Chapter 11 Rosalina
Rosalina
Ididn’t want to feel it when we first arrived at Castletree, but it’s almost impossible to ignore now. The trembling in the castle’s bones, like the death rattle of a dying animal. Castletree is not well.
Even Marigold seems off, only making a few of her usual jokes. Slowly, I trudge behind her. What could be worse than what happened to Konreth?
“Rosalina!” Astrid runs toward us. Her short, ice-white hair is pulled back with a blue ribbon.
“It’s so good to see you.” I take her hands in mine. They’re freezing. “Where were you?”
She blinks her big red eyes. “Oh, I was feeling a little under the weather, but I’m fine now.”
“I’m showing them the Winter wing,” Marigold says.
Astrid’s face falls, and she nods.
“What’s wrong with the Winter wing?” I ask.
“Come along, dearies,” Marigold says.
Dayton wraps his arm around me. No words, but his presence is comforting.
The air grows colder, and my breath mists in front of me.
I know this walk, every step of it. At first, there’s just a light dusting of snow skittering along the carpet, then the ground becomes slippery enough that Dayton has to hold on to the torch sconces for balance.
His other arm is still looped around my waist.
We turn the last corner before entering the Winter wing, and the air leaves my lungs.
Ice has always covered the Winter wing, but we could still pass through it and reach the rooms in that part of the castle.
This is like nothing I’ve seen before.
An eerie, pale-blue glow bathes the hallway.
Ice coats the walls and floor. It looks as if a storm has raged through here.
Massive icicles hang from the ceiling, their sharp points glinting like teeth waiting to snap shut.
The carpet beneath us is slick, and ice coats the ever-present purple briars.
“What the fuck happened here?” Dayton gasps.
“It’s been getting worse and worse every day,” Astrid says.
Then I hear it—the ominous groan of ice under pressure, followed by a sharp crack. My heart leaps into my throat as the sound echoes through the corridor, bouncing off the frozen walls.
“This isn’t safe,” I whisper, gripping Dayton’s arm for balance.
Another fracture rings out, louder this time, and I swear the ground beneath us trembles. My chest tightens, and I’m glad I’m still in my warm clothes from the Winter Realm.
“We evacuated the Winter staff a few days ago,” Marigold says.
I reach for Marigold’s hand, her warmth comforting. “Thank you for all you do for Castletree. At least we still have the Spring and Autumn wings.”
Marigold chews her lip. “This isn’t all.”
“Stars, Marigold.” Dayton lets out a sigh. “Unless you’re telling me of a fabulous party tonight, I don’t want to hear it.”
“Trust me, handsome, this is a party even you don’t want to attend.”
Again, I trail behind Marigold, Day, and Astrid as we loop through the castle’s halls.
The curse is worsening. When I touched Konreth, at first all I’d felt was pure animal instinct.
It was so deep, I had to dive to find the thread of his soul, to pull that forth.
What if I hadn’t been there? What if it keeps happening to the staff?
We’re supposed to protect them, but they’re suffering because of us.
Because Keldarion won’t break his curse.
The air grows humid in a sickly sweet way.
I look up, recognizing the path we’re on now leads to the Spring wing.
The blessing in my chest stirs, but in a tentative, almost sad way.
I might be able to pour magic into the Spring rose, but I’m only a placeholder until a true high ruler can be found.
I know in my heart the blessing wants to return to Ezryn. If only he could trust in that.
“Spring is not as you left it, dearie.” Marigold squeezes my hand as we take the last corner.
The scents of earth and greenery fill my nose, thick and cloying. Plants spill across every surface—vines creeping along the walls, moss carpeting the floors, and blossoms so vibrant they seem to glow in the dim light. But there’s a wildness to it. This isn’t beauty; it’s a warning.
The overgrowth stretches above us, creating a canopy so dense it blocks out the windows. As I brush past a cluster of hanging flowers, their petals snap shut, just missing my sleeve. I flinch.
“Almost like Spring under the Green Rule.” Dayton wrinkles his nose. “Sure none of this pollen causes mind control?”
“Nothing like that,” Astrid says. “There’s no high ruler controlling this. It’s like what’s happening in Winter. The wings feel…angry.”
“We don’t go too deep in here,” Marigold says. “Can’t even make it to your room anymore.”
