Page 125 of Burning Crowns

Rose and Shen didn’t waste another second. They fought their way across the clearing, tussling with humans and beasts alike, until the trees thickened around them. The dead were everywhere, but the forest was eerily quiet.

Rose whirled around, trying not to look at the bodies on the floor, all these faces of people she had known and loved as their queen. Innocents, sent to fight phantoms and corpses, all to die in a cruel war of Oonagh’s making. ‘This is impossible,’ she said, her eyes prickling with unshed tears.

Shen squeezed her hand, unable to bring himself to look at the bodies. ‘It will be over soon.’

But Rose had already seen too much. She felt each death like a pinprick in her heart. All these lives wasted, and for what? This forest had already endured so much, mourned so many. Rose was starting to fear that no matter how hard they fought, it wouldn’t be enough. That Eana would never truly be theirs, that she wouldn’t be able to save it.

But then she glimpsed more glowing seeds clustering above her and was reminded of the spirits of her ancestors, and how bravely they had fought here against the Protector’s army over one thousand years ago.

It was time for Rose to be brave, too.

She wiped her tears as they walked on into the dimness. ‘How will we figure out which way she went?’

‘There – look,’ said Shen, pointing west. ‘Footprints.’ Rose could make out the outline of Wren’s boot-steps in the mulch but there were other footprints, too – ones much larger and wider than a human’s.Bears, she realized with a jolt. Oonagh had come this way, too.

Shen followed the trail, pulling Rose with him. ‘They went west. Towards Ortha.’

‘They’re heading for the cliffs!’

They broke into a run, Rose tucking Daybreak into her bodice and hiking up her dress as Shen darted through the trees, slashing vines and branches out of their way. After what felt like hours, a shaft of sunlight reached them through the trees and a familiar sea wind stung Rose’s cheeks.

The edge of the forest was in sight. Rose raced towards the breaking light, overtaking even Shen until she stumbled through the thinning trees and out on to the long grass where Wren was waiting for her.

She almost sobbed with relief when she spotted her sister standing across the grassy plain. ‘Wren!’

Wren raised her sword and pointed it at Rose.

Rose frowned. ‘What are you doing?’ she said, starting towards her.

Shen grabbed her wrist, tugging her back. ‘That’s not Wren,’ he said, in a low voice. ‘At least not as she truly is.’

It was only then that Rose noticed Oonagh standing at the edge of the cliffs, the sea wind streaming through her dark hair. She mouthed something Rose couldn’t hear but the words weren’t meant for her. They were meant for her sister.

When Wren heard them, she charged at Rose.

Wren

CHAPTER 43

Dread coursed through Wren as she charged headlong at her sister. She tried to fight her own body, to cast her sword aside and fling herself to the earth to keep from harming Rose, but Oonagh’s grip on her mind was too strong. The curse inside Wren was wide awake, listening to its master.

Wren sobbed as she ran, tears streaming from her eyes.

Rose was so startled by the sight, she didn’t even move. She just stared at Wren as if she was trying to work out who she was.

Move, Wren wanted to scream.Get out of the way!

She was barely ten steps from skewering her sister with the point of her sword when Shen jumped in front of Rose, drawing his dagger. He sank into a protective crouch, his eyes on Wren.

‘Don’t make me fight you, Greenrock,’ he said, warily. ‘You know I don’t want to.’

But Wren couldn’t stop. She swung wildly, the sword whistling as it cut through the air. Shen leaped, narrowly avoiding the blade as he landed a spinning kick to her shoulder. Wren was knocked off-kilter, giving him enough time to catch her right arm and deftly trap it behind her back.

A scream ripped out of her as he twisted her wrist.

‘You have to drop it,’ he said, close to her ear. ‘Try, Wren.’

Wren closed her eyes, willing her body to listen to her and not Oonagh. But she began to thrash, violently, trying to regain control of the sword. She knew if Shen dared let go, she would stab him in the next breath.

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