Page 117 of Fated to the Frost King

I couldn’t be too late. I hadn’t risked everything to get here too late.

A soft whimper came from the corner, followed by my name whispered in quiet desperation. My gaze snapped toward the closet.

If I listened closely enough, I could hear the sound of her hitching breaths in between the snarls and crunching of bone.

She was in there.

Alive.

Barricaded inside by chairs, and ottomans, and whatever the hells else Yorrick had been able to shove into place to keep her safe.

Relief crashed over me so potent my knees threatened to buckle.

Alive.

My sister is alive.

Then I looked back at the male on the floor. The one who had never shown my sister a real ounce of love but had used his last breath to protect her.

And had died for it.

The Tharnok turned slowly, head tilting, black tongue flicking across its bloodied maw.

It hadn’t noticed me for the first few heartbeats I’d been standing here, but it did now. And it was staring. Studying me with ravenous hunger flashing in its sunken amber eyes. It shifted then, arching its body toward me, its lips pulled back in a snarl.

Terror gripped my throat, and every breath scraped like broken glass.

My hands trembled as I adjusted my grip on the blood-soaked hilt of my dagger until my knuckles were white from the strain.

I focused on my anger, letting it wash away the panic, letting it flood my veins like an icy river of rage. It rose to the surface, locking itself in place like armor.

I couldn’t run, even if the thing hadn’t been faster. The barrier around my sister wouldn’t hold once the Tharnok switched its focus to her. And it would. Even I could hear her past the flimsy wood, so I knew the predator smelled her from here.

I needed this monster to die.

The wind inside the keep howled louder. Snow and ice burst through the room before escaping through the broken balcony doors. Had Yorrick locked them in here, searching for safety, when this Tharnok came in through the balcony doors?

The monster took a lumbering step forward.

Then another.

And then… it smiled.

I dodged to the left as it lunged for me, claws slamming into the floor where I had just been standing. I rolled and got to my feet just before it tried again. Each attack coming faster than the last. I barely ducked beneath a sweeping claw, stumbling back into the shattered dresser.

I raised my dagger, taking in another wheezing breath.

I needed to lead it to the balcony. I had no idea if Tharnoks could survive a fall this high, but I wasn’t capable of fighting it directly if I wanted to survive, so it was a theory I was more than willing to test.

The monster circled me like it was savoring the chase.

I took a careful step backward, closer to the glass-paned doors, ducking or feinting when I needed to corral the Tharnok a little closer or further away.

A crash sounded behind its towering form, followed by the sound of splintering wood. Dread rooted itself deep in my gut, like poisonous mournbriar vines. I wasn’t Draven. I couldn’t take on more than one monster. Another crash rang out, but again, the Tharnok didn’t flinch. Its gaze remained fixed solidly on me.

I took another step back, and then I heard a voice.

“Leave my sister alone, you disgusting, blood-drunk shitbeast!”

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