Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
ELLY BLAKE
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior
written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of
binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar
condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978 1 473 63517 3
Printed and bound by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc
renewable and recyclable products and made from wood grown in sustainable
forests. The logging and manufacturing processes are expected to conform
to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
www.hodder.co.uk
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
Pa rt
12
on e
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
S26
N27
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd1
2/12/161:50:25 PM
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd2
2/12/161:50:25 PM
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
on e
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
was in the cold. But she died before she could show me more
25
S26
N27
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd3
2/12/161:50:25 PM
01
02
03
04
ing warmth to surge upward and out the way Grandmother had
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
heart.
16
Mother slammed the door and shoved the quilt back against
17
18
frame under her cloak. Its wicked out there. Im chilled to the
19
bone.
20
21
22
23
24
25
26S
familiar. If even one person sees what youre doing, just one, they
27N
4
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd4
2/12/161:50:25 PM
could alert the kings soldiers. With the summer being so wet,
01
02
03
04
Then why are you doing this? Its bad enough when youre
05
not trying to use your gift. She waved her hand at a pile of
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
slowly to take a lock of my hair, which she always said was lucky
13
14
a little too s un-k issed for a child of the North, but people didnt
15
look closely in this sleepy village, where no one had powers, frost
16
or fire.
17
18
But I lie awake at night worrying. How can we keep your secret
19
if you insist on using your fire, even when you know it can spiral
20
out of control?
21
It was the same question shed asked over and over during the
22
23
And I replied with the same answer. How will I learn to control
24
it if I never use it? And if were not safe here, why dont we go
25
somewhere safe?
S26
N27
5
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd5
2/12/161:50:25 PM
01
02
Not that again. You know wed never make it to the border,
and even if we did, wed be on the front lines.
03
The coast
04
05
06
07
She looked away. Well, were here now, and theres no sense
08
wishing for what isnt. She let out a deep sigh as she caught sight
09
of the depleted pile of kindling. Ruby, did you really need to use
10
11
12
I swallowed past the guilt. I wont add any more logs to the
fire.
13
14
Ill keep you warm. You can sleep right next to me. I pat
15
16
17
18
than any fire. You never burn me, even if I roll too close.
19
20
21
22
23
24
take a walk to cool off. See if you can find some more kindling to
25
26S
27N
6
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd6
2/12/161:50:25 PM
01
02
03
with pine-scented fingers. The air was bitter, but my skin was still
04
05
06
calm down. Surely it was better to expel some of this heat out
07
08
I had done it before, sneaked out late at night into the deso
09
10
11
12
13
forest held its breath, eerily silent but for the rustle of wind in the
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
S26
N27
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd7
2/12/161:50:25 PM
01
02
03
seen myself.
04
05
between tree trunks washed gray under a steel sky. The blue of
06
the mens tunics shot startling color into the starkly white scene.
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
they were just passing through on their way over the mountains
14
from the barren North. But our hut was right along the path they
15
were following. They could easily stop to raid our larder or use
16
our hut for the night. We couldnt risk them getting too near me,
17
18
19
20
21
When I reached our hut, Mother was sitting by the fire, her
22
23
24
ing by the fire, and shoving it at her. In the woods. If they stop
25
here...
26S
27N
8
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd8
2/12/161:50:25 PM
action. She grabbed a rag and packed up some dry cheese and
01
02
plants dried in the warmth of the fire. Wed spent hours gather
03
ing the precious herbs, and neither of us could bear to leave them.
04
05
06
The herbs were swept from the table by the wind as the door
07
crashed against the wall. Two men emerged from the snowy
08
09
10
Mother to me.
11
12
13
14
15
and foul breath. His cold hand slid to my neck. I wanted to turn
16
my head and bite his wrist, hit him, rake him with my nails,
17
anything to get his hand off me, but the sword at his side held
18
me still.
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
S26
N27
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd9
2/12/161:50:25 PM
01
02
twist out of his grasp and kicked over a bucket of red berries I had
03
gathered before the recent snow. They spilled across the floor like
04
05
the moonlight.
06
07
had crawled into my rib cage and wanted out. Grandmother had
08
described the sensation, but Id never felt it like this. It stung and
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
from the woodpile and brought it down hard on the back of his
17
18
I took Mothers hand, and we stumbled out the door and into
19
the night. The soldier I had burned was still on his hands and
20
21
22
from our hut, away from the place that had always been warmth
23
24
25
in the path, I pulled right, toward the forest, where we could lose
26S
ourselves in the pines that grew so thick snow didnt reach the
27N
ground.
10
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd10
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
03
04
through the worst of the drifts, which had poured like frozen
05
06
07
square.
