“Frost Lord’s Unthawing”

Chapter 1. A Broken Rail and the Pull of an Omen.

(Grifina’s POV)

The twilight of Ledovara was unlike any darkness I had known before—a perpetual blue shadow that seemed to hover between day and night, never fully committing to either.

Through the frost-etched windows of the baroque train carriage, I watched this half-light paint the endless fields of snow in shades of indigo and silver. My breath clouded before me in the chill air; the train's heating had surrendered hours ago to the relentless cold of Lord Efrosin's domain...

I huddled deeper into my furs, touching the small pouch of protective herbs at my neck, silently counting the hours until I would cross the border and return to the warm lands where my mother waited.

The train itself was a marvel of craftsmanship, with ornate gilded moldings climbing the walls like frozen vines, velvet seats stiff with cold, and crystal lamps that cast dancing shadows across the opulent interior. Yet for all its beauty, the chill had seeped into every corner, turning luxury into discomfort. I watched my fellow passengers—pale, frost-touched aristocrats mostly—their faces betraying nothing as they endured the cold with practiced dignity. I, however, with my warmer blood and sun-kissed skin, felt the bite of winter more keenly.

It happened without warning—a sound like the world tearing in half, followed by a violent lurch that sent me sprawling across the compartment floor. My head struck something hard, and for a moment, darkness flooded my vision. When awareness returned, it was to chaos: screams, the grinding of metal, the carriage tilting at a sickening angle. Through the windows, I saw only white—an avalanche had swallowed us whole.

"Remain calm! Please remain in your seats!" The conductor's voice cracked with strain as he moved through the carriage, his uniform dusted with snow that had somehow forced its way inside. "Help will arrive from the station. We are not far."

The aristocrats composed themselves with remarkable speed, brushing snow from their furs and exchanging quiet, clipped observations. A woman in blue silk dabbed blood from her temple with a lace handkerchief; an elderly gentleman calmly righted his overturned chess set. Their composure seemed inhuman to me—another reminder that I was an outsider here, a Hearth-Bound among the Frost-Touched.

As the initial shock subsided, a strange calm settled over me. The herbs in my pouch—sage for wisdom, rowan for protection—felt suddenly warm against my skin. I had been raised to read the language of omens, to see the threads of fate woven into seemingly random events. And this... this was no ordinary accident.

"The passes are clearing," the conductor announced, returning from his assessment. "The station has been notified. Those who wish to wait for the relief train may do so; those who prefer to walk the short distance to the station may follow my deputy."

Most passengers chose to wait in the relative comfort of the tilted carriage. But not I. My fingers trembled slightly as I gathered my satchel and the cage containing my sleeping snow owl, Skadi. I knew with sudden, bone-deep certainty that I was not meant to leave Ledovara—not yet. The avalanche was a sign, a barrier thrown up by fate itself.

Outside, in the cutting wind, I released Skadi from her cage. Her amber eyes regarded me with ancient intelligence as I tied a small scroll to her leg.

"Find Mother," I whispered, stroking her feathered head. "Tell her I am delayed, but well. I will come when the time is right."

Skadi took wing, a pale ghost against the darkening sky, and I watched until she disappeared over the jagged peaks. Then, adjusting my satchel across my shoulder, I turned to follow the deputy conductor and a handful of other passengers toward the distant glow of the train station.

The walk was arduous, our path lit only by the conductor's cold-fire lantern, its blue flame casting eerie shadows on the snow. Yet the landscape held a terrible beauty—ice-laden trees like crystal sculptures, the distant howl of what might have been wolves or wind, and always that strange twilight sky, streaked now with ribbons of green aurora.

At the station, a grand structure of grey granite and ironwork, we were ushered into a vaulted hall where our breath hung in the air like ghostly messengers. The stone arches above wore delicate laceworks of magical frost that glowed with pale blue luminescence. I felt a pang of wonder—even in the midst of crisis, the beauty of this frozen land was undeniable.

"Temporary lodging is being arranged for all passengers," announced a stationmaster, his voice echoing against the stone. "However, given the unexpected numbers, some may need to seek accommodation elsewhere."

An elderly porter noticed my bewildered expression and approached, his eyes kind behind frost-rimmed spectacles. "You'll be wanting somewhere to stay, miss? Not many options in these parts. The town's small, inns always full with merchants."

"Is there anywhere else?" I asked, absently touching my pouch of herbs. "I... I feel I should remain in Ledovara a while longer."

The old man's eyebrows rose slightly. "Well, there's always Lord Efrosin's castle. He takes in travelers sometimes, when the mood strikes him. Holds grand balls for the aristocracy most nights—generous host, he is, despite..." He trailed off, his weathered face thoughtful.

"Despite what?" I prompted, inexplicably drawn to the unfinished thought.

The porter lowered his voice. "Despite his nature, miss. The Frost-Lord, they call him, and not just for his lineage. Some say his heart is frozen solid—has to be, to bear the burden he carries."