Chapter 17
He escorted me out of the castle as best as he could, stopping at the front door to watch me go.
“Be safe, Safara,” he said, the pain of staying behind written all over his pale face. “I’ll be watching you from wherever I can.”
He pressed his hand against the ice, his palm looking deceptively warm
“Thank you, Cassian,” I said as I pressed my hand over his. My gloved hand was so much smaller than his, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it would fit well in his grasp. “I’ll be looking for you.”
I pulled my hand away and immediately noticed the small indentation my hand had melted into the ice. My hand was only there for a second, but somehow Cassian’s ice hadn’t been cold enough to hold up to my hand.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to leave a handprint.”
“It’s quite all right.” He smiled, his fingers tracing over the mark I’d left behind. “Now I have an idea of what size to make your ring.”
My heart pattered, and I adjusted my bag over my shoulder. It was lighter since I’d left Douglas behind as promised, but it still carried a pack of emergency matches inside.
“Clever, but I still had my glove on,” I said with a small laugh. “The ring would be too big, I’m afraid.”
“Then you had better return to me soon so I can get a proper measurement,” he said, still making no effort to clear away my handprint.
“Very well.” I smiled, my fingers twitching at the thought as I turned to take my first steps down the mountain.
My pounding heart helped keep my blood pumping for the first stretch of the journey. Cassian wasn’t showing up in any of the ice I passed yet, but I could still see his face everywhere I looked. His heart was as pure as the ice he built, and it was my job to convince the people of Averglas of that.
My legs were already feeling like they were attached to splints.
They were still moving, but between the poison and the cold, it was far from graceful.
I secretly hoped Cassian wasn’t watching me that closely, because the amount of tripping I did down the mountain was probably enough for him to demolish his ballroom so that he’d never have to risk a dance with me.
I reached for a tree branch to steady myself, but my grip wasn’t strong enough to hold onto anything. I cursed under my breath, staring down at my failing hands with a nervous breath sticking in my chest.
The poison was acting the same as it had in my last life, but that didn’t stop its effects from surprising me. I carried on, forcing my body to move by sheer willpower as I attempted to look strong for the king’s sake.
I had to be strong for him, so he could be strong when I left him.
My grim fate dangled in the back of my mind, always reminding me of the horrible end I’d last endured.
Things wouldn’t be so bad this time. I would be married, I would have a powerful husband who could protect Rothen, I would have protected the people of Averglas from Blamore’s reign and stopped the outbreak of blackwood poisoning long before it became widespread.
I would make my dying wish come true.
My hand brushed against my bag, subconsciously reaching inside for the box of matches. I curled my weakening fingers around the box, my blood pumping faster as I imagined the magical warmth of a single flame.
Or maybe... I could make another wish.
The idea had hardly crossed my mind since I was so focused on charming the king, but the matches had saved my life before. Was it possible that they could do it again?
I bit my lip, the thought of being cured enough to make me crave the small flicker of heat. The matches were meant to go to people who needed them, but maybe I needed one the most...
Maybe Cassian needed me.
My thoughts of fire were eclipsed by the sight of pluming smoke. I dropped the matchbox into my bag and pushed through the trees, following the soft glow of fire until I was looking straight at its source.
“Men, look! It’s the princess!” A soldier spotted me instantly, waving his torch in the air as he and a group of other men ran to my side. “We found her!”
Cassian was right, they came for me.
I smiled at the soldiers, assuring them I was safe and well as they crowded me like I was the last apple in a horse barn. They settled down after a moment, and I prepared my courage for the next task I had to accomplish. It was time to speak on behalf of my king.
“Safara,” another royal voice cut me off before I could speak, the familiar sound turning my blood to ice while filling my eyes with fire.
“Prince Blamore?” I clenched my jaw. He wasn’t supposed to be here.
“There you are, my love,” he said with a bloodcurdling smile. “We’ve come to rescue you.”