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Shadow’s arms curled beneath my back, lifting me, carrying me out after Phantom. I rested my head on the space between his neck and shoulder, inhaling his fruity scent.
From over his shoulder, I observed Flare, his keen eyes honed in on me, and I felt a shudder of need chase through me. That idea disturbed me a little, since I’d not regarded him romantically before. Sure, I’d found him insanely attractive, but his personality was off-putting at times. I pushed those feelings aside, intent on returning to them at a more appropriate time.
A few moments later, we entered the dining hall, Shadow carefully stepping over fallen resistance members. Hundreds of dwarves, shifters, and assortments of rescued people had slumped over their food, collapsed to the floor, or hugged each other, all of them frozen. Their eyes swayed wildly from Grimm to the panthers to me. I felt their panic and confusion well up inside of me. Only a handful remained unaffected by the poison. Ten of the cooks still on duty, five guards on active duty inside the dining hall, and a few others who mustn’t have eaten the tainted dessert.
“Grimm,” I said, my throat burning with the after-effects of the poison, “I tried to warn you about this.”
Grimm hung his head. “I was in a council meeting and had left orders I was not to be disturbed.”
“Now’s not the time to dwell on that,” Phantom interrupted, bending down beside a woman seated with her two children. He placed a kiss on each of their hands and then straightened, waiting for a response.
“How long did it take for movement to return to Snow?” Grimm asked, his voice burning with desperation now.
“It was instantaneous,” replied Phantom, trying another shifter on the table.
The man’s eyes said it all—What the heck are you doing, son?—but Phantom laid a little kiss on the side of his hand.
My locked shoulder freed, and I thread it behind Shadow’s neck, earning a smile so full of ardor and tenderness that bubbles floated all around my heart. Soon, I’d be able to stand, which would mean I’d have no more excuses to have him hold me in his comforting arms. The thought ruined my good mood.
I held my breath, anticipating the man’s reanimation at any time. But when nothing happened, my head drooped back against Shadow’s shoulder.
Grimm stuffed his hands into his pockets. “It appears your kiss has had not released them from their affliction.”
Defeated, Phantom slumped his shoulders and ran his hand through his hair.
Flare squeezed Phantom’s arm. “If it’s any consolation, I still think your kiss is magical.”
Phantom rose to his feet and tried to give Flare a real kiss, and he scurried backward.
“Come with me,” ordered Grimm, once again ending any shred of lightheartedness. “All of you.”
Where were we going? Back to our rooms to be locked up again? What would happen to all the frozen resistance members? My gaze drifted across the sea of them, and my heart tightened with a sharp pain.
Grimm led us all to the council room, where all seven dwarf members sat in their seats, arguing as they pushed carved wooden figures across a map of Haven. Little gates made of wood and twine surrounded several pockets in the valleys. I assumed those were the slave camps. A big X was written over the location of my father’s manor and lands.
My chest welled with emotion, forcing me to look away from the map and nod a somber greeting at Axe, Rake, Mama Jo, Teeny, and the rest of them.
“Sit,” Grimm ordered.
Phantom and Flare pulled up spare seats on the end next to Mama Jo. Shadow sat in an empty chari, setting me down on his lap. I clung to him to stay upright since my legs and back twitched with activity but didn’t have the strength to hold me upright. The fire from his body spread through the back of my legs, chasing away the last of the ice within me.
“How did the apples get into the compound?” Shadow asked.
“We bought them from the markets,” Mama Jo said, before blowing her nose in a handkerchief.
“Is any other food tainted?” Shadow said.
“There’s no way of knowing,” Grimm advised.
Damn it. Was this my stepmother’s plan? To poison most of us and starve the rest until she weeded out her threat?
“Is someone within the resistance compromised?” I asked, earning a few surprised eyebrows, prompting me to explain further. “The panthers and I were framed for Prince Dogon’s murder by someone within the dragon king’s court.”
“Oh, my sweet.” Mama Jo patted Phantom’s hand.
His jaw tightened, and Flare gave her a withering stare. She quickly pulled her hand away.
Grimm got up and paced the length of the room. “Your stepmother is knocking off her enemies one by one.”
