Arrows pierce my flesh. It’s too late. She already thought Keldarion was a traitor, now she believes we all are.
Distantly, I see Ezryn abandon the portal, but there’s a huge cluster of goblins between us. And the bastards, seeing I’m mortal, push aside their fear and attack.
Soldiers, goblins, and a beast—their collective force is too overwhelming for me to face. But I have no choice but to try. Farron’s safety is vital, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him from harm. With a deep breath, I steel my resolve and charge the goblins, teeth and claws bared. A rusty sword whistles toward me, but I deftly dodge and sink my fangs into the goblin’s neck. The taste of its foul blood fills my mouth, fueling my determination. Yet, more goblins swarm around me, and every time I fend them off, the brown wolf lunges at my legs or the archers rain down another barrage of arrows.
The full moon loosens my hold on the beast. I’m so hurt, my body ripples, shifting back into a fae.
Naked and bloody, I land on my knees. The beast seizes the opportunity and claws my back.
It’s so deep, I can feel my blood seeping out of the wound like a waterfall.
“He’s defenseless,” the archers cry. “Fire!”
The pain of the first arrow in my chest is the worst, piercing deep, hard enough my head flings back. But my body must go numb because I barely feel the next two arrows that hit me, one in my gut, one in the opposite shoulder.
“This fate was yours to create, High Prince of Summer.” Niamh’s voice is cold as stone. “Whatever bargain you’ve made with the Below to gain such awful power shall rot away with you in death. I only hope your sister will be more responsible with the Blessing.”
I can’t stay up anymore, so I fall to the hard earth, landing in something moist. There’s enough vision left for me to realize what it is. A shaky laugh escapes my throat. I’ve always known I’d die in my own blood, but I thought it’d be on the sands of the arena. Never thought it’d be here in the Autumn Realm beside the man I love.
Now that’s a funny thought.
The wolf—Farron—stalks closer to me, and even if he’s the one who’s going to kill me, I’m glad he’s here. At the end of it all.
64
Rosalina
Aterriblecryescapesmy throat as I watch Dayton fall. I collapse on the balcony, clutching the railing. My body trembles like the arrows pierce my own chest. “Dayton!”
“Lady Rosalina!” Astrid runs up to my side. “You shouldn’t be out here.”
Thankfully, she and Marigold are safe, and Papa is secure in the keep.
“I can’t just watch this,” I say, tears streaming down my face. Below, Coppershire is burning, Farron is trapped inside his beast, Ezryn’s surrounded by a sea of goblins, and Dayton’s fallen. I don’t know if he’ll ever get up…
And inside, safe after throwing up in a bucket, is the High Prince of Winter.
Something seethes within me, and I crawl toward him on shaking arms. Traveling through the briars has left my body so weak.
“Oh, dearie,” Marigold says, and she and Astrid hoist me up under my arms.
“Take me to my mate,” I snarl.
They exchange a worried glance and carry me into the room.
Kel’s on the floor, knees to his chest, a glass of water and an empty bucket beside him. At least the vomiting has stopped.
Carefully, Marigold and Astrid lower me to the ground, then back away.
Keldarion turns to me, eyes glassy and rimmed with red, his expression one of twisted torment.
“I shouldn’t have let him make that bargain,” he says. “I knew better. Iknowbetter.”
His large hands are wrapped over his forearms. Red scratch lines score the bargain tattoo on his wrist, as if he tried to peel off his very skin.
The utter agony erupting from his soul ebbs into mine. I can hardly bear it. “This is my fault, too.” I shake my head. “I thought I could get through to him. That maybe somewhere deep down, there was goodness in Caspian.”
But I was wrong about him. I should have listened to Kel. There is no sympathy left in me for the Prince of Thorns.
