Page 38 of Burning Crowns

Rose

CHAPTER 14

When Wren told Rose about Thea’s proposed trip to the Mishnick Mountains, Rose nearly dropped the tea tray.

‘Absolutely not,’ she said, setting it down with a clatter. ‘I won’t allow it.’ She crossed her arms and moved to the doorway of the throne room, as if she could physically bar them from leaving. ‘And that’s that.’

‘You have no authority over me,’ said Alarik, with a derisive snort. ‘But it’s charming that you think you do.’

Rose glowered at him. ‘Do not test me, King Alarik. I’ll quite happily enchant these doors to keep you locked in here forever if it means keeping my sister safe.’

‘I think that’s a tad beyond your capabilities,’ muttered Wren.

‘Don’tyoutest me either!’ snapped Rose. ‘You clearly don’t know what’s best for you if you think disappearing into the Mishnick Mountains with these two is a good idea!’

‘Rose, love, travelling to the Mishnick Mountains is the only thing that can help Wren now,’ said Thea, gently. ‘You know as well as I do that whatever has infected Wren and the king has burrowed deep inside them. Only the most practised healers will be able to cure them.’

‘Then send for them! Let them come here. Wren doesn’t need to risk the journey.’ Rose offered a brittle smile. ‘See! Problem solved.’

Thea laid a calming hand on Rose’s arm. ‘It’s not only the healers, Rose, but the mountains themselves that have the power to heal. If there was any other way, you know I wouldn’t suggest this. But I believe theymustjourney there, and do so soon.’

‘Well, then I’m going with you! I won’t let you disappear again.’ Rose could hear hysteria creeping into her voice, but she couldn’t help it. Everything was falling apart. ‘We’re supposed to be ruling together. Everything is supposed to be going well.’ She raked her hands through her hair. ‘How many bloody curses do we need to break before we can get on with our lives?’

Wren went to her sister and put her arms around her. Rose stood stiffly for a moment, and then relaxed into her embrace. ‘I promise I’ll be fine, Rose. Better than fine. My magic will be fixed.I’llbe fixed.’

‘You keep saying that!’ said Rose, shrilly. ‘And then the next thing I know, King Alarik is in my throne room insulting the decor! And we suddenly have bigger problems!’

Wren let out a strained laugh. ‘This time it will be true. Have a little faith.’

‘Forget faith. I’m coming with you,’ said Rose, adamantly.

Wren pulled back from her sister and squeezed her shoulders, as though to strengthen her. ‘Rose, I need you to do what you do best, and protect our kingdom. You can’t do that if you’re in the mountains with me. One of us must be strong now. One of us must stay here and rule.’

Rose sniffled. ‘How am I supposed to protect Eana from our powerful undead ancestor who knows this country as well as we do?Probably better than I do!’ She tried to shake off the memory of Oonagh’s midnight visit, but it knotted in her stomach, making her feel ill. And worse, hopeless. ‘Can she even be killed?’

‘Not with Gevran steel,’ said Alarik, darkly. ‘Despite our best efforts.’

At Rose’s look of alarm, the king went on, telling her and Thea about what had happened on the Sundvik shore only days ago. How Oonagh had been fired upon, only to survive, seemingly unscathed.

‘Stars,’ whispered Rose. ‘So, she truly cannot be killed.’

‘Nonsense. No witch, no matter how ancient they are, is ever truly invulnerable.’ Thea let out a disgruntled huff. ‘If Oonagh Starcrest cannot be felled by Gevran steel, then we must use our own weapons to bring her down. Something witch-made will do it. The older the better.’ Her dark eye glowed with certainty, the sureness in her voice commanding the room. ‘There is power in age.’

‘Finally, a morsel of good news,’ remarked Alarik.

‘Hardly,’ said Rose, in a panic. ‘Where are we supposed to find an ancient witch-made weapon?’ Her gaze darted between Wren and Thea. ‘You both know as well as I do that the Great Protector rid this country of anything to do with witches long ago!’

‘No one is that thorough,’ said Wren. ‘There are places even in Anadawn that the Great Protector didn’t know about. The tunnels here still burn with ancient everlights.’

Something else suddenly occurred to Rose. ‘The Sunkissed Kingdom!’ she burst out. ‘Their armoury is full of witch-made weapons. If we can’t find anything here in Anadawn, then surely there will be something in the desert that can be used against Oonagh.’

‘Speaking of the Sunkissed Kingdom, we need to tell Shen what’s happening,’ said Wren. ‘Oonagh is a threat to every single witch in this land. We’ll need all the help we can get to stand against her.’

‘Yes,’ muttered Rose. ‘We must warn Shen. We can’t risk putting such sensitive information into a letter. If the bird falls from the sky, if word gets out, the kingdom will fall into a state of hysteria. I’ll go and speak to him myself. I’ll be as quick as I can … there and back in a couple of days.’

‘A much better endeavour than hiking into the mountains with your poorly sister for who knows how long,’ said Wren, with a weak laugh. ‘You have far more important things to do.’

Rose gripped her sister’s hand. ‘Nothing is more important than making sure you are all right.’

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