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To reveal King Gaius, standing, waiting, on the stone step.
Cleo’s heart stopped in her chest.
“Good morning,” the king said. “What a lovely abandoned cottage. I learned about this place, so close to Lord Gareth’s residence, so I decided to bring some guards with me here to investigate. It struck me as a perfect place to take refuge during a cold, stormy night.”
Standing behind the king were four guards in Limerian uniforms.
“It’s been some time, Magnus,” King Gaius said. “Have you missed me? More importantly, are you ready to answer for the crimes you’ve committed?”
“That depends. Are you?”
“I have nothing to answer for.”
“The armed Kraeshians now flooding Limeros suggest otherwise.”
The king sighed. “Why must you make everything a battle between us?”
“Because everything is a battle between us.”
“I have given you endless chances to prove your worth to me, to show that you’re strong and smart and capable of being my heir. And every single time you’ve disappointed me. Your escape to this little cottage retreat is just the most recent disappointment.” An expression of pure harshness settled deep within the lines of the king’s face. “Guards.”
Three guards set upon Magnus, one on Cleo. Neither of them resisted as they were accompanied out of the cottage.
Cleo’s escort was Enzo, the kind guard who had become involved with Nerissa.
“I’m truly sorry for this, princess,” he said under his breath. “But I have my orders.”
“I understand.” She didn’t expect any help from him, and she wouldn’t debase herself enough to ask. Limerian guards were well-trained to do as the king commanded.
The snow-covered corpse of the Kraeshian guard whom Cleo had killed remained, could still be partially seen as they moved away from the cottage. Cleo eyed it as they passed by, trying to think, to find a way out of this. She had the earth Kindred, but it was useless to her if she couldn’t access its magic.
“Where are you taking us?” she asked. “Back to the castle?”
“Are you speaking to me, princess?” the king asked.
“No, I’m speaking to the birds in the trees.”
He sent her a smirk over his shoulder. “Just as charming as ever, I see. I have no idea how a girl as venomous as you succeeded in manipulating my son.”
“You don’t understand,” Magnus gritted out. “You’ve never understood.”
“What don’t I understand? Love?” The king laughed. “Is that what you think this is? A love worth committing treason for? Worth giving up your throne? Worth dying for, perhaps?”
Magnus’s lips stretched to a grimace. “So what’s your plan?” he said, unwilling to dignify his father’s remarks with a response. “To kill us both?”
“If it comes to that, I suppose I will have to. But I have something else in mind.”
Magnus hadn’t looked at Cleo, not once, since they’d left the cottage. She tried not to let that unnerve her. Now, more than ever before, she needed her courage. She needed her strength.
The king led them out of the forest, but instead of Lord Gareth’s castle, they’d come to the sharp edge of an icy cliff that dropped fifty feet down to a frozen lake.
“When I was a boy,” the king said, “my mother would bring me here every summer. There was a waterfall just over there.” The king gestured to their left. “It’s frozen now, just like everything else.” He glanced at Magnus. “I haven’t told you much about your grandmother, have I?”
“No, Father, but how exciting for me to learn more about my family history.”
“It should be. Your grandmother was a witch.”
Magnus blinked. “You’re lying. It’s impossible that I wouldn’t have heard about that before.”
