“Really? You’ll have to tell me everything.”
“Of course, dearie,” Marigold says. “But let’s get you back to your room. The master ordered your dinner brought there.”
My room! I’ve missed my room so much. But then I scowl at the rest of her words. It seemsthe masterstill wants to micromanage my entire life despite me being the worst thing that’s ever happened to him. I shake my head. I don’t want that icy prick to ruin my reunion with Astrid and Marigold.
I follow them down the familiar halls of the Spring Wing, tempted to take off my shoes to feel the moss under my feet. Maybe I would if the dark thorns didn’t curve up so often.
My fingers trail along the wall, touching the soft bark of Castletree. When I stroke the thorns, they shiver beneath my fingers.
When Kel was drowning, I swore I’d controlled the briars to save him. But then he’d told me Caspian was the only one who could do that.
But there was a feeling inside of me like the briars had moved at my command.
“We’re here!” Marigold chimes, throwing her paws against the door.
I nearly squeak with excitement as I take in my room, with the cherry blossom tree growing out of the wall, my wardrobe filled with beautiful dresses, and the four-poster bed—guarded by the stuffed winged lion Dayton bought for me in the Summer Realm. I rush to my window overlooking the Enchanted Vale: the briar patch as far as I can see, the mountains, the forests. I’m home, I’m home, I’m home!
Though I can’t help but notice even a bit of Winter’s frost has crept into my room, a few of the cherry blossoms crystallized.
Astrid hops on the bed, and Marigold pushes over a little stool so she can reach the wheeled cart I hadn’t noticed before. She lifts off a lid, and the delicious scent hits me immediately.
Food in the human world is nothing compared to this, especially considering Papa and I have been living off of toast and frozen dinners. I sit on the edge of my bed and dig in.
“This is just the best darned day ever,” Marigold says. “Not only are you back, but on our way to the healing chamber, we passed the most delicious tall drink of water walking with Prince Ezryn. Very distinguished looking.”
I nearly drop my fork. “No! Marigold, that’s my father.”
She gives me a wink. “All I’m saying is I know where you get your looks from, girlie.”
I can only laugh and dive back into my dinner. I savor each bite of the juicy portobello mushrooms, paired with a creamy avocado sauce and a side of crispy kale chips. As I eat, Marigold and Astrid fill me in on the last few months.
My heart aches for the princes and residents of Castletree. Dayton drank every day, Farron barely spoke, Ezryn lived out in the Briar, and Kel confined himself to the Winter Wing, his frost slowly creeping out with each passing day.
I wonder what the roses in High Tower look like now. They’d been so wilted when I last saw them. How much longer do my princes have?
“It’s been terrible for us without you,” Astrid says. “When you were here planning the ball, you gave the staff purpose. Hope. Even just seeing you in the halls made us all smile, but since you’ve been gone…”
“Everything’s taken a turn for the worse,” Marigold says, carefully taking my empty dinner plate in her little paws and putting it beneath the cart. Then she slides a small dessert bowl under my nose.
“I didn’t want to leave,” I say, digging into a rich chocolate mousse. “Wow, this is terrific. It was all Keldarion’s—”
“Your mate!” Astrid peeps, her long white ears going straight up.
“Oh honey, I’ve been waiting for us to dish about that juicy little development of yours.” Marigold heaves herself up on the bed.
So, all of Castletree knows about Kel and me. I lay back on the fluffy pillows, the hare on one side and the raccoon on the other.
“A mate who doesn’t want me.” I sigh. Thinking of his words cuts me like a physical blow.
“The master has always been secretive,” Astrid says gently. “Perhaps there’s a reason he didn’t want you near.”
“How can I be so disagreeable that he doesn’t even want to try to break his curse? At times, he looks at me and I swear there’s something there. But most of the time, it’s just…”
“His scary, frosty face?” Astrid says, and Marigold barks a laugh.
“That’s it!” I’m so grateful for them. Even in my worst moments, they’re able to make me smile.
“Well, whether or not he sees it,” Marigold says, “I’ve known there’s something special about you from the moment you walked in here. We all did.”
