Thorns of Frost (Fae of Snow & Ice, #2)(21)

“Where did it bite you?” I clawed frantically at his clothing.

He groaned and slowly sat up.

“Can you mistphase us?” I tried to help him straighten, but he winced.

“Yes, come here,” he rasped and pulled me close again, but his magic didn’t rush to the surface as quickly as it had the first time.

“My prince?”

He groaned again, and his face grew paler. Muscles quivered in his neck, and his aura grew more and more diminished. A huge gush of blood appeared on the snow beneath him, then a shudder ran through his entire body.

“Prince Norivun!”

His eyelids dropped, and his limbs went slack as he fell in a heap. His full weight hit me like a huge stone.

Breaths coming faster, I struggled to hold him, but he weighed too much and collapsed back onto the snow.

Panic consumed me. “Prince Norivun!” I screamed again and began to shake him.

Nothing.

Frantically, my gaze shot over him as I tried to assess what was wrong.

Clawing at him again, I whipped the tunic out of his belt and lifted the material to his chin. All of my fear collided into epic proportions of terror and despair when I saw his true injury.

A huge laceration slid along the length of the prince’s abdomen. Blood poured out of it as intestines shone beneath. It was so deep and undoubtedly lethal.

“Dear gods,” I cried.

The creature’s claws had torn him open, and all because he’d been trying to save me from the snowgum’s jaws.

“My prince!” I yelled again. My heart exploded in fear just as a vibration of magic rippled through the air.

It was the only warning I got before the snowgum pounced.





CHAPTER 7





The force of the predator hitting me knocked the wind from my lungs. Its hot breath came next, wafting over my skin like smoke. The snowgum’s invisible body pinned me to the ground, my ribs screaming in agony under the feline’s immense weight.

All the while, the prince continued to lie beside me. Unmoving. Possibly not breathing. Perhaps even dead.

My heart threatened to burst, and I only had a second to glance at the prince before the creature shifted its weight and nearly crushed my chest.

I wheezed as my body sank more into the snow. Coldness seeped into my back. And the snowgum . . . I could feel its mouth opening. It was going to eat me even though I saw nothing.

Blessed Mother, I’m going to die. Prince Norivun’s going to die. Cailis will be alone.

Those last two thoughts had panic rising from me like an inferno. No!

Magic erupted in my gut.

I screamed. And then the realm tilted, as though everything were moving in slow motion. A rush of magic blazed out of me. Fire. Air. An inferno of power.

The snowgum roared as my magic burst free in a whip of blazing heat. It ripped beyond my control as one thought and one thought only seared my mind.

We can’t die.

My head whipped toward the prince. I needed to save him. Now.

The snowgum’s hide caught fire. The creature screamed again as its massive body erupted into flames.

My eyes widened at its monstrous size as I scrambled to Prince Norivun.

The snowgum continued to thrash like a demon from the underworld. Fire raged around it, lighting up its nine-foot-tall body with paws like small tables. It rolled in the snow, still roaring, as it slowly doused the flames.

The damage my fire had done cut off its magic, making it visible again, but even though I’d burned it, it was anything but down.

My fingers closed around the prince as an enraged snarl tore from the snowgum. Its massive body lowered on its haunches as it prepared to leap again.

“Prince Norivun! Wake up, now!” I shook the prince, grabbing him by the shoulders so hard that his blood seeped through my fingers.

But he didn’t move.

The snowgum lunged, leaping from its position.

This was it.

We would both die.

Agony like I’d never felt before cut through me, slicing me open as my arms enclosed the prince. Not today. Please not today. I don’t want to die.

My eyes squeezed shut as I pictured my sister. My parents. Tormesh. My village. All of it blended in a kaleidoscope of color.

My sister would be alone.

I can’t leave you.

I pictured the castle. Safety. Healers. Help.

The snowgum’s large body slammed into me, nearly tearing me from the prince as the reek of its burned flesh singed my nose. But I didn’t let go of the prince. I kept my eyes squeezed shut as I imagined the castle again. Murl. Safety.

The realm suddenly flashed out of existence, and then we were torn through mist and shadows, air and wind.

The next thing I knew, the prince and I were crashing onto the ground at the castle’s outer courtyard. Guards were only feet away.

Their shocked faces beheld me as my mind began to spin. The last thing I remembered was collapsing to the ground with the prince at my side.





A warm hand held mine. It was soft, smooth, and thin. Fingers brushed over my skin, back and forth, and I frowned when I detected the scent of roses, then the feel of smooth cream rolling across my palm. Someone was putting lotion that smelled of flowers on my hand?

My eyes fluttered open.

I blinked, then blinked again. Surely, I was dreaming, or dead and dreaming if dreams were possible for the deceased, because Queen Lissandra sat at my side in the Exorbiant Chamber. A beautiful scarf covered her head. The rich blue silk reminded me of the shawls I’d often worn back home to hide my hair.