Page 33 of The King of Frost and Shadows

A faint whimper came from below me, and my body hit something soft and warm. I jarred as whatever had caught me dropped on impact, and I opened my eyes to find myself wrapped around an animal with dark, green-tipped fur.

Nightbane’s body ran hot, warming me so that the frost eased from my body, and he quickly stood on all four legs again. He trotted, with me clinging to his back, his gigantic muscles working underneath me as he went to the dagger and used his teeth to lift it.

Raising my head, I expected to find guards hurrying toward us, but the area was clear. Still, Nightbane had caught me and knew I was a prisoner. I couldn’t stay with him. I had to get away, though I didn’t relish the idea of harming the animal.

Loosening my hold, I moved to roll off him, but he increased his pace and headed down the rocky spike of a hill.

I tightened my grip, not wanting to risk getting a spike lodged in my side. Once he tore off toward the front of the castle, I’d roll off and deal with the consequences then.

Enjoying the warmth while I could, I lifted my head to see dozens of fae standing outside the castle. Snow dusted their hair and clothes as they stood with their fists high above their heads. I expected Nightbane to veer toward the group, but he continued his trek downward through the spiky rocks to the stone road that ran through the village. He jumped over a small ledge, all four of his paws landingon the stone path, and darted through the town toward the sea.

My eyes burned as tears threatened to fill them, but I was confident that Nightbane planned on helping me get out of here.

I had so many questions, but I held them back. Now wasn’t the time, nor could the animal answer them.

A young boy stood in the middle of the street, watching the people in front of the castle with four women beside him talking.

“It’s the king’s cù-sìth!” the boy exclaimed. He spread out slate-colored wings, knocking snowflakes off himself. He wore a light-gray tunic, making him stand out a little more than the people who lived in the castle. “Mother, look!”

My stomach dropped as the woman turned to me.

“It’s her!” a woman screeched. “The Seelie princess! She’s escaping on the king’s prized animal.”

Of course. I’d made it out of the castle, but one second in the village, and I might as well have been wearing a flashing neon light.

“Guards!” A woman with light-blue hair flung her hood from her face. “The sunscorched is out here!”

Nightbane continued pushing through as more doors opened, and a silver-haired man a few inches taller than I flew out, lifted me by my waist, and dropped me onto the stony path.

The chill covered me as I landed on my tailbone, throbbing pain stealing my breath. I jumped to my feet, removing the dagger at my ankle, preparing to fight anyone who might come at me.

Three other men joined the silver-haired man.

Nightbane growled, dropping the other dagger from his mouth and standing next to me. His eyes glowed vibrantlyas he bared his teeth and circled me, staring down my potential attackers.

Behind me, the sound of a gigantic door opening warned that the guards had to be coming near. I had to get out of here, and now.

“The king should’ve known not to trust a Seelie wildling,” a man more thick than tall snarled. Unlike most of the fae I’d seen, this one appeared older, with faint crow’s-feet around his eyes and slightly thinner hair than the others. “You should be with the rest of the prisoners.” He spat at my feet.

“Why? I haven’t done a damn thing to anyone here.” I hated how they treated me as if I was the person who’d attacked and banished them. It hadn’t been my decision, yet they put as much blame on me as those actually responsible.

A boy flew from the window above me and landed right in front of my face. He couldn’t have been older than ten, but he held a dagger larger than the one I had in my hand.

No wonder Tavish had called my pocketknife a mere toy.

“Their blood runs through you.” He swallowed. “Because of them, I lost my mother. Your death will be celebrated by all of us.” Then he attacked.

I ducked, the boy’s dagger sweeping over my head. I leaned left and kicked him in the stomach. The impact sent him slamming into the house behind him, and his head hit the stone.

I wanted to run over and check on him. I couldn’t imagine what losing a parent that young had done to him, and he wasn’t old enough to know any better.

The four men moved toward me, and Nightbane leaped at the man with silver hair who’d removed me from his back.

Nightbane sank his teeth into the man’s throat and ripped it out.

I stopped, nauseated, as the man gurgled, but the other three men came toward me. I raised my dagger. My feet were freezing, and so were my hands, but I’d go out like a warrior and not some helpless victim.

All three men removed short swords from sheaths at their sides and attacked me simultaneously.

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