Frost Bound (Entangled with Trickery #1)

Dahlia

Chapter Twelve

Dahlia

Dahlia soaked in her first breath of fresh air as the horses were saddled. She was finally out from beneath the Asteran monarchs’ control, and yet she felt like the danger had only grown.

“My lady?” the Loriian king’s accented voice washed over her.

She spun to face the giant, her pulse hammering faster. He was at least seven feet tall and all lithe muscle. Her gaze snagged on the set of wicked horns that curved from each of his shoulders.

Natural weapons.

Blood. Screaming. Black eyes.

“They are called caern’ye ,” the king offered softly, pushing his spectacles up his deep blue nose.

Lia blinked hard to dispel the memories. A blush tinged her cheeks in embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to gawk, my lord.”

The king smiled, flashing a long fang that made her breath catch. Frost giants were predators incarnate. He could tear her throat out in a second flat. Luckily for her, she doubted they would hurt the Asteran princess in her own kingdom. In fact, the king seemed almost downright affable. But she didn’t trust it. They were enemies. Restrained aggression practically teemed in the air.

A shiver skated down her spine as she felt eyes upon her once again.

Dahlia peeked over her shoulder and locked eyes with the frost giant who petrified her the most. His narrowed black gaze seemed to be pinned on her since she’d stepped out from behind the throne. If looks could kill, she would be dead by now. He clearly wasn’t a fan of humans, by the perpetual snarl he cast her way.

Shiny phthalo blue and black braids hung around his face as he bent to tighten the saddle. Long, tapered ears peeked out, proudly studded with black gems and spikes. His movements were quick and efficient, and somewhat angry.

As if he could feel her attention, he glanced her way. Lia stood stock-still, like a hare scented by a wolf. A low growl rumbled in his chest, and she jerked her eyes away. No need to court trouble. She’d stay far away from that one.

“You do not need to fear us,” the king murmured.

“I don’t,” she replied, fixing a bored smile on her face. The wind whipped past her, cutting right through her gauzy court dress. Even the embroidered cloak Basil had thrown over her shoulders seemed unpractical for the morose weather.

You need to fear me.

The emerald ring felt heavy on her finger.

He tapped his blue nose. “I can smell it on you.”

Embarrassment crested first, and then horror. How was she to hide anything from the giants if they could smell her emotions? Lia wrapped her arms around her waist, clutching her cloak a little tighter.

You’re fine. Just shove your feelings deep down. You’ve been practicing for years.

“I apologize, my lord,” she managed past the lump in her throat.

He smiled, which, to be honest, was still frightening. Lia hid her flinch. At least she thought she did, until the king’s grin faded.

“You do not have to apologize for your feelings, my lady.”

“I do have to apologize for my rudeness though.” She stared at his chest and frowned. His fine black embroidered shirt was open all the way to the waistband of his trousers. A dark blue nipple peeked out as he attached a bag to his saddle. No piercing. Well, he hadn’t been the one to threaten her in the dark, she noted absently. “I’ve not been out in the world, truth be told, and I’ve never been in the presence of giants.” A truth and a lie. “Your appearance is quite fearsome. I’ll work on my reactions. I meant no offense. Please forgive me.”

The king chuckled, tucking a navy-blue strand of hair behind his long, pointed ear. “There is nothing to forgive. We both are… how do you say it? In this together. I have only been in the company of two saloes before.”

“Saloes?” she asked, nose crinkling in confusion.

“It means human in Loriian.”

“Saloes,” she repeated, the word flowing off her tongue. She cocked her head in curiosity. “How did you meet them?”

“Both tried to kill me.”

That was sobering. Dahlia didn’t know what to say to that.

Soon, I’ll be number three.

Awkward silence stretched between them.

The king cleared his throat and gestured to the biggest horse she’d ever seen. “I assume you can ride, no?”

“Yes, my lord.” But nothing that bloody big. The horse was easily nineteen hands tall. Straddling the beast would be a challenge. Her thighs were already crying out in pain at the thought of the long ride ahead of her.

