“Forget what I told you before.” Mother’s tone carried a cudgel of finality, but her eyes lacked any explanation. “LordHyton is not yours to choose. None of the men are, for any of us.”
I gripped my skirt so tightly my fingernails nearly tore holes through the wool. “But you wanted me to look beautiful for him, and wear perfume, and smile—”
“And you had better do it.” Mother tightened her dark green shawl around her shoulders. “Your survival hinges on his good favor. And his father’s.”
The warmth in my chest faded as the backs of my eyes stung.
How could I have executed every move perfectly and it was still not enough for her? How was it not enough to save me?
Mother turned toward the woods but kept her emerald eyes on me. “But good favor does not give you control. Keep your head down and your mouth shut.”
She headed to the trees to stuff her basket full of mushrooms and I turned on my heel back into the garden. I shoved past the iron gate. Walls of green shrubs stretched into the sky around me.
I crashed to the ground and hid in the shade of a towering bush. Cold, grey numbness had trapped me for weeks, but now noise filled my head and my arms. My body was a needle, ready to poke and stab.
I would show them who was in control.
I slowly uncurled my tight fist on top of the garden path. I picked up a pebble and rolled it in my fingers, picturing that I was smashing that red spot of heat in my chest—thatweaknessDerrick had left within me. I dropped that pebble and picked up a larger one, mentally stacking it on top of the other.
Over and over I picked up pebbles and crushed the weakness. I was in control. My fate wasmineto choose.
I threw the last pebble down with a crash, but the tension did not release. My breath escaped my nose in short puffs.
I hated the Hytons. I hated my parents. I hated my brothers for leaving me.
I hated the world that made me small.
All I saw was red.
The frigid air stung my skin, but my blood blazed as I ran through the snow. My breath escaped my clenched teeth in short curls of mist. I gripped the Hyton dagger at my side as I chased my prey.
Daigen—the horned red monster of Nordingaard mountain.
He was supposed to make my fifteen-foot-tall husband the size of a normal man, but now, he was going to rescue Riyan from the Queen of the Giants. She had already taken my brothers from me, she wasnotgoing to take Riyan too.
Daigen sprinted farther ahead, his hooved legs moving faster through the snow than my short ones could carry me. His shock of white hair flowed out behind him as he disappeared behind a rock formation.
I turned as I followed him, finding a trail of hoofprints in the snow that led straight into the rocks with no way out.
I held my breath and listened for any movement. My golden blood bond twisted around my chest and cried out with every thump of my heart:Save Riyan. Save Riyan. Save Riyan.
I slowly stepped closer to the wall of rocks, scanning the grey and white formation for any trace of red. I reached past my blood bond and channeled the magic of the flaming white diamond in my heart.
Nothing responded. My magic was silent, but so were my footsteps.
I stalked closer as my grip on the dagger tightened. My eyes snapped to a boulder that moved up and down—it was breathing.
A smile crept up my lips. Daigen was a trickster, but turning invisible was not enough to evade me.
I reached into the depths of my throat to draw out my most commanding voice. “I caught you, beast. You have nowhere to hide.”
Daigen’s ugly red face appeared as his grey cloak of invisibility fanned away from him. He was even more terrifying up close. Shining black horns grew from his brow and curved toward his long hair. Thick, dark eyebrows framed his sharp golden eyes. His hands ended in claws instead of fingers.
Daigen’s mouth contorted into a snarl. “You caught nothing, mortal. Do you really think a little dagger could subdue me?”
I twisted the dagger so it reflected moonlight in his eyes. “Do you really want to find out?”
His snarl turned into a smirk. “Mean little girls with flowers in their hair don’t scare me.”
