38. Rosalina
38
Rosalina
D ayton’s grip tightens on me as Farron and Ezryn both walk toward us. Well, Farron walks and Ezryn storms, his metal armor clinking in the open hall. He pauses before us, and oh my god, I forgot Dayton messed up my dress, and everything is on display. But Ezryn just yanks Dayton away, and I fall straight on my ass.
Ezryn draws back his fist and punches Dayton in the face. “You disobeyed your prince.”
Blood gushes from Dayton’s nose, but he tilts his head and laughs. “Worth it.”
“What did you do, Day?” Farron cries.
All I can do is fix my dress as guilt simmers in my gut. Shit, I guess I should have figured out more specifics about their relationship. But it felt like I’d been possessed, a fire scorching in my belly, and the only thing that could put it out was Dayton’s touch.
Dayton holds up his hands in a peaceful gesture, still a little wobbly on his feet from the massive hit Ezryn gave him. “It was just a bit of fun. Besides, you don’t even like going out to drink.”
“Dayton, you’re an idiot.” Farron tears at his hair, a look of horror crossing his features. “You took her out of the castle? Kel is going to kill you.”
“He won’t get the chance.” Ezryn grabs Dayton by the back of the neck before slugging him in the gut.
“It was my fault!” I stand and scream at them. But not a single one of these muscled idiots pays attention to me. “I asked to go. Stop fighting!”
Farron lunges toward Ezryn but gets pushed aside as Ezryn lands another hard blow to Dayton’s ribs. Farron falls hard to the floor, and a thin line of blood drips from his skull. Dayton looks at him, then back up to Ezryn, and snarls, “Alright, so you want to dance, Ez?”
Ezryn looks like he just really wants to hit Dayton again, but this time when he tries, Dayton tears out of his grip and leaps behind him. He hits Ezryn where there must be a gap in his armor because Ezryn pitches forward.
“Stop it!” Farron screams, jumping between them, but it only causes Dayton to accidentally clip him on the shoulder.
Farron falls back, slamming into Ezryn, and the two of them clatter to the ground.
“Can you all please—” My words cut off as a chilly breeze blows down the hall.
“Oh fuck,” Dayton says.
“No,” Farron gasps, then leans over, clutching his stomach.
“Shit. Don’t turn now, Fare—” Dayton rushes beside him.
Farron shrugs him off, growling, “Get away! You’re the problem, Dayton.”
Dayton flinches back as if Farron landed a physical blow.
Ice shivers across the floor until it covers the entire entrance hall. And emerging from an icy cloud is the Prince of Winter. Keldarion wears a tight black shirt and pants, his long white hair cascading over his shoulders. Fury rages in his frost-ridden eyes.
He swipes out a hand, and Dayton flies back in a chute of winter air, crashing against the wall before being encased in ice up to his waist.
Ezryn scrambles up and kneels before Keldarion. Farron is still rolling on the ground, the pain in his gaze intense.
And I’m standing in the middle of it all, unsure what to do.
“Fuck you, Kel,” Dayton snarls, and it’s like I can feel the sparkle of magic emanating from him, white hot fire. The ice encasing him melts, and he storms toward us, blond hair wild.
Ezryn and Kel exchange a look.
“This is your fucking fault, Kel,” Dayton says. “You can’t lock her here and pretend—”
Farron lets out a horrible sound, half beast, half man. His fingers claw at the ice. I’m torn between wanting to run to him and wanting to run away. Dayton stops his advance, concern flashing in his eyes.
But Kel nods at Ezryn, who stands and walks over to Farron. His eyes glow.
Ezryn kneels before Farron, then takes off his gloves, revealing his elegant, tanned hands. He takes Farron’s face between his palms and mutters something too low for me to hear.
Small, iridescent roots break out from the floor and slither their way over Farron’s body. Forehead to helmet, the magic slows Farron’s breath.
Dayton watches with wide eyes from across the room, unmoving.
But Kel increases his pace toward… me. Okay, maybe I should have taken my opportunity to run.
It takes everything in me not to shrink back as the Winter Prince looms above me. I have a million things I can say to defend myself, but before I get a single one out, he scoops me up and throws me over his shoulder.
“What the!” I gasp and try to kick my legs. Which is as effective as hitting a brick wall. But he doesn’t answer me as he walks up the stairs.
I lift my head and meet Dayton’s gaze, who gives me a sympathetic shrug. At least whatever plant magic Ezryn did has stopped Farron from shifting. He’s bracing himself against Ezryn’s chest.
“Kel! Where are you taking me?” I demand again.
The answer comes to me as the stone floor of the castle turns to solid ice.
Keldarion is taking me to the Winter Wing.