He nodded and turned his back. “Then I will have my man Arun help you find your seat.”

“That’s not necess?—”

Dahlia gasped as an enormous pair of hands settled on her waist from behind, his fingers overlapping. She hadn’t even heard the monster approach. The giant tossed her up onto the mount and she latched on to the horse’s mane, almost falling off the other side. She blew her hair out of her face and straightened. It would have really hurt to fall off the other side.

She whipped around to curse out the devil, but found herself almost eye-to-eye with the blackguard who kept throwing glares her way. If there was one thing Dahlia hated, it was bullies. She shuddered, trying to hold his pitch gaze. It was like peering through the gates of hell.

“That was unnecessary,” she clipped out.

He blinked slowly, his lips thinning, but otherwise said nothing.

Despite her fear, she jerked as she noticed how haphazardly her skirts were strewn about. Frantically, Dahlia tugged at the dress to make sure it covered her legs. Luckily, she’d worn hose beneath the gown, but the need to hide her legs was ingrained in her.

She struggled for a moment, and yelped when the giant yanked her skirt down, his claws tearing through the delicate green material. Dahlia reflexively kicked at him, and he caught her booted foot. Fear swirled in her gut as he bared his fangs, a hair-raising growl that caused her to lean away from him. The brute dropped her foot and grabbed the front of her dress, jerking forward so they were eye-to-eye.

“Watch yourself, valles ,” he hissed, the words heavily accented.

His voice rang in her ears, overlapping with the memory of the threat the night before. Dahlia began to shake, and the blood drained from her face. This was the giant who’d threatened to kill her. He looked as if he wanted to rend her limb from limb.

“Let go,” she managed, hating how his claws held on to the top of her corset, his claws pressing between her breasts.

“Arun!” the pale female giant barked from atop her own mount.

The bastard released the top of her dress, and it took everything inside Lia to straighten and not cower. He hissed, and then stalked away. Her fingers clenched hard against the reins. If this was how one got treated as a princess, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like as a regular Asteran. She glanced around, noting that it was a sea of shaggy horses and blue-skinned beings. She would be well and truly alone. The king had denied any human servants to accompany her, leaving her alone with the giants. It was odd that a princess would travel without her own servants or protection.

The female giant sidled up to her and Dahlia swallowed hard. Between the female’s silvery hair and pale gray skin, she looked like every horror Lia had dreamed since the attack on her mother all those years ago. It was like life had been breathed into her nightmares and been given a body.

This one was a Haunt. One of the king’s famed warriors.

She’d known it the moment she’d stepped out from behind the queen. There would be at least one. She’d prepared herself for it during the two hours they’d waited for the Loriian delegation. It wasn’t any easier.

The Haunt considered her. “If you think he’s bad, he has nothing on me.”

Dahlia knew that firsthand. The Haunts had destroyed her family with cruelty and violence. “Understood.”

“Do you?” the female asked, her words less accented than Arun’s. This one dealt more with humans. Lia didn’t know if that made her more wary or slightly comforted.

“Yes.”

“Do you know what I am?”

A murderer . “One of the king’s champions.”

“I am his blade, his heart, vengeance, and shield. There is nothing I would not do for my king.”

Message received. The Haunt wouldn’t hesitate to kill Dahlia if she stepped out of line. It was laughable that the female giant perceived her as a threat. What was she compared to the Frost King? Sure, she could handle herself with a bow, and a dagger on occasion, but that meant nothing when dealing with real-life monsters. She could barely look at the king without wanting to run screaming in the other direction.

But the Haunt was right to be wary. Dahlia had been tasked with their destruction.

“And I am just an honored guest who wants the same things as your king.”

Another lie .

That seemed to smooth some of the giantess’ feathers. Lia didn’t want to cause trouble for the king. All she needed to do was keep her head down until she could formulate a plan and get to her mum and then Cosmos. The politics of kingdoms was of no consequence to her. The plan to flee as soon as they crossed into Loriia would no longer work now that Queen Allium knew of her mother. Dahlia’s heart clenched. Her mum had been through so much already. She couldn’t allow her to suffer anymore.

