the memory of Elsa’s voice lingered. What was happening to her?
“Yes,” Hans agreed. “And if she doesn’t want the crown, she can abdicate, but she must bring back summer.”
“Whoa!” Kristoff interrupted and appealed to Anna. “You cannot go to the valley in this condition.” He touched her arm. “Anna, something is going on with you. I don’t know what it is, but you need rest.”
Anna set her jaw. “Someone has to stop this winter, and I feel like…it’s me.”
“But you don’t even know her,” Kristoff reminded her. “What if the prince is right? If she’s that angry, she might hurt you.”
“She won’t,” Anna insisted. The wind was whipping hard in the open clearing, and she felt her balance falter. Hans offered her his elbow to help her stay upright. “Kristoff, I can’t go home now. Arendelle needs help. I have to try to do something.”
“I agree,” Hans said.
“Who asked you?” Kristoff said, and Sven snorted. Kristoff looked at Anna. “This is crazy! You can’t just go off with this guy you just met!”
“I went with you, didn’t I?” Anna reminded him. Kristoff was quiet.
“Excuse me, but I don’t think you should be yelling at the lady,” Hans said. “Anna seems smart and knowledgeable. She’s trying to help save the kingdom.”
“Thank you,” Anna said.
Hans wasn’t brooding or indecisive. He might have been worried Elsa wouldn’t return with him, but he was still willing to go after her. Maybe he’d be able to talk sense into her. Something told her she needed to be with Hans when he found her.
“Anna, see reason! We’ve lost all our supplies, my sleigh is in pieces, and this weather is making everyone a little crazy.” Kristoff was growing agitated now. “You can’t possibly want to keep going when we don’t even know for sure where Elsa is! We’re going with a snowman’s hunch!”
“We do know! When the letter was read aloud, I heard someone say ‘the Valley of the Living Rock’,” Olaf reminded them.
“You heard me read the letter?” Hans said slowly.
“It was you!” Olaf said happily. “I should’ve known. You’re so good to Elsa.”
“Anna,” Kristoff tried again. “Don’t do this.”
Why couldn’t he see how important this was? She couldn’t show up back home and tell her parents she had failed. Harmon would never survive this eternal winter.
But that was the problem, wasn’t it? Harmon wasn’t Kristoff’s village; it was hers. Kristoff just passed through with ice deliveries. He didn’t care about the people the way she did. The only one he cared about was Sven. “I’m going,” she said firmly. “And I have no problem going the rest of the way with Hans. So…are you going to come with us?”
Kristoff threw up his hands. “Look, I know the valley well, and even I can’t find it in this weather—and I’m not getting sick. We should all turn back.”
“I’m still going,” she said firmly. “Hans is, too. We can all go.”
“No. I think you three have it covered on your own. I’m going to salvage what’s left of my sleigh. Come on, Sven.” He turned his back and stalked off.
Sven grunted mournfully as he looked from Anna to Kristoff.
“It’s okay, Sven,” Anna said, surprised she couldn’t change Kristoff’s mind. “You look after him. I’ll be okay.” She watched the reindeer follow Kristoff into the woods.
“I’m going to miss them,” Olaf said sadly.
Me too, Anna thought.
Hans shook his head. “I can’t believe he’d leave you out here.”
“I’ll be fine,” Anna said firmly.
“I don’t doubt it. You seem like a natural leader.” Hans was looking at her so intently Anna started to blush. He pointed at smoke in the distance. “There has to be a cabin that way. Let’s find shelter for the night.” He held out his hand to help her onto his horse. Anna climbed on and Hans placed Olaf in front of her. Then he mounted the horse behind them.
“We’re going to make a good team, Anna. I can feel it.”
“So can I,” Anna said with a soft smile.
Team. She liked the idea of that.
Elsa felt her head pounding before she opened her eyes.
Why did her head hurt?
Then she remembered: Hans revealing his sinister nature, her desperate attempt to get away before Hans could find Anna on his own, the ice chandelier crashing and almost impaling her, and the ambush outside her fortress. If only she’d known they were planning to take her back to Arendelle Castle and lock her away.
She sat up and the blanket that had been lying over her fell, revealing chains.