy, as if the air was holding its breath.
Then I saw her.
Celeste Iverson, the leader of the Shadow Guild, sat on a throne made of ice. Her presence was more dangerous than a sharp blade. She had long, white-blonde hair and a beautiful face, but it held no warmth. Her eyes were a cold, silver-bl