“As you say,” the Haunt replied. She lifted her chin and nodded toward the drawbridge. “You first, my lady.”

Dahlia pulled up her flimsy hood and urged her mount forward, following the Frost King. She gazed impassively down at the creatures peeking out of the moat water almost dispassionately. They didn’t terrify her like they used to. They were trapped as much as she was.

She released the breath she held when they reached the other side, the clack of hooves against stone ringing around them. Lia sat tall and scanned the area out of habit. Nowhere had ever truly been safe. Especially as a young woman traveling with a little boy.

Her gaze snagged on a man leaning against a nearby building to her left, his hat drawn low over his face. There was something about him…

He lifted his chin and she stiffened.

Jekket.

He gave her a toothy grin and a tip of his hat that made her straighten in her seat. Why the last-minute goodbye? Was it a promise of retribution? A warning from the Giver? A taunt to make her feel off-kilter?

Her horse whickered and she loosened her hold on the reins. Jekket disappeared down the alley like smoke, but it did nothing to soothe Dahlia’s nerves.

The Haunt sidled closer, her attention pinned to the alleyway. “He seemed to know you.”

Lia schooled her expression. “Probably just some vagabond looking for an easy mark.”

“Your fear says otherwise.”

“I am surrounded by frost giants. Anyone would be terrified of you.”

The giantess grinned. “You’re right. How lucky for you.”

They wound their way through the city as night approached. The storm gathered above them and Lia prayed that it wouldn’t break any time soon. Their group reached the enormous arched Bridge of Bones. The white stones stuck out from the canyons and land around it like bleached teeth. Even though it was sturdy, there was something about being suspended so high in the air that unsettled Lia.

Farmers hustled across the bridge, their wagons trundling along. She grimaced as she glanced toward the edge. The canyon was deep, ending in a large river that fed into the Sea of Stars. Legend had it that the monarchy threw traitors off the cliffs to feed the sharks below in the estuary.

The wind rose, whistling through the deep canyon below. Dahlia closed her eyes and let her horse lead, listening to the haunting melody of the wind. Music could be found in almost anything. It was her solace in times of trial and fear.

“ Tue daemiir ?” a deep, somewhat angry voice asked. Arun .

“No, her heart is racing too fast,” the giantess replied.

Dahlia’s eyes snapped open, and she turned left to the female giant, ignoring the one looming to her right. She knew the scary one was Arun. “What is your name?”

The giantess cocked her head and answered slowly. “Flyka.”

“You can hear my heartbeat?”

“I’m trained for such things.” She smirked, then her smile widened. “I even heard your pulse increase in reaction to my fangs.”

Lia pressed her lips together. Even if she could hide her emotions, they were still able to read her body. It was bloody unfair. “It’s nice to meet you, Flyka.”

“Is it?” the giantess asked as they neared the end of the bridge.

Speak only truth. “I’ve always liked the idea of traveling and new cultures. Books have been an escape. It’s a privilege to interact with a culture that many will never get the chance to spend time with.” Privilege was a stretch, but it made Flyka sit a bit taller. The female seemed to like the compliment. Lia would store that away for later.

Some of the tension released from her shoulders as they reached solid ground once more. The road forked in three ways.

Northeast toward the city of Lantium.

West to Saffrie.

South to Lavindly.

Please go north. Please.

Even if she couldn’t meet up with her brother, maybe she’d pass him on the way? It was a dream, but she had to hold on to it. Dahlia glanced over her shoulder at Florrant, praying Cosmos had gotten out of the city. She turned back to the road and sighed in relief when the bulkiest warrior veered north.

Perhaps the stars had heard her pleas.

Lightning crackled across the sky, thunder following. Droplets of water began to fall from the clouds.

Or maybe she was as cursed as she’d always been.