Page 19 of The King of Frost and Shadows

He stumbled back a few steps, spreading out his wings to catch his balance.

I growled, “I won’t let you kiss me.”

He grimaced and flinched, tucking his wings behind him.

My heart dropped into my stomach. “Are you hurt?” If protecting me from Nightbane had hurt him, I didn’t want to consider what the wolfy beast would’ve done to me.

“Nothing you should concern yourself with.” His face smoothed back into a scowl while his irises returned to their dark color.

“If you got injured because of me, I want to know.” I moved, limping on my foot. My toes still throbbed, but I managed to put more weight on my heel.

As I moved, I noticed a small cut in his skin. Blood trickled down his wings.

A knot formed in my stomach. “Nightbane injured you.” The muscles in his wings were like the rest of his body—strong and defined.

“It’s nothing.” He waved a hand, folding his wings into his back so they disappeared altogether. “You have more important things to focus on.”

“So that’s how you hid them on Earth.” I squinted, searching for the wings.

“What are you doing?” His face softened. “Is something wrong? Did you get something in your eye?”

“No, I’m trying to see your wings.” I didn’t even question if I sounded crazy. “I could’ve sworn shadows were hanging around you in there with Nightbane, so maybe that’s why I’m not seeing them now.”

He scoffed. “I’m the king of darkness, nightmares and frost. I wield darkness when needed, but I’m not doing it now. Our wings fold into our backs, which you will remember shortly.”

My head tilted back. “But everyone has theirs showing here.”

“Because our wings are like our hands and feet.” He shrugged. “We prefer to keep them loose, but I don’t want you to worry about my wings right now. My two most trusted people are coming here soon, and I don’t need them asking too many questions about you.”

I ran my fingers through my hair, and they snagged in some knots. I felt gross from being in the holding cell, but I didn’t have a change of clothes. Yet another problem for me.

“You must have the wrong person.” If I had wings, I’d surely know it. “I don’t have wings and definitely no magic.”

“Sprite, there’s no doubt you’re the Seelie princess. I’ve tracked you nightly for years now.” He moved toward me quickly, the distance between us gone before I even realized it. He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear and whispered, “I watched your dreams before turning them into nightmares. I know more about you than you could ever suspect, and those dreams—they were your memories of your past life in Gleann Solas.”

The small gesture felt so intimate, and my hormones tried to take over from my brain again.

A loud banging sounded on the door.

Tavish dropped his hand and wrinkled his nose while snapping, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Your Highness,” Finnian’s familiar voice answered. “I retrieved Caelan as requested.”

Scowling, Tavish spun toward the door. He opened it, revealing Finnian and another man, who had to be Caelan.

“You’re early.” Tavish moved to the side, allowing the two men to enter.

“Actually, we’re not.” Caelan strolled past Tavish. He was an inch shorter than the king. He was almost as handsome as Tavish and appeared to be slightly older.

Where Tavish was coolly pale, Caelan’s complexion was warmer, though still fair. He had dark-blond hair pulled into a bun on top of his head, which left his pointy ears visible.

He ran a hand over hisscruff as his milk-chocolate-brown eyes focused on me. “We’re a few minutes late because Finnian got distracted by the new servant.”

“You blasted wildling.” Tavish shook his head. “What have I told you about fornicating with women you can never be with?”

Finnian shut the door and smiled. “Oh, do you still believe in hierarchy and vengeance? Ever since this morning, I thought your stance might have changed.”

Tavish scowled and crossed his arms. “Why in Ardanos would you think that? All of my actions have been to reinforce the need for rules and expectations. That willneverchange.”

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