The Snow Queen's Captive by Jill Myles Read Free Book Online

thought she was awful. Either one depressed her.
    She was sitting in her lonely throne, her small table at her side, and feeling more than a little sorry for herself. She was exhausted and unhappy, and she still had 28 days to go before she would win this thing.
    Even bad company was still company, she decided, and took her small plate to her bedroom and opened the trap door to go visit Kai.
    He got to his feet as she descended the stairs, his entire stance wary. She tried smiling at him, but it faltered. So instead, she just touched the wall and dragged out enough ice to make a small stool, sat down, perched her plate on her knees, and began to eat.
    Kai said nothing, though eventually he relaxed enough to squat on his heels, still watching her. She was pleased to see that he was wrapped in the polar bear skins she’d left him.
    “How’s it going?” She asked, keeping her tone light so he couldn’t tell just how despairing she was.
    “How is what going?”
    “You know, how has your day been?”
    He stared at her as if she were crazy. “I have been trapped in a cage of your design. How exactly should my day be going?”
    “You don’t have to be so touchy,” she said with a small sigh. “Have you been in the cage long?”
    “You should know. You put me here.”
    “Let’s say I can’t remember because I don’t keep track of days.” She waved a hand idly. “Snow Queen biz and all. How many days have you counted?”
    He hesitated for a long moment, then said, “Sixty.”
    Sixty? God, that was cruel. “I’m really sorry.”
    He gave her an incredulous look, and then snorted.
    Well, that made her feel worse. “It’s true. You don’t have to believe me, but I am sorry. None of this was my idea.”
    “Then let me go.”
    Well, she couldn’t do that, either. Charlotte shook her head, looking sadly at him. “I have to keep you here with me. It’s part of the plan.”
    “Plan?” His lip curled derisively. “What plan?”
    It was clear he didn’t believe her, and she suspected telling him all about how she’d died and been replaced into the wrong person? Probably wouldn’t go over so well, either. “Never mind.” She shoved another flavored cube into her mouth and chewed slowly, miserable. She glanced up at Kai again. “You’ve been here two months. Have you seen anyone else?”
    He stared at her, as if not quite believing her questions. Then he shook his head. “You told me once that you forbade anyone to visit you. That you preferred your privacy.”
    “Did I?” Charlotte sighed at that. “That sounds rotten, so that sounds like me. Unfortunately.” She popped another cube into her mouth, disgruntled. “I kind of suck.”
    He reached for an icicle, then drew a hand back. “You should let me go.”
    “I wish I could. Unfortunately, you’re stuck with me.”
    “Why?”
    “Can’t say?”
    “What is it you plan to do with me?”
    She considered this. “Hold on to you for another month.”
    He looked surprised by her answer, studying her with a puzzled expression. “For what purpose?”
    “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she said. “Then I suppose I’ll go back to whatever it is that snow queens do with their spare time.” She fiddled with one of the cubes. “I don’t suppose you know what I had planned?”
    He narrowed his eyes at her. “You don’t know?”
    She had no clue, actually. But since some of the other things she’d discovered about the snow queen had been not so nice, she was curious in a rather nauseated sort of way. “Humor me?”
    “You told me,” he began slowly, watching her reaction, “that you intended on turning the entire realm into one of ice and snow, and subjugating those that wouldn’t follow your rule.”
    Charlotte considered this. “Sounds ambitious.”
    He said nothing, simply regarded her with that suspicious expression.
    “Did I mention how, exactly, I’m going to do that?”
    “You arrived here three months ago. Ever since