My pace slows. I haven’t used that much magic since my last battle with Kairyn. My body feels drained, each ice floe an effort.
The small island I left from shimmers on the horizon.Almost there.
“Are we going to find Rosalina’s ship?” Ezryn asks. I nearly start at the sound of his voice. It’s dull, emotionless. No thank you for the rescue, but I didn’t expect that from him. Rescuing each other is what we’ve always done.
“No. I won’t be able to make it that far out to the open sea. But Rosalina’s regained access to her magic; I can feel our matebond again. Knowing her, she’ll want to return to Castletree, and she’ll be able to do so with her thorns as soon as she hits dry land. We’ll meet her there.”
Ezryn’s grip tightens in my fur. “I can’t go to Castletree. Kairyn is High Prince of Spring, not me. That’s his domain now.”
“Your brother won’t dare show his face while Farron and I still hold our realms.”
My body gives out as soon as we reach the shallows. Ezryn topples off into the sea, and I shift back into the form of a fae.
We trudge through the waist-deep water until we reach the beach. I practically collapse onto the soft white sand.
Ezryn stands over me. This new him—this one with the scowl I can now see instead of just feel—stares down at me with a look of confusion.
“Even if I wanted to return to Castletree, neither of us have our tokens. How do you intend to get there?”
I crawl up the beach. My pack sits beside a palm tree. I rifle through it without meeting his gaze, pulling out and donning a pair of trousers and a shirt.
“Kel,” Ez says warningly, “how do you intend to get to Castletree?”
“Now, now. Let’s be reasonable,” a smooth voice says. Caspian steps out from behind another palm tree, dressed in a long black coat and tight pants, far too fine for a deserted island. “We’re all friends here. Did you locate our little Flower?”
I turn to Cas. “She’s escaped on a ship bound for the Byzantar Isles. I can only imagine her first intention will be to return to Castletree.”
Ezryn staggers backward. It isn’t rage on his face but hurt. He looks at me. “You … you tricked me.”
“Ez, listen—”
“Murderer!” Ezryn draws his sword with both hands, eyes blazing. “I’ll kill you!”
Then he charges at Caspian.
“Ez, no!” I reach for him, but thorns tangle up my arm.
“I don’t have time for this. If that’s how you’re going to be, not-so-metal-man, then fine. Stay on this island. See if I care,” Caspian snarls. Thorns erupt around him and more of them tangle around my body.
Then we’re swept below the earth together, leaving Ezryn alone.
CHAPTER 13
Rosalina
It’s him.
Dayton stumbles across the ship as if he’s drunk, but I don’t think he is. His eyes—blue as the water surrounding us—are too bright.
His lips form my name, though I can barely hear his voice over my bounding heart.
“Day,” I say.
He pulls me against him.
The embrace is crushing in the best way, forcing all the air from my lungs. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he lifts me up, my face burrowing into his bare chest. After months and months of fear, in this moment, everything is okay.
I’m safe here in his arms.