08
09
10
week for as long as I could remember, not just to buy food and
11
supplies, but to get away from the solitude of our tiny hut, to
12
exchange nods and smiles with people, to smell baking bread and
13
14
15
16
17
or child.
18
Now my cozy world had broken like a glass jar dropped onto
19
20
again. The smells were all wrong, the acrid smoke of torches and
21
22
riders.
23
24
25
S26
N27
11
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd11
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
been hauled from their beds. I twisted and turned, searching for
03
a way out, but I couldnt leave Mother. She stood quiet and still
04
beside me.
05
Is this the Fireblood girl? The man was tall, with blade-cut
06
07
08
09
Graham, the miller, and his daughter, Flax. The farmers Tibald,
10
Brecken, and Tom, and their wives, Gert, Lilly, and Melody.
11
They had all come to my mother for treatment when they were
12
sick, but surely they didnt know what I was. Id always been so
13
14
15
was Clay, the butchers eldest son. At the harvest festival, he had
16
pulled me to the side as the village danced around the fire. His
17
18
drawn back after feeling my lips, so hot on his own, but he hadnt
19
pulled his hand away. After that, wed stolen looks at each other
20
21
22
23
24
25
26S
Shes the one, Captain, Clay said, his lips trembling. She
killed my brother.
My mother gasped and squeezed my hand. My body had
gone numb.
A few weeks ago my mother had been summoned by Clays
father. His infant son wouldnt nurse. The babys skin was cold.
27N
12
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd12
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
Mother tried every salve and curative she knew and finally took
01
me with her to see if my natural heat could warm the childs skin.
02
But the baby died anyway. I cried for three days afterward.
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
Theres one way to know for sure, said the captain, holding
12
13
14
15
The torches were almost on us, six or seven coming from all
16
sides, the heat searing my face. The fire from one leaped to the
17
18
19
20
and Mother threw herself at him. Her hand slashed down the
21
22
back, but as I came close, the captains booted foot crashed into
23
24
25
S26
N27
13
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd13
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
Then he slammed the hilt down onto Mothers head with a sick
02
ening crack.
03
She crumpled to the ground like a broken doll, her hair spread
04
05
charcoal. Her long, lovely neck curved like a wilted flower stem.
06
I crawled to her side and took her shoulders, called out to her.
07
My hands fluttered to her chest, her neck, searching for her heart
08
beat, strong and steady, like she was. But she lay still.
09
10
11
12
13
now? I breathed in a gasp that stole the air from the sky, the trees,
14
the world. The wind seemed to twist around me, the eye of the
15
tornado.
16
I exhaled.
17
18
19
20
21
My mothers still form lay behind me, her hair and limbs in
22
23
24
25
26S
27N
14
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd14
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
pushed up, my chest bursting with singeing cold, and was shoved
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
into mine. His face was red, blisters forming on his cheeks.
09
Youll pay for what you did to me and my men. Your whole
10
11
12
ing out black smoke. Some of the villagers tried to stop the sol
13
14
and carts, while they hooted and shouted as if this were an eve
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Ill kill you for what youve done this night, I managed to
23
whisper.
24
The flames cast strange shadows on his leering grin. Tie her
25
S26
N27
15
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd15
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
03
Pain split the back of my head. The last thing I saw before my
04
05
world faded to black was the white arrow on the captains chest.
The mark of the Frost King.
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26S
27N
16
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd16
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
t wo
08
11
09
10
12
13
14
15
unsteady shuffle, a sign the guards were already deep into their
16
cups. It was just past sunset, the light from the tiny barred win
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
the bars.
24
25
S26
N27
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd17
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
dress.
He snorted a laugh. Filthy like the rest of you. And how does
it feel?
08
Unnecessary.
09
10
11
12
anytime soon.
Depends on whether you decide to show your special atten
tion to any of the other prisoners.
13
14
15
from the older man in the cell next to mine. The mans cries
16
for help cut through the layers of numbness that I had built in
17
18
19
through the bars to give Bragger a nice jolt of heat on his bare
20
forearm. The beating had stopped, but the prisoner had died that
21
22
interference.
23
24
We might just turn our attentions to you next time. Wont last a
25
26S
27N
glass. Youve been promising me that for months, and here I am.
18
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd18
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
03
to protest, but Bragger just grinned. I wont fall for that again,
04
05
06
07
08
Cant have much fire left in you or you wouldve done that a
09
long time ago. But just in case, Rager, you got the bucket?
10
11
12
13
What time is it? Bragger asked, low and serious, the tone
14
15
16
17
18
how I tried, though, I jerked when the frigid water crashed over
19
me, and hissing steam rose from my skin. The guards doubled
20
21
That just never gets old, Bragger said, fouling the air near
22
23
I wonder what would happen if we poured out all that red tea?
