Page 10 of The King of Frost and Shadows

We headed out of my bedroom and down the hallway toward the prison. Unlike the Seelie fae, I kept my bedroom on the same side of the castle as the prisoners; I didn’t want my people to believe I feared those imprisoned here. To maintain control at such a tender age, I’d been forced to be fearless … or pretend to be.

Eldrin kept pace with me, our feet echoing against the floor, though we could easily fly or tread lightly. But I enjoyed the prisoners hearing our presence, their fear a small benefit of having to keep them fed and somewhat clean while they stayed here. Each imprisoned fae had committed either a crime against an innocent or against me, one that wasn’t severe enough for me to kill them on sight. As a reminder to my people, once a month, the guards would drag the prisoners outside to remind our people of what would happen if they broke my laws, which were quite simple.

As we made the sharp turn that would lead me to Lira, I heard Malikor’s deep, angry voice threatening her. Without thought, my wings flapped and sped me forward. Desperation to reach her before something horrible happened set in.

A sickeningpopcame from the room, and Faelanwinced from his spot in the hallway. His head turned my way, and he froze.

I shoved him out of the way, entering the cell to find Malikor’s back to me and Lira lifted up by her throat, her face flushed. Hot rage thawed my icy blood. I removed the sword from my hip, knowing the perfect spot to hurt any fae.

Lira whimpered, and tears filled her eyes.

“You don’t think we know to guard our cocks?” Malikor snorted.

I swung my sword and sliced off his left wing, close to the base of his armor. The wing hit the floor with a thud as black blood gushed from his wound.

He dropped Lira, and I darted around him and wrapped my free arm around her waist before she could crash to the floor. Everywhere my arm touched her, even through her strange clothing, tingles erupted between us. My breath caught at the sudden barrage of weird sensations.

“My wing!” Malikor exclaimed. His face blanched as his right wing fluttered to help him keep his balance now that one side of him was significantly heavier than the other.

Lira’s body leaned into mine, catching me off guard. She should have known better than to trust me like that. She was here because of me.

However, that was her problem, not mine, so I lowered her to the cot.

“You cut off my wing because of a blasted sunscorched?” Malikor yelled, his nostrils flaring.

I kicked him in the chest. He flew back several feet into the hallway and crashed into the wall.

No one spoke to their king in that manner.

No one.

Not evenEldrin.

Malikor groaned and sagged forward, blood puddling underneath him.

I stalked slowly toward him, anger tightening my chest. “She’s in a prison cell with no recollection of who or what she is. She has no means to protect herself, and you swooped into her cell to choke her and cut her. What sort of blasted coward are you? You know therules. They aren’t hard to remember because they’re that simple.”

Behind me, Lira whimpered and gasped. Each tormented noise she made pushed me farther along the edge of control.

“She’s not one of us.” Malikor’s breathing quickened. “She’s our enemy. You brought her here—”

“Ibrought her here.” I could feel the darkness inside me surging forward. “Notyou. She’smineto do with asIlike. Not yours.”

Eldrin and Faelan stood together on the other side of the cell, watching me. Eldrin’s expression remained stoic, but the way the skin around his eyes tightened informed me he didn’t like this confrontation. Whether it was from my actions or Malikor’s didn’t matter. I made the laws for my people.

“There’s only one way to make this right.” I pressed my boot into his chest and lifted the sword, holding it level with his eye.

“My King,” he rasped. “You’ve cut off mywing.”

“For abusing your position as a guard.” I dug the tip of the sword into the top of his cheek, going deep so he had matching scars on both sides of his face. I’d learned at fourteen that I couldn’t be merciful. People mistook kindness and empathy for weakness. Unseelie fae understood only fear and violence.

He screamed, the sound getting louder as I dragged the blade all the way down to his neck. I didn’t worry about killing him; if he died from this, so be it.

“And that is for attacking a woman in a cell who had no way to defend herself,” I rasped, allowing frost to lace each word.

Lira’s breathing slowed, and her whimpers sounded muffled as if she were covering her mouth or face. I hated that I was so attuned to her, but she was important to the kingdom. That had to be the reason.

Malikor fumbled onto his knees, his hands covering his cheek as black blood slid between his fingers.

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