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This time there was scattered applause. Men and women glanced at one another in confusion and doubt. I could practically read their thoughts:If our queen isn’t certain she is a Silverfrost, have we begun to hope too soon?
“Thankfully, we need not wait that long. She can prove herself before then. As you know, we already have creatures of the underworld in our midst, the ones who slip through our unsealed door each night.” Quiet and fear, so heavy it felt like a tangible thing weighing the air, settled over the crowd. “Florentia Cantwell can prove her mettle in another trial.”
Queen Nerissa turned toward me, her smile wide. Though some might have seen the look as admiring and respectful, a proud queen eager to welcome a long-lost royal, I saw right through the façade. She was only eager to see me fail. Her dark red eyes sparkled with glee. “Just as her ancestors managed to do before her, fulfilling their duty to protect our people, Florentia will incapacitate an underworld creature.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
My heart pulsed in my throat, making it difficult for me to swallow or even breathe. The numbing effects of the tonic Isolde had given me seemed to already be wearing off, making my ribs ache with every step, every gasping breath.
The inn’s hallway was cozy and inviting, its floor cushioned in thick carpet and its walls adorned with countless burning lanterns to brighten the dim light of winter spilling through the windows. Crackling fires burned in each room we passed, where various fae cleaning the vacant spaces paused to bow or curtsey in our direction.
And all the while, the city’s celebrations continued outside, the music and singing and laughter following us even into the inn.
King Preston sidled up behind me, placing a hand on my lower back. I struggled not to gag. “You can prepare here,” he said, gesturing toward a closed door before us, “and rest if you choose. Or you can join the celebration.” He grinned, as if at some private joke. I wondered if he was inwardly laughing at the thought of me participating in a party that precluded my death.
“Prepare?” I demanded.
After Queen Nerissa’s proclamation, she’d bid the citizens continue their partying and feasting for the rest of the day until it came time for my next test, which would take placetonight. Then she’d led our entire group toward this inn, where apparently I was to...prepare.
“Well, you can celebrate in that,” he said, his bloody eyes skimming the silver dress and too-tight corset Isolde had bound me in, “but I imagine you don’t want to fight a demon in it.” He shrugged. “Though the choice is yours. You’re the one with royal blood, after all. Your wish is our command.”
Fury lanced through my chest at his lazy smile. My eyes flicked around the hall. Queen Nerissa and the others had remained downstairs, sitting by the fire, likely prepared to enjoy the festivities, but Garrick had trailed after Preston and me. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his broad chest, watching us blankly as if our discussion meant nothing to him. Courage gathered in my heart, fueled by my anger and desperation. Quiet obedience would do nothing for me now. “Hardly. Youownme, and you’re clearly trying to kill me. What happens if I truly am a Silverfrost, but the fact that you’re somehow stifling my magic means I die tonight? What about my blood then?”
“So, the quiet human has found her voice. Charming.” Preston stepped closer, his hand seizing my neck, wrenching my gaze up toward his.
My ears rang. His cold fingers didn’t squeeze enough to stop my airflow—only enough to remind me that I was his prisoner.
“If you die tonight, then I suppose that means you’ll spill all your blood for your kingdom, and we’ll collect it,” he snapped. He released me, and I stumbled back. “Garrick, keep an eye on her,” Preston demanded, storming back down the hall.
My mind whirled. What Preston had said had to be an idle threat, or he and his sister wouldn’t have bothered to keep me alive this long. Or so I assumed. But that line of reasoning didn’t assuage my fear.
I didn’t wait to see if Garrick moved from his position against the wall before I lunged for the door, turning the knob and hurrying into the solitude of my room. A tunic and a pair of the same type of tight-fitting trousers Aspen and Isolde had worn rested on the bed, while a fire crackled merrily in the hearth.
Eyes burning, I clicked the door shut and strode past the fireplace, the fur-covered bed, and the side table laden with a pitcher of water and a tray of refreshments. I stopped before the window, staring out at my view of the outskirts of town, where the landscape stretched toward an imposing mountain. My gaze scanned upward, snagging on a fortress perched on a cliffside. Its stone walls appeared high and impenetrable. Its iron gates were securely shut.
The sound of the door opening and closing behind me made me stiffen. I sucked in another breath, trying to still my racing heart, and another wave of aching pain roared through me. Had my corset grown tighter?
“I don’t need help getting ready—not from you,” I murmured, crossing my arms and staring resolutely out the window. It was a childish thought: that if I refused to turn and look at him, he’d leave me alone. He wouldn’t have the power to hurt me anymore. Deep down, I knew that was impossible. He’d been ordered to hunt me down, and now he had been ordered to ensure I didn’t run. Ever the loyal dog, he wouldn’t be going anywhere.
“Thinking about running?” Garrick’s tone was cool and even, completely at odds with the man who’d teased me on horseback earlier.
The storm building inside me broke free, just a little. I turned, lifting my chin defiantly. “Maybe I am.”
“You wouldn’t get far.” There was no threat in his voice, no animosity in his gold eyes. He was only stating a fact.
