IVO WASN'T SURE which was bigger, the hatred the twins had for him or their appetite.

They had devoured an entire pig—twice before moving on to the other meals, ivo had to be careful not to get eaten by mistake too.

His primary concern was his immediate older sister who was two years older than him, Ida, the queen of the snow as the author had described her.

She had spent so much time up in the north—frostguard as its keeper and ruler in the king stead, that she was starting to look like the snowcrawlers that she was busy killing.

Her skin was pale from lack of sun, her eyes deep and curious to see better, and she was eating the least as you had to train your stomach for the lack of food.

She heard her fork in a weird way busing stabbing away at the sausage as if it were cut out from one of the crawlers,Ivo had first-hand knowledge that she hated him the least—well as far as the book went he never got to finish it, but he has something else that made had made him take interest in her and that was the fact that From all his siblings she was going to be the first to die.

She walked down the hallway gracefully, her red lace dress with black flower prints suites her—the king color suites her.

But Ivo wasn't concerned about her dress or how she walked he needed to talk to her, she made a right turn as he rolled his chair behind her as quietly as he could but when he made a turn she was gone.

The cold blade pressed against his neck as ivo groaned

“hello sister” he called out, but the blade pressed even tighter, drawing blood.

“Don't call me that crawling bastard,” she replied.

Ivo pushed back his chair as he fell flat on his back to stare at Ida's upside-down figure as she hung from the hall metal rails, he smiled at her as she flipped landing on her feet graciously.

“They say that people who go into the cold dark sleep never return the same, I think they were right” she commented as she sheathed her blade and helped Ivo back on his chair.

“Thank you” ivo replied with a smile.

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“ Now why were you following me ?”she asked as she lowered her body to his height.

“I want to help you” ivo replied without delay.

She scoffed and got up, “You help me? You can't even help yourself” she replied.

“Trust me, you would want to hear what I'm about to tell you” he replied, but she was already walking away.

“If it is about the throne, my answer is the same as the hundreds before you NO” she replied.

“But this isn't about the throne, it about your survival and all that is happening in the north,” ivo replied—hopefully that got her attention as she stopped in her tracks and, sighing walked back towards him,

“ let's go somewhere private, so I can kill you if I don't like what you're about to say”.

“Horse piss!” Ida said as she slammed the wall of the iron tower.

Ivo had never been here before, it was the highest point in the castle used for as a vantage point and watch Tower, but it was mostly abandoned, which Ida had tagged as reckless.

“You know what I'm saying is true Ida the snowcrawlers have always been dumb and stupid, until now.”

“And how did you know this?” She asked as she walked closer toward ivo

“I have people who tell me things—”

“Are you admitting that you're spying on me? ”She asked.

Ivo didn't have anybody who told him anything, but he wished he did, everything that he knew was from the pages of the book that he had read.

He knew that soon frost guard was going to be overrun by crawlers and Giants, Ida and her knights were going to be slaughtered thanks to the ice princess Sara coldrock, who she was and where she came from ivo never got to find out, but he has the chance to prevent Ida's death and probably make one less enemy.

“It's not about spying, you know what I'm saying is true. For some reason, they have been smarter and faster, but it doesn't end there. Trust me, if we are not careful, they will breech frost guard, I'm here to help you”.

“You can't even stand, how are you going to help me?”

“In a few days father will return to declare the start of the games and if I win, I can ask for anything—”

“If you win” Ida reminded

“Yes I know how it sounds but let me finish, if I win I will ask father to send me to frostguard to help you with your little problem.”

“I love your valor and honorable words, but I don't need your help” she replied as she turned towards the door.

“Besides, who will be your champion? Because I'm pretty sure you can't partake in the games” she asked.

“Oh, but I can't reveal all my secrets now, can I?”

“You are ambitious and stupid ivo”

Ivo smiled, he was no longer bastard but Ivo at least he was making some improvements.

“But I like your effort, keep it up, and I might not have to kill you myself” she replied as she was already out the door before Ivo could say another word.

Ivo had already made up his mind, he had to go to the north soon enough before the coldest hours, he had to meet ice princess no matter what, he was going to do anything to make sure.

Melisa walked through the door with a smile as she bowed at him.

“Melisa” Ivo called out.

“Yes my lord” she replied as she walked behind him to push his chair.

“What do you think of fighting in the king's game?” Ivo asked as

his blue eyes lit up with mischief.