She murmurs something incoherent, her voice hoarse, but I can’t focus on the words. All I can feel is the overwhelming relief that she’s okay.
This shouldn’t have happened. None of this should have happened. And I know who’s to blame.
Keldarion.
He let this curse, this nightmare, spiral out of control. He let it touch someone I care about. He let it hurt Astrid.
As I hold her, my jaw tightens, and my chest burns with fury.
He’ll have to answer for it.
50
Rosalina
Idig my nails into my palms and try to steady my throbbingheartbeat as I storm down the hallway toward Keldarion’s bedchamber. I need to be clearheaded while talking to him instead of the rabid dog I feel like right now. But how can I be calm?
My compassion nearly killed Dayton, so I tried ruthlessness. Ruthlessness destroyed Voidseal Chasm, so I’ve opted for restraint. And this is what restraint gets me. Astrid, almost consumed by her curse.
So what kind of leader will I be?
The answer eludes me.
All I know is Kel and I can’t wait for Sira’s death to break his curse. Kel needs to trust Caspian now. And if that means laying out all my cards in order for him to do it, then so be it.
I don’t bother knocking, instead whipping open the door. An icy chill hits me. I shiver, clutching my arms, the cold cutting right through the thin robe I’m wearing over my nightgown. My bare feet skid over ice, and the early morning light causes the frost crawling over the floor and furniture to glitter.
He must have been crazed during the night. I have to hurry. Marigold is rousing Ez, Dayton, and Farron so we can go to Castletree today. Though I’m terrified to see what the Winter wing looks like now, I know we need to check on the rest of the staff.
Kel is fast asleep, lying on his back, the blankets pushed low to his hips. I let loose a sigh of relief. He was able to return to fae form at least. Kel is bare-chested, his muscles on clear display as one hand is lazily thrown behind his head on the pillow, the other off to the side. His long, white hair is a mess around his face, and despite the icy chaos in the room, he looks peaceful in sleep.
My breath catches in my throat. He’s so damn beautiful when he’s asleep.
I mean, he’s so damn beautiful when he’s angry, but I see that all the time. This is such a nice change.
I bite my nails into my palm again. His stupid gorgeous face will not distract me. Standing at the side of his bed, I put my hands on my hips and glare down at him. “Kel, wake up. We need to talk.”
He lets out a sleepy sigh.
“Kel, I’m serious. Get up.”
I think he’s still asleep when he shoots out a hand, grabs my nightdress, and pulls me down to the bed. I yelp as he engulfs me, tugging me into his body.
“Kel,” I murmur, trying to put as much authority as I can in my voice, though it’s hard when I’m nuzzling his neck and inhaling that addictive smell of cranberry and pine.
His arms tighten around me, then he rolls me on top of him. “This is a nice surprise,” he murmurs, sounding still half-asleep, eyes closed.
I splay my fingers over the steel of his chest. It’s like he’s carved of marble. “I need to talk to you.”
“Hmm. Later.” He eases my head down, then kisses my forehead.
“Kel, listen?—”
“After breakfast,” he mumbles, stifling a yawn.
“It’s about Caspian.”
In one swift movement, Kel flips our position so he’s over me and I’m crushed beneath his weight, the blanket a tangle between us. He nuzzles into my chest, voice gravelly with sleep. “I don’t want to talk about Caspian right now.”
