“Where will you go?” Wrenley asks.
“I don’t know. The idea of abandoning my city kills me, but there’s no way to fight this.”
Farron and I exchange a glance. Go to Castletree. That should be the answer. Why else did the Queen make it so large and vast? Why else create a road from each capital to the castle? But now those roads are overrun with briars and goblins. And even if the people were to make it there, what would they find? Thorny halls and cursed nights? The new High Prince?
We have failed our people.
We have failed our people so greatly.
“Send them to Summer,” I say quickly. “I’ll help you guide them.”
Tilla gives me an almost pitying expression. “There’s something you need to see.”
She guides us around another corner until I feel a trickle of fresh air. There’s a small, curved opening in the rock.
She nods for me to proceed.
Outside, I can peer beyond the walls of Keep Hammergarden, past the Meadowmere Forest and the field of flowers where I’m meant to meet Kel. I can even see the start of the Equinox Passage that cuts through the mountains between Spring and Summer. But right before it are rows and rows of troops. They fly the flag of Spring, but it isn’t only Kairyn’s soldiers or the Queen’s Army camped. There are leagues of goblins, forces of the Below.
Kairyn’s been preparing this for a long time, and based on their direction, he isn’t just planning to overtake Spring.
No.
His next target is the Summer Realm.
103
Rosalina
Kairyn raises the Hammer of Hope just in time to block Ezryn’s sword.
Kel steps in front of me. “Lift your bow, Rose.”
I do as he says, my hands shaky on the grip.
The Sapphire and Bronze Knight immediately charge at Ez, defending their master.
“Get back! He’s mine,” Kairyn screams, pulling his hammer away from Ez’s blade before swinging it down again. Ez jumps back, avoiding the attack, then charges.
The knights stagger backward before setting their sights on Kel and me. Kel holds his hands together; an icy blue light radiates between them. “All right then. You two are mine.”
The knights run. My heart bursts in my chest as I raise the bow. I know what to do. I did it before at the tower. If I can’t do this, they’ll kill my mate.
A glowing arrow appears as I pull back the string. But the knights are too close to Ezryn. He and Kairyn fly across the Hall of Vernalion, moving too fast for me to track. If I miss—
“Now, Rose!” Kel yells.
I close my eyes and cry out, releasing the string. My first thought is how ashamed Dayton would be of me: Always keep your eyes open. The second is I’ve gone too wide. My radiant arrow smashes against the far side of the throne room, stone exploding with the impact. The knights exchange a single glance behind before resuming their charge.
Then they’re upon us. Kel lunges forward, hands moving with such speed, I can barely follow. He has no weapon, but he is a weapon. A line of dagger-sharp icicles shoot up from the ground, snaring the Bronze Knight. Then a spray of ice knives dance toward the Sapphire Knight but his sword smashes through them, and they fall to the floor.
A lance cracks over the icicles, and the Bronze Knight attacks on Kel’s right side. He blocks with a quickly made ice shield, but it shatters instantly. Then he’s dodging the Sword of the Protector, sliding underneath, sending a blustering icy wind to throw the knights off balance. Left, right, left, right, Kel blocks one attack only to dodge another.
I raise the bow again. “Come on, come on, come on.” But everyone’s moving so fast. I’d only just mastered a still target. How am I supposed to get one that’s running and dodging and getting thrown down by a burst of ice?
At the back of the throne room, Ez and Kai move in sync, each blow of the sword or hammer blocked by the other. Every movement of Ezryn’s is fused with rage and agony. They’re locked too close together, I could never hit Kairyn without the radial blast damaging Ez.
Kel needs my help. Even lacking his sword, he’s holding up for now. A blast of freezing air shoots out, staggering the Bronze Knight for a moment. Kel turns his attention to the other one.
Now. I don’t think. I draw up my bow, pull back my string, breathe out. Release.
A radiant arrow flies through the air and lands short, just at the Bronze Knight’s feet. But the arrow creates a blast of light, sending the Bronze Knight flying and slamming against a stone pillar.
I refrain from doing a little jump of joy. But it would have been undeserved, anyway; the knight staggers up, helm thrown off, revealing the sickening, sunken face. His bulging eyes train on me.