Keldarion tossed his dead body through Castletree’s door to the Winter Realm. Perth must have seen the opportunity to create another one of his monsters.
I watch as an Autumn soldier rushes him, but Lucas raises his arm. When the sword touches his flesh, it freezes, the frost quickly crawling over the soldier.That power…
He’s not like the other wraiths. That crown, and the waves of dreadful magic emanating from him, are proof of that.
What did Perth see in him to grant such horrid power? Did he want the thrill of turning a human? Or was there something inside of Lucas that made him the perfect vessel for such evil magic?
The battle rages around me. I know I need to run, but I’m frozen as Lucas turns to me. His once-familiar features are twisted, skin crusted with frost. “Rosalina.”
Fear courses through me. I need to do something—
Get down!
A powerful command ripples through my mind, and I obey, throwing myself to the ground as the large ax of a winter wraith swings above my head. The skeletal monster surveys me, then arcs the ax down. I scream, throwing my hands over my face in a last-ditch effort to protect myself.
Steel clashes with steel. I open my eyes to see an Autumn soldier blocking the wraith’s attack. Swiftly, he swings his sword, cleaving the wraith in two.
“Farron?” I gasp. A warmth bursts in my chest.I found him.
The soldier turns, and from beneath the helm, long dark hair blows in the wind. His eyes sparkle. “Would it really be a battle without a little princess to rescue?”
And who else smirks and holds out his hand to me but Caspian, the bloody Prince of Thorns.
80
Rosalina
Thatwarmthinmychest turns into a raging inferno at the sight of him. I smack Caspian’s hand away. “I don’t want anything from you.”
Caspian looks both ways, then picks me up. I’m too startled to protest. By the time I manage to give him a swift kick—which does absolutely nothing—he drops me behind the outcrop of rock I’d been heading for.
I land in a heap. But there’s something even more pressing than the Prince of Thorns. I peer out from behind the rock. No sign of Lucas. Was that even him? Or was my fear playing tricks on me? A sliver of relief washes through my body. Beyond this shelter, the fight rages on, but here is a tiny reprieve.
“And what’s the little princess doing running into battle without even a sword to defend herself?”
I move back behind the cover of rock. “I have no clue how to use a sword.”
“Those princes are ever foolish; they should have taught you to defend yourself.”
“They defend me fine.”
“Then where are they?”
“Fighting for freedom. For what’s right,” I snarl. “Something you know little of.”
“Trust me. I had nothing to do with this.” He gestures vaguely at the battle.
“No, you led a different attack on Coppershire with your goblins.” The memory of that night is still vivid in my mind. He’d manipulated Farron, nearly killed Dayton…
Caspian gives a long sigh. “What does a guy have to do to get a little thank you?”
“Not be a betraying dick?” I smack him on the chest plate. “What are you wearing, anyway? You look ridiculous.”
“Had to blend in.” He taps the side of the Autumn helm. “Didn’t think I’d be welcome.”
“Well, that sort of happens when you attack a city with a goblin horde.” My eyes catch on something between the plates of armor. It’s the grimoire, the one Farron stole for him from the alder tree. He brought it here, even to the dangers of battle. “It was never about us attending the party, was it? Or helping Farron? It was always about stealing that book.”
A sly smile crawls up Caspian’s full lips. “I suppose the stupidity of the princes hasn’t fully consumed you.”