24
S26
N27
19
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd19
25
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
03
04
tained them. But then again, without the steam, there would be
05
no fear. Id seen what they did to the prisoners who didnt scare
06
them.
07
08
I dont know why the executioner hasnt come for you yet,
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
walls and insinuating itself into every crack and keyhole. It spilled
23
across the floor and hardened into glittering sheets that stopped
24
25
26S
27N
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd20
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
Another hooded shape joined the first. This figure was smaller
03
04
05
06
07
thieves.
08
Look, said the taller figure, his voice deeper, more vigorous.
09
See how the ice refuses to touch her? He sucked in a breath and
10
blew it out with force. The water in the air turned to ice and fell
11
over me in tiny pellets that steamed back into vapor as they met
12
my skin.
13
14
15
16
17
Sit up, little one, the shorter figure said, tapping the bars
18
19
with you.
20
21
22
peace. I hadnt felt so frightened since the day the soldiers came
23
to my village. The guards did not have the gift and they still man
24
25
S26
Do as he says, said the man who stood tall and broad and
N27
21
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd21
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
imposing on the other side of the bars. Sit up or Ill find a bucket
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
into months, which could bleed into years in the kings prison.
He seemed to understand my uncertainty. It has been two
weeks since the vernal equinox.
A dull ache spread through my chest. Id lost nearly half a
year. Seventeen, then.
You burned the kings soldiers, some of them badly, he said.
Though with the help of skilled healers, they survived.
13
14
15
that her hair is black. The truly gifted often have fiery hair. He
16
17
18
19
20
reveal my thin wrist. He took the torch from his companion and
21
held it close to the bars, the light falling on the thick vein that
22
23
24
25
26S
27N
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd22
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
head like the pure, clear note of a temple bell. The very thought of
02
03
04
05
06
The two figures loomed still and silent in the flickering light,
07
frost crackling under their feet. Their breath fogged the air with
08
a cold mist.
09
10
The old man looked around and shook his head. It is some
11
12
13
His weathered hands rose and pulled the hood off to reveal
14
a lined face with skin darker than my own, long and lean with
15
noble bones. His eyes, so light blue they were almost white,
16
burned into me. His lips held the hint of a smile. Frost and fire
17
18
Not in my lifetime.
19
20
intent. Then, perhaps this will interest you. Our target is the
21
throne itself.
22
23
was what I longed for, the only thing Id wanted since the day the
24
soldiers had taken everything from me: to kill the king, who had
25
ordered that raid. If it were not for the king, there would have
S26
N27
23
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd23
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
03
to kill the king for them, but at what cost? You expect me to
04
trust you?
05
06
07
If youre lucky.
08
He nodded.
09
And if I refuse?
10
The taller man blew out a breath. Then you can rot in here
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
I could likely escape from these men with greater ease than I
could escape from the kings prison.
24
25
The older man bent toward the keyhole and blew into it. Ice
26S
27N
swung inward.
24
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd24
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
breath. Ice formed in the keyhole of the ankle cuff but melted a
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
The guards are waking, said the one called Arcus. Stay
10
back.
11
12
chain, pulled a sword from behind his back, and swung it down.
13
I gasped and jerked away as the brittle chain cracked in half. The
14
15
groan.
16
17
18
19
20
Arcus bent down, his hood stopping inches from me. The
21
22
23
24
I glared and held myself still, wishing I could see his eyes
25
instead of shadows. Only his chin and lower lip were clearly visi
S26
ble. Both were strong, well formed, and puckered by a thick, ugly
N27
25
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd25
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
scar. If you hurt me, Ill burn you so badly even your mistress
02
03
He snorted softly, then slid his arms under my back and legs.
04
05
grunted in pain and was surprised when he set me down again, pull
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
and w
ide-eyed at the sight of a prisoner being carted away.
13
Frost fogged the stone corridor and smeared the floor in glit
14
15
16
to cover his arms and neck. He opened his mouth, but his words
17
18
19
20
21
carrying into the hallway. Arcus strode past the frozen figure to
22
23
quickly.
24
25
the reality of escape. My lungs filled with the sweet, clean air of
26S
27N
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd26
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM
01
02
03
04
05
ing else. I hope Brother Thistle has enough soap in the abbey to
06
07
If he was averse to being near me, that was fine. The feeling
was mutual.
08
09
Are you Brother Thistle? I asked the old man, who was
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
S26
N27
27
Frostblood_HCtext1P.indd27
2/12/16 1:50:25 PM