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On his shoulders, Seaweed chirruped before hopping down onto the vine, seeming ready to show her friend the way.She took a few steps forward before craning her neck to look at Kieran.

Sebastian nodded.“I’ll catch you if anything happens.”

Kieran felt himself blush.A swooning fall into Sebastian’s arms didn’t sound so bad.His arms were, after all, nicely muscled beneath his woolen trench coat.

Focus, Kieran,he chided himself.You can ask Sebastian to carry you around bridal-style when you’re not actively in danger of being assassinated.

“Right, okay.”He took a breath.“Here we go.”

Kieran stepped up onto the vine, testing it to see how stable it was beneath his boots.It had a tiny amount of give but didn’tseem to be in danger of coming loose anytime soon.He took a few tiny steps forward.His heart raced.Blood rushed in his ears.He held his arms out on either side of him, hoping it would help maintain his balance.Up ahead, Seaweed, Delilah, and Briar made their way past the trapped witch, ignoring his cries for help.

Sebastian stepped up onto the vine behind Kieran.“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

The five of them continued down the vine, holding their breath with each small step.Almost as soon as Delilah and Briar passed the trapped witch, his eyes locked directly on Kieran.He waved his free arm, eyes wide and wild like an animal trapped in a snare.

“Hey!”he called, arm flapping wildly.“You there, young witch!You must help me out of here—please!I—I can help you find the crown; you just have to get me out of here!”

Kieran paused.Even though Sebastian had said he was lying, Kieran hesitated.Was it really such a bad idea to help a witch in need?Sure, this was a competition, but he had to be freezing.Kieran was almost next to the man now, the vine steady beneath him.Maybe if he just offered him a hand—

“Kieran,” Sebastian warned.“Don’t—”

Just then, the trapped man managed to jerk himself up enough to shove a hand through the bars of the icicle cage.The hand went straight for Kieran’s ankle.Long fingernails clawed at his pant leg.Seaweed snapped her teeth at the man but was too far away to reach him.Kieran yelped, nearly stepping off the vine as the man closed his fingers around—

A flash of silver shot through the air.Kieran gasped as the hand that had been about to grab him was pinned to the vine by a throwing knife.As blood bubbled from the wound, the older witch screamed loud enough to shake the icicles overhead.

“Damn you!”he screamed, fiery eyes landing on Sebastian, who stood with a second knife at the ready.“You bastard—”

Suddenly, a nearby icicle fell from the ceiling, exploding in a burst of icy shards.One stabbed the trapped witch in the shoulder.He cried out, and as he did, more icicles shook loose, hurling themselves downward.

Shards of ice exploded around them.

“Run!”Sebastian cried.

Immediately, the four broke into a sprint as icicles dropped from the ceiling.Each burst on impact, glittering shards flying like shrapnel.Briar nimbly ducked to avoid falling chunks of ice while Delilah ran after her, clumsily trying to repeat the same movements without falling.Kieran barely dodged out of the way of one that sailed past him and embedded in the vine.The impact was almost enough to throw him off balance.His arms flapped in a desperate attempt to steady himself.He managed it after a few steps.At his heels, Sebastian cursed as he caught a shard in midair that had nearly struck him in the eye.

Kieran had almost reached the end of the vine.In front of him, Briar jumped off and landed, catlike, in the snow, where the passageway split into three more.Delilah too stumbled but managed to leap her way to Briar’s side.Seaweed was on their heels.Kieran was so close, just one step away.If he could only—

An icicle at his side plummeted to the ground, shattering.Kieran threw up his arms, protecting his face.He felt ice hit his sleeves painlessly.I’m fine, I’m fine—

Hot agony jolted up his leg as a shard flew past, slicing his calf.

Kieran yelped.His knee gave out.He grabbed at air, unable to find an anchor as he fell.

At that moment, something slammed into him from behind, knocking him forward.The next second, he was rolling over the snow, the cry in his throat fizzling out.When he finally came to a stop, he gasped, his vision slowly swimming back.

Sebastian looked down at him, and Kieran realized he’d tackled him.The sound of the falling icicles tapered off, leaving just the sound of their panting breaths.Sebastian reached out, brushing hair out of Kieran’s face.“You okay?”

“Ice spike,” Kieran managed, wincing.“Cut my leg.Hurts.”

“I think we can handle that.”Sebastian’s face moved to Briar and Delilah, a few feet away.“You two okay?”

“Yep.”Delilah groaned, rubbing a spot on her arm.Kieran wondered if she’d taken the impact of an ice spike there.

“Peachy,” Briar agreed, dusting herself off.

“Good.”Sebastian looked down at Kieran.“I’m gonna help you up, okay?You can lean on me for a bit while we get out of here.Then we can wrap it to stop the bleeding.”

“Okay,” Kieran managed.He could feel the cut, but it didn’t hurt as much as he thought it should.Must be the adrenaline.