Page 120 of Burning Crowns

‘Stay back!’ she cried.

Shen skidded to a stop. ‘When did you learn to throw like that?’

‘Shen!’ Relief surged through Rose as she ran to him. ‘What are you doing here?’

He scrubbed the dirt from his face. ‘I came to rescue you.’

‘Oh.’ Rose grinned. ‘Well, I’m afraid you’re too late. I’ve already rescued myself.’

He looked her up and down, his frown dissolving into a look of such relief, his eyes shone. ‘You’re alive,’ he said then, as if he couldn’t quite believe it. ‘Rose, I thought—’He shook his head, unable to say the words. ‘When you were pulled into that water …’

‘It’s all right, Shen. I’m all right.’ She pulled him close, and he laid his forehead against hers.

‘Rose,’ he said, suddenly hoarse. ‘I swear for as long as I live, I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.’ He held her face between his hands as though he was afraid she might disappear from him one more time. ‘Please, forgive me.’

‘Hush,’ she said, gently. ‘There’s no need to apologize.’

‘Then let me kiss you instead,’ he said, pressing his lips against hers with such urgency, Rose lost her breath. She pulled back, breaking the moment.

‘There’ll be time for this later,’ she said, reaching for his hand. ‘Wren’s in trouble, Shen. Oonagh’s here. And she’s not alone.’

Shen spun on his heel, a dagger already in his hand. ‘Come on,’ he said, leading Rose through the trees, both of them following the noise of growling beasts. ‘It’s time to end this once and for all.’

As they wound their way deeper into the forest, Rose became aware of shapes moving in the trees. She whipped her head around, readying a shout, but Shen squeezed her hand. ‘It’s all right,’ he said, in a low voice. ‘They’re with us.’

Rose blinked, then stared harder. As the glowing seeds gathered above her, they lit up the other figures. She caught the glint of weapons, heard the determined crunch of boot-steps moving in tandem with them. When she spied Lei Fan in the trees to her left, her heart leaped. She was leading her own battalion of Sunkissed witches. On the other side of the forest, Rose glimpsed Grandmother Lu stalking side by side with Kai Lo, her golden cane swinging as she guided a hundred more witches alongside them.

When Rose glanced behind her, she glimpsed the familiar green and gold edging of her own royal soldiers, marching steadfastly at her back. Suddenly, the forest was so full it felt as if it were moving with them, buoyed by a tide of witches and soldiers ready to fight side by side. Ready to win.

A new hope surged in Rose.

Shen caught the smile on her face. ‘Well. How do you like our odds?’

Rose was about to respond when a ragged howl rang out. The colour drained from her face as she thought of Wren, who was still unaccounted for. ‘We mustn’t underestimate Oonagh,’ she said, quickening her steps.

Finally, they came to a break in the trees. Up ahead, in the middle of a sprawling clearing, Rose spotted Wren and Oonagh standing apart from each other. Wren was holding a sword Rose had never seen before and Oonagh was goading her with that horrid taunting smile.

Rose made to run for her sister but Shen pulled her back. All around them, witches and soldiers had come to an abrupt halt. Rose saw then what she had missed the first time.

The clearing was surrounded by a ring of undead beasts.

High above them, even the glowing seeds had stopped floating, as if they, too, were scared to venture any further.

‘What now?’ whispered Rose. She could count fifty or so beasts from their vantage point in the trees but she was not foolish enough to think that was all of them. There could be ten times as many lurking in the forest or even patrolling its borders. ‘We can’t get to Wren or Oonagh without startling the beasts.’

Shen removed another dagger until he held one in each hand. ‘We’ll have to pick them off, one by one.’ He nodded at Lei Fan, and then to Grandmother Lu, giving a covert signal. They sank into a crouch, readying their assault. ‘Stay behind me.’

‘Absolutely not,’ said Rose. ‘Give me a dagger.’ Rose opened her hand, expectantly. ‘I’m a warrior witch now, too, remember? Now please give me a weapon. I know you’ve got at least five more on your person.’

‘Including the one you want,’ said Shen, removing a familiar gilded dagger from his boot. He pressed it into her hand. ‘You left this behind on Marino’s ship.’

‘Daybreak!’ said Rose, feeling the thrum of its magic against her palm. ‘Oh, am I glad to see this beauty again.’

‘It might be witch-made, but it doesn’t make you invincible. So, be careful,’ Shen said, imploringly.

‘Oh, please,’ she said, curling her fingers around the hilt. ‘When am I ever not careful?’

Shen tossed her a warning look but there was no time to argue the point. He was gone in the next breath, prowling through the trees like a panther.

---