The Ice Twins - Nikki Jefford Page 0,6

“Nothing like that. Ren broke up with me last night.”

I wasn’t sure why I was telling her before my parents. Melarue was just really easy to confide in. She’d always felt more like a peer than a parental figure.

Melarue’s eyes flared wide. “So I do need to get my sword. Someone needs castrating.”

My laugh this time was genuine. “As awesome as that sounds, it might be going a bit too far.”

“You think?” Melarue tilted her head to the side.

“I’m better off without him,” I said, squaring my shoulders.

“Damn straight.” Melarue nodded. “There’s a more deserving male out there somewhere. You’ll be glad that pit head set you free once you meet him.” She gave me a quick hug before rushing away.

My heart felt a little less heavy as I stepped inside my parents’ cottage. Mom and Dad were too busy bickering to notice me enter.

“You could have helped her,” Dad said.

“I don’t have time to play tutor. Our realm faces serious threats.”

Dad sighed. “Yes, we know. The ogres are encroaching on Elkcan. It’s always the ogres.”

Mom slapped her palm on the kitchen counter. “It is always the ogres. They never stop, nor shall I. Someone has to look out for our people.”

To be fair, battling ogres was more than an obsession for my mother. It was how she and my dad earned coins to pay the bills. Their cottage was basically a hovel, but they had a roof over their heads and food on the table three times a day.

I cleared my throat, but it did nothing to pull my parents’ attention away from their staredown.

“What did Melarue want?” I asked.

Keeping his gaze on Mom, Dad answered, “Your mother’s help training Reed and Ronin how to control their ice magic.”

“You refused?” My voice rose with exasperation. Dad was right. It felt like all Mom cared about was battling ogres. Combating the gray-skinned brutes seemed to be her be-all and end-all.

Mom folded her arms across her chest. “I’m not a babysitter.”

“That’s not what Melarue was asking for,” I said.

“She was asking me to neglect my duties.”

“She was asking for your help,” I countered. “Don’t tell me you can’t find a couple hours a week to work with the twins.”

“I’m leaving for Elkcan tomorrow.”

My heart dropped. “Again? So soon?” I stared at her in astonishment, then turned to Dad. “Are you leaving too?” When Dad nodded, my heart sank. “I thought we could spend the weekend together.”

“The people of Elkcan are counting on us,” Mom stated.

Yeah, well, I was too.

Mom barely looked at me as she lifted a box off the floor and set it on the small round wooden dining table. Whatever she had inside the box made a heavy clanking noise. There were a couple of longswords, daggers, throwing stars, and bows competing for space. The longswords looked ready to fall off the edge.

“How are we going to get all of this to Elkcan?” Dad asked.

“Kenia said she’d lend her horse and cart.”

Dad nodded.

I stood watching them, waiting for some kind of recognition of my misery, but they continued adding weapons to the table, discussing the trip.

Mom dug around inside the box and frowned before looking on the countertops.

“Dev, have you seen my crossbow?” Dad bent down and looked beneath the table. As Mom scanned the area, her eyes landed on me. “You’re still here?”

My lower lip puffed out.

“Sorry, hon,” Mom said, her voice softening. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

I sighed. “Yeah, well, be safe, okay?”

“You have nothing to worry about.” Mom came over and gave me a lightning-quick kiss on the cheek. “Good luck with your reunion ball. I want to hear all about it when I return.”

Dad stood and rubbed his jaw. “Could you have left it in the closet?”

“Oh! Maybe.” Mom’s eyes lit up before she headed out of sight.

“Bye, Dad.”

“Bye, Zelie. Tell Ren hello from me.” I winced, but Dad was already packing the throwing stars and daggers into a box on a chair.

I left their cottage with a heavy sigh. It sucked that they were leaving. The twins weren’t the only ones Mom didn’t have time for.

I kicked a pebble off the dirt path that wound around cottages clustered together. My home and neighborhood were nicer than what my folks had. I’d been proud to earn enough to provide myself with a cozy living. My parents were proud too. They preferred I remain behind, teaching the youth of Pinemist.

If I’d inherited my mother’s icy elemental magic, I would have offered to teach Reed and