“Miss Ravenwood,” General Hyton said gently. “Miss Ravenwood,please rise.”
My body trembled as I gasped into the stone. No tears fell from my eyes. No words came from my mouth. My muscles would not move. I would die on the stone. I would rather face the axe than the wrath of abeast’s heart.
The tiny Serafina in my mind who had screamed “no” until she was blue in the face cried out for help one last time, and an unexpectedvoice answered.
“Rise, Serafina.”
The blood in my veins ran cold and my muscles shook and bent until I rose to my feet. Fraleigh had entered my mind and enchanted me to stand. My chest calmed and my stomach eased. I looked up into Fraleigh’s golden eyes as serenity washedover me.
Fraleigh was dressed in splendid black and white robes and a bejeweled gold circlet adorned her head. She had gold rings on each finger, two jeweled collars on either side of the main golden collar on her neck, and a long belt made of a gold chain around her waist. Fraleigh could wear the most precious, purest gold in the Dukedom, but no metal could compare to the intense golden heat inher eyes.
I see you,Serafina Ravenwood.
“Serafina Helia Ravenwood,” Fraleigh said in a low imperium. “First-selected. You will join us for themarriage ceremony.”
Fraleigh’s lips did not move, but I heard her voice again in the back ofmy mind.
You will not diehere, Serafina.
A wave of calm rolled from my head to my toes. I slowly blinked, still not taking my eyes off the sorceress. Serenity floated in my head like a cloud as I nodded to Fraleigh. She nodded back and then turned to walk down the gravel path into theDuke’s garden.
General Hyton still held on to me in case I fell again. The tiny Serafina in my head danced around with loose limbs like she was drunk, singing words of reassurance overand over.
He did not need to hold me, I was fine. Everything was just fine. Just fine.Just fine.
I gently patted General Hyton’s hands and he released me. My feet were firmly on the ground, but my spirit levitated in the night air.
Just fine.Just fine.
General Hyton cleared his throat and brought me back down to earth. He gestured up to the Beast. “Miss Ravenwood, may I formally introduce you to Sir Bloodstone, the Heroof Lycaster.”
Hmm, Bloodstone. I should have recognized the crimson cape. Despite being our neighbors in the Northern provinces, the mysterious Bloodstones had not communicated with us at all since the crushing defeat against the giants seven years ago. They lived in a secluded fortress on Nordingaard mountain, hiding generationsof secrets.
The half-giant was theirbest-kept one.
I examined the half-giant giant slayer who chose me. His hair was the color of honey and cut short like all military cadets. The Bloodstones were known for their grey eyes, but Sir Bloodstone’s eyes were more bluethan grey.
Just fine. Everything wasjust fine.
Sir Bloodstone leaned down and extended a hand the size of a dinner plate. I calmly placed my hand in his calloused palm. His fingers curled over mine and completely enveloped my hand. His arm, which was almost the length of my entire body, was fully extended down to hold my hand. The top of my head only came up to the height of his hip as I stood next to him.
I was half hissize. Half.
Good thing I wasjust fine.
After a few careful steps down the patio stairs, he led me through the Duke’s garden. The crunch of pebbles on the garden path beneath each of Sir Bloodstone’s massive footsteps was all that disturbed the evening air as we walked into a maze of tall hedges. We turned left and right through dizzying walls of foliage as I tried to think of an escape, but Fraleigh’s waning enchantment had put all my cunning to sleep.
Justfine. Just—
No, I was not fine. The serene fog in my mind was fading, revealing the heightened panic underneath. I glanced at Sir Bloodstone’s hand gripping mine and quickly looked away. The green hedges of the maze seemed to grow tallerand taller.
Suddenly, the maze opened up to reveal a large stone pavilion coveredin lichen.
Beyond the pavilion was the steep drop off the cliffside. We looked out over the Western Sea to the left and the river flowing out of Odeneye lake tothe right.
Even if Sir Bloodstone released me, I had nowhere to escape. I was trapped. Completelypowerless. Frozen.
Inside the pavilion stood Fraleigh, Duke Hyton, and the four other pairs. Sir Bloodstone released my hand and stooped as low as he could to duck under the stone roof of the pavilion. Once inside, he kneeled next to the others who stood in a half-circle. Even on his knees, he was still taller than all theother suitors.
