Chapter 35: First Steps on Ice

A pale winter sun rose over the forests outside Vancouver, painting the snow with soft gold light. The frozen lake behind the Thorne cabin looked like a perfect sheet of glass, smooth and quiet under the morning sky.

It was the kind of day that begged for skating.

Inside the cabin, Finn and Liam were already awake and already loud.

Finn stood in the middle of the living room wearing his tiny green jersey for the Vancouver Grizzlies, holding his toy stick high like a champion.

“Hockey time!”

Liam bounced beside him in excitement, clutching a small foam puck.

“Goal!”

Alex leaned against the kitchen counter with a cup of coffee, watching them with a sleepy smile.

“They’re getting louder every week.”

Jake walked in from the porch, brushing snow off his jacket.

“They’re getting faster too.”

Brody looked up from the couch.

“That’s the scary part.”

Finn ran past them with heroic determination, nearly sliding into the coffee table.

Jake caught him mid-dash and lifted him easily.

“Whoa there, superstar.”

Finn pointed toward the back door.

“I skate!”

Jake raised an eyebrow at Alex.

“Well… guess it’s time.”

---

The Lake Rink

Within an hour, the family stood outside near the frozen lake behind the cabin.

Jake had cleared snow from a large section of ice earlier that winter, creating a private practice rink that glimmered in the morning sunlight.

Alex knelt down in front of Finn and Liam, tightening the straps on their tiny beginner skates.

“Remember,” Alex said gently, “slow steps.”

Finn nodded very seriously.

“I fast.”

Alex laughed.

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about.”

Jake stepped onto the ice first, testing it.

Solid.

Perfect.

“Alright,” he called. “Come on out.”

Alex carefully helped Finn stand.

The little boy wobbled immediately.

“Whoa!”

Jake slid closer and steadied him.

Liam stepped onto the ice next, gripping Alex’s hands tightly.

For a moment both toddlers simply stood there, wide-eyed.

The ice stretched around them like a frozen playground.

Then Finn took a step.

A shaky one.

Another.

He wobbled… leaned sideways…

And somehow stayed upright.

Jake grinned.

“There it is.”

Finn raised his stick proudly.

“I skating!”

---

Liam’s Surprise

Liam watched his brother carefully.

Then he tried the same thing.

One tiny step.

Another.

But instead of wobbling, Liam suddenly slid forward smoothly.

Alex blinked.

“That looked… good.”

Brody leaned against the rink boards Jake had built earlier.

“Kid’s got balance.”

Liam glided another foot.

Then stopped abruptly and fell onto his padded snow pants.

He burst out laughing.

“Again!”

---

A Quiet Moment

For a little while, everything felt normal.

Just a family skating on a frozen lake.

Alex glided slowly beside the twins, offering a steady hand whenever they lost balance.

Jake watched them with a quiet smile.

Brody filmed the moment on his phone.

“This is definitely going online later,” he said.

Alex pointed a warning finger.

“Private video.”

Brody sighed dramatically.

“You’re no fun.”

---

Something Awakens

Finn took another determined step across the ice.

Then another.

Then suddenly, the wind shifted.

The surface of the lake shimmered faintly.

Jake noticed first.

He straightened slowly.

“Alex.”

Alex looked up.

“You feel that?”

Alex nodded.

The same strange pressure they had felt before.

But weaker.

And closer.

Finn sneezed.

The ice beneath his skates glowed faintly for half a second.

Everyone froze.

Brody stared.

“…Did the lake just light up?”

Jake stepped carefully toward Finn.

“What did you do, buddy?”

Finn shrugged proudly.

“I skate.”

---

The Archivist Returns

At that exact moment, another vehicle approached the cabin.

A gray SUV rolled slowly down the snowy road.

Lucien stepped out, coat fluttering lightly in the cold wind.

He walked toward the lake and stopped at the edge of the rink.

Jake looked up.

“You picked a weird time to visit.”

Lucien watched Finn and Liam skating.

His expression shifted from calm curiosity to genuine surprise.

“Remarkable.”

Alex frowned.

“What now?”

Lucien pointed toward the ice where the faint glow still lingered beneath Finn’s skates.

“The prophecy mentioned this.”

Brody groaned again.

“Not the prophecy.”

Lucien ignored him.

“The ice itself is responding.”

Jake crossed his arms.

“To what?”

Lucien answered simply.

“To them.”

---

The Hidden Ability

Finn stepped forward again.

This time the ice shimmered more clearly beneath his skates.

Thin lines of light spread outward like cracks of glowing frost.

Alex stared.

“Okay… that’s new.”

Liam clapped excitedly.

“Finn magic!”

Lucien nodded thoughtfully.

“Yes.”

Jake looked at him sharply.

“Explain.”

Lucien spoke slowly.

“Some bloodlines carry elemental affinity.”

Alex raised an eyebrow.

“Meaning?”

Lucien gestured toward the frozen lake.

“Ice.”

Finn slid forward again, completely unaware of the glowing patterns forming beneath him.

Brody shook his head.

“Kid’s literally built for hockey.”

---

A Warning

Lucien suddenly became serious again.

“That ability will not go unnoticed.”

Jake’s expression hardened.

“The Crown Court.”

Lucien nodded.

“They seek power like this.”

Alex looked down at Finn and Liam skating together.

His voice became quiet but firm.

“Then they’ll have to get through us first.”

Jake stepped beside him.

“That won’t be easy.”

Brody cracked his knuckles.

“I’m actually starting to enjoy this part.”

---

Somewhere Far Away

In a private hangar outside Chicago, a sleek jet sat ready on the runway.

Several dark-clad figures boarded quietly.

Inside the cabin, the Crown Court leader studied a glowing map.

One location pulsed brighter than the rest.

Vancouver.

He tapped the screen.

“Begin phase two.”

One of the hunters nodded.

“And the children?”

The leader smiled faintly.

“Bring them to me.”

The jet engines roared to life.

---

Back on the Lake

Finn slid across the ice and nearly collided with Jake’s skates.

Jake scooped him up easily.

“Alright, superstar,” Jake laughed. “Break time.”

Liam waddled over too, arms raised to be picked up.

Alex lifted him gently.

“You two did amazing today.”

Finn pointed proudly at the ice.

“Big rink!”

Alex kissed the top of his head.

“Someday you’ll skate in the biggest rink there is.”

Finn thought about that.

“Daddy rink?”

Jake chuckled.

“Exactly.”

---

The Storm Ahead

As the sun began to set behind the mountains, the family returned to the cabin.

Warm light glowed through the windows.

Inside, everything felt safe again.

But high above the clouds, the Crown Court jet cut through the night sky toward the Pacific coast.

And for the first time, the hunters weren’t coming to observe.

They were coming to take.