Chapter 69 Rosalina
Rosalina
Caspian’s fingers are so soothing as he untangles my hair. I sit cross-legged on the floor between his legs as he sits on the couch. He switches to the brush, then begins to weave my tresses into braids. The fire crackling before us is gloriously warm.
I feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives in the last two days.
Every one of us has been run ragged but Kel most especially.
After the shock of what we found in Mount Rhuvenmark wore off, we had to make a plan.
Kel immediately went with Winter’s best magisters to study the mountain.
Unfortunately, their discoveries were as we feared; the long-dormant volcano has been awakened.
It is a matter of days before it erupts, and when it does…
“In my thousand years, I’ve never seen the likes of this before,” the earth magister told us at our council. “It is not acting in a way any volcano has ever acted before. I fear when Rhuvenmark blows, it will cover all Winter’s skies with ash and all our snow with lava.”
“We have to evacuate all of Winter,” I said.
The princes exchanged somber looks, but it was Eirik Vargsaxa who spoke. “Even if we had an entire season, we could not evacuate Winter. By road, the terrain is too perilous.”
“What about by boat? Or the airships? We could bring them from Spring and Summer—” I urged.
“There are not enough,” Kel said. “Who would decide who leaves and who stays? Me? Besides, where would we take them? Florendel and Hadria have both faced destruction. Coppershire’s hanging by a thread.”
“We have to do something,” I growled at him.
He cast his gaze to the window. “If we can’t get the people out, there’s one option. We have to stop the eruption.”
“It’s impossible!” the stone magister cried.
Keldarion strode to the door, dismissing us all with a wave of his hand. “Vargsaxa, magister, keep the people calm. Tell them there is nothing to worry about. It’s the truth. I will stop this eruption.”
“But how?” The words died on my lips as Kel stormed from the room.
Only a matter of days before Rhuvenmark explodes. And our only lead is Kel’s complete and utter stubbornness.
Well, I’ve certainly never defeated that before. Good luck, Rhuvenmark. You’ll need it.
Last night, when all the plans had been hashed, Caspian and I talked. He told me how sorry he was for not telling me the truth, that he was trying to protect Farron. I believe him, though it still stings.
“I understand why you protected Farron,” I finally admitted. We were curled up on opposite sides of a windowpane, staring out at the star-dusted sky.
“Really?”
“You always try to fix everything, Cas, especially for the people you love,” I said, thinking of all he’s done. “Castletree with your briars. The bargain with me so I could discover my own magic. Even your bargain with Farron… I think in your own way, you were trying to help him.”
“Don’t give me too much credit, Princess.
But you’re right. I just can’t seem to stop myself.
If I can see a way out for someone I care about, I take it.
” His breath left a foggy cloud on the window.
“Also, don’t blame Ez. He gave us quite the lecture and insisted we tell you. I just thought we had more time.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not mad at Ez. I know he was just watching out for you.
” And now he’s watching out for Kairyn. We’ll have to figure out what to do with him soon, but the volcano is too pressing.
He’s dry, fed three square meals a day, and a little solitary time to think about what he’s done will probably do him good.
My thoughts turned to Dayton and Farron.
A warm sensation of love had settled between them, and they seemed their usual selves at our council meetings to discuss the impending eruption.
The Green Flame…another thing to worry about when Rhuvenmark has been dealt with.
Every time we think we get an advantage on Sira, she finds a way to outplay us.
At least keeping Caspian close to me has kept his rot at bay. There’s no sign of it, no reason for him ever to go back to the Below as long as he’s close to me.
When there was nothing left to say and a quiet peace settled between Caspian and me, we returned to each other’s arms and found sleep early, both staying in Keldarion’s room, expecting him to return…but he didn’t.
This morning, Caspian and I woke early and found a tray of breakfast outside the door. We bathed together in Keldarion’s attached privy, and Cas washed my hair. Now, Caspian drops my finished braid over my shoulder.
The door slams, and Kel steps in. He looks awful. His hair is matted, shirt torn to reveal his muscular chest, and scars line his arms. He regards us silently for a moment, then heads to the attached privy.
I sigh and stand. “I can’t watch him like this.”
Caspian’s face is a mirror of my own. “I don’t think he had control of his wolf last night.”
When Keldarion finally leaves the privy, white hair wet and wavy down his bare shoulders, I’m ready for him.
I brace my hand on the mantel of the fire and stare into his ice-blue eyes. “This has to end, Kel.”
He grumbles and walks to his wardrobe, throwing on a clean tunic and loose pants.
“Kel,” I say.
“What has to end, Rosalina?” he says, a bone-deep tiredness in his words. “This war? Sira’s reign? My curse? Trust me, I know.”
Caspian gives me a knowing look, as if he believes there’s truly nothing we can say.
My nightdress, pink gossamer over a long-sleeved white gown, rustles lightly on the floor. “We need to end your curse. Not because I can’t stand watching you lose yourself night after night—”
“Rosalina…” Kel growls, trying to turn away from me, but I grab his arm.
“Not only for Castletree and our people there,” I continue. “But because regaining your full power might be the only way to stop this volcano. What about the story of High Princess Eira from the Festival of Tales?” I say.
Keldarion breaks out of my grip, turning to the window.
“Kel.” The word is soft but insistent. Caspian stands and glides toward us.
“I was one of the few people to witness you at your full power. As we fought, I used the Green Flame. The Baron watched. He watched, and he trembled when he saw what you could do. And Malekai Furiondemius does not tremble easily.”
Kel turns.
“Winter needs you, Kel,” I say. “I need you.”
He wrings his hands, and I already know he’s going to say the same thing he’s said a thousand times before.
But then Caspian falls to his knees, bowing his head, his dark hair cascading forward to shield his face. “I know I shattered any trust you had in me years ago, but in case it needs to be said, I am entirely in love with Rosalina.”
My breath catches in my throat. He’s said it to me once before, but it feels so raw now, a confession. For so long, I only knew Caspian as the Prince of Thorns, a boy who hides his emotions behind snide comments and the pretense of villain. But here he is before us, baring his soul.
“I would know her in any form,” he continues.
“My very being is made up of pieces of her.” Caspian looks up, clutching Keldarion’s leg.
“Once upon a time, in this very room, I thought I loved a heroic prince more than anyone had ever loved someone. I loved you so much, there were times I believed it was going to kill me. My whole body ached for you, and the Great Chasm was a fraction of how it tore me apart when you left.”
“Cas,” Keldarion says lowly.
“But it’s nothing compared to now,” Caspian continues.
“Nothing compared to after meeting Rosalina. I thought there was no possible way to love you more until the night I stood outside the ballroom at winter solstice and watched as you danced with her, and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
Until you took my hand and trusted me enough to let me wrap you in my thorns and rescue you.
Until the three of us spent that night together and depths within depths of love blossomed inside me.
“I promise—no, I vow—the moment our bargain sends her to me, I will release her.” Caspian shifts his gaze to me. “Why would I want her any other way than our beautiful, brilliant, funny Rose?”
“I believe you, Cas,” I whisper and wish it was enough.
Caspian takes a shuddering breath. Beads of tears prick the corners of his eyes as he looks up at the Prince of Winter. “Trust me again, Kel, if only for a day.”
A million emotions swirl in Keldarion’s eyes, an unending storm.
He grasps Caspian by his arm and pulls him to his feet.
With his other hand, he grips my waist and draws me closer.
“Alright. Let us start with a day,” he says, and a smile spreads across his lips, “and discuss the possibility of forever tomorrow.”