Page 37 of Fated to the Frost King

There was something in the way Lumen moved—regal, watchful, as if the palace itself bowed to him. That same cold stillness. That same quiet threat that clung to the king like a second skin.

I shifted, and the chair gave a soft creak of protest. Master Barton sighed as though I’d single-handedly ruined his life’s work, and it took effort not to roll my eyes.

My ring flashed with cold, and I dropped my gaze to examine it, wondering why I cared what it was trying to say. It wasn’t a symbol of love. It was a leash, studded with diamonds and forged with blood. A reminder of the vow I’d been forced to make and the power he still held over me.

I had been so distracted with keeping my secret and staying safe in the moment that I had let myself lose sight of the way that time was running out. I couldn’t hide forever. I needed to get out of this palace.

And maybe, just maybe, with his attention focused on the Tharnoks, I would have a chance to escape. Not that I had anywhere to go. I wouldn’t let Wynnie risk her life hiding me.

Which left only the option of finding a way to convince Draven to let me go.

You belong to me, whether either of us likes it or not.

Those didn’t sound like the words of someone willing to let me go, but perhaps it was a matter of figuring out what he needed from me, if not an heir. Unless I was wrong and he was following the whims of Fate for the hells of it. But that didn’t ring true with anything I knew of him.

There had to be a way to convince him to break the bond without talking him right into killing me to be rid of me. Nevarahadn’t said that he couldn’t kill me, only that a replacement wouldn’t pop up in my place.

I swallowed a nervous laugh before Master Barton felt the need to chastise me again.

There had to be a solution. A bond-breaking crystal I could…throw at him? Poison? If not for him, then myself. Maybe if I died for a few minutes, that would nullify the bond.

That would be a last resort, obviously, since the goal was to keep myself alive.

My attention returned to Lumen, now sprawled in a patch of sunlight, his massive head resting between his paws, eyes still, of course, on me. Like he could sense the direction of my thoughts.

If escape was my only option, I would need to find a way past him first. Then just…find somewhere to go.

“Your Majest—” Master Barton began, but a sharp tapping interrupted him.

“It’s time for Her Majesty’s lunch,” Nevara said smoothly, stepping into the room, lips curved with faint amusement.

She turned to me and inclined her head. “Come, My Queen. Soufflé awaits.”

My stomach growled, and my shoulders sagged in relief. The latter wasn’t a feeling that the portraitist shared. After dipping into a stiff bow, he turned back to his work, dabbing his paintbrush furiously against the canvas.

I all but sprinted from the room, Nevara at my side and Lumen at my heels. Once we were out of earshot, the Visionary let out a small sound that might’ve been a laugh.

“As you might have already guessed, Master Barton has always been a bit… particular,” she said, her tone as delicate as spun glass.

“Yes, I gathered as much yesterday, when he accused me of ‘blinking with intention,’” I let out a small chuckle. “Is thatwhy you didn’t come with me this morning? Had enough of his eccentricities for a while?”

Nevara’s step faltered—just briefly. The soft tap of her staff against the floor missed a beat.

“I was needed elsewhere,” she said smoothly.

I was by no means entitled to her secrets, but still, her evasion put me on edge. I nodded like I understood, and we walked the rest of the way in silence until we arrived at a room I had never seen before.

“This is the Winterlight Room,” Nevara announced casually. “It is where the court often takes their lunch.”

I stiffened. There was no part of me that wanted a repeat of last night, or to face down the obnoxious courtiers again. Something I had a feeling that the Visionary knew, given the purposeful way she strode into the room and announced a little too loudly that the queen was ready for her table.

Pinpricks raced over my skin as several sets of eyes landed on me.

Even better, Batty had chosen this exact moment to wake up and attempt to climb out from under my sleeve.

Shards damn everything.

After the king’s reaction, I didn’t particularly feel like dealing with the court. I subtly shoved her back up my sleeve, following Nevara through the room.

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