My heart sinks. My room at Castletree, with the cherry blossom trees and large bed and view of the garden…
“Careful.” Astrid steps over a thick vine that curls like a snake across the floor. “Some of these plants are deadly.”
“Deadly?” I ask.
“Oh yes,” she says matter-of-factly, as if she’s discussing the weather. “That one there ate Yuki two nights ago.” Astrid points to a cluster of bulbous plants near the wall. The petals unfurl to reveal rows of teeth. My stomach turns.
“Poor lad is just a little rat,” Marigold adds. “Swallowed him right up.”
“Gods, Marigold,” Dayton gasps. “How are you so calm about this?”
“Oh, we got him out. Flavia came in with her scissors.” Marigold waves her hand. “He’s fine now, but like with Winter, we decided to evacuate all the Spring staff.”
I stare at the plants, their slow, predatory movements sending chills down my spine. The vines twitch as we pass, sensing us.
“At least Autumn has plenty of rooms,” I say. “The library could house lots of the misplaced staff until we fix this.”
Marigold stops in place. “That’s not where we’ve been staying.”
She leads us through the grand dining room, the kitchens, the ballroom, all places of Castletree not touched by one of the seasonal realms. Among the purple briars are lines of bedrolls. All the staff forced from their rooms.
Despite it, Dayton and I are greeted kindly, and it fills my heart to see so many familiar faces. The Summer staff are particularly happy to greet Dayton and tell him of their curses being broken. But most of all, they are curious about when we will return to Castletree.
“We’re making the best of it,” Astrid says. “It’s like one big sleepover with your friends every night!”
I turn to her and Marigold. “What’s happening in Autumn? Farron has broken his curse.”
Astrid shifts from foot to foot. “People say it’s haunted.”
Marigold shakes her head. “Spend too long in there, and a voice creeps between your ears. Not a pleasant one, mind you.”
“Show me,” I say.
This time, I lead with Marigold, Astrid, and Dayton following. I know the way to the library in Autumn like I know the back of my hand. After so many days spent there with Farron, it’s one of my favorite places in all the world.
I creak open the door and enter. Everything appears normal. Leaves crackle beneath my feet, and shelves are stocked with rows and rows of books, the space smelling of cider and woodsmoke. I breathe it in and sigh.
Dayton grabs my arms, fingertips clutching so tightly, I swear my arm will bruise. “Rosie, we have to leave.”
“No, it’s fine—” I turn back to the library, and like a flash of lightning, everything changes.
The leaves on the floor turn from crisp and crackling to soft mulch, the scent of cider to rotten apples, and green flames lick among the briars and stacks. Not burning, but…floating like ethereal candles.
I’ve seen this color green before. On Perth Quellos’s cursed skeletons, the reanimated goblins, in a vision of Sira…
Welcome, Golden Rose, a voice says in my mind. Deep, commanding. Otherworldly.
A gut-wrenching scream sounds, and Dayton collapses to the ground. He squeezes his eyes shut, clutching his hair.
“We have to get out of here,” I shout. “Now!”
Marigold and Astrid get on one side of Dayton with me on the other, and we help him up. We rush out of the Autumn wing.
“Keep going!” I let go of Dayton, letting Astrid and Marigold take his weight, then turn around.
Summoning a host of golden briars, I tangle them at the entrance to the Autumn wing, blocking the way.
My heart rattles in my chest, and I stagger to my friends, all sitting at the bottom of the grand staircase. “No one is to go in the Autumn wing.”
Not until we figure out why the Green Flame is there.
Dayton has his head between his knees, breath heavy. Laying a hand on his back, I sit next to him. “Are you alright?”
“He was in my mind.” Dayton looks up at me, and for a moment, his eyes flash more green than blue. “The things he said…they’re not true.”
I remember Caspian telling us about the man—the god—in Sira’s pool. Malekai Furiondemius, the Baron of the Green Flame. How is he in Dayton’s mind?
“Whatever’s happening in the Autumn wing, Dayton, don’t let it frighten you. It’s another one of Sira’s dirty magic tricks, like the reanimated goblins,” I urge.
“But why is the Green Flame here?” Dayton rasps.
“I don’t know.” But maybe that’s not entirely true. Because there is somewhere else I’ve seen that green before. Lilac eyes turned emerald, flames engulfing an entire army.
I place my hand on one of the purple briars, trying to feel for Caspian. What’s happening to you? Is it causing him to lose control? Could the flames be traveling here through him?
Cas, where are you?