My boots kick up sand as I run fast down the hall. But there are small footprints in the dust, dozens of them—all leading to the Summer Prince’s room.
10
Dayton
I’ve woken up in some unusual places with unique company. Like in that rowboat with a mermaid tail wrapped around my legs—I swear she didn’t have fins when we fell asleep. Or on shore, completely naked, head filled with memories of a silky-haired woman, but only seals on the horizon.
But today has to be the absolute fucking worst.
Passed out for an afternoon nap, I’d heard my door open, then felt a shift on my bed. My delirious mind had pictured Rosalina crawling in beside me. Instead, I turned to face a damned goblin.
Now, standing on my bed, surrounded by a pack of five goblins blazing with green flame, my hand burned from trying to punch one, I’d be lying if I said my prospects weren’t a little precarious.
A goblin lunges at me and I rip down the gauzy canopy. It smothers the creature, but then the whole thing goes up like a green bonfire. Fuck.
Summoning Summer’s Blessing, I bring forth a tide of water, knocking the creature back. I just wish my magic didn’t feel so far away. Here at Castletree, my magic should be at its strongest.
One of the goblins breaks off and goes to inspect my swords on the side table.
“You stay away from those, you moss-ridden asshole,” I yell.
It turns to me, hissing, then knocks them off the table like a disgruntled cat before brandishing its own weapon, a glistening silver dagger. There’s something familiar about that steel—
One of them lunges, grazing my calf. Fuck, I’ve got to get out of here. Got to find Rosie.
I strike two of them with a gust of wind and leap through the opening, heading for my blades.
One of them blocks my path. “Not so scary without your swords, are you, Prince of the Arena?”
I manage to escape the swipe of its blade, my fingers grasping my swords, when a sharp pain cuts against my back. The familiar wetness of my own blood drips down my spine. I groan, doubling over.
“Dayton!”
Rosalina stands in my doorway, and I don’t even have time to be frightened for her, because the instant I see her face, I know it’s the goblins who should be afraid.
Her delicate features shift into a snarl, and her hair is a wild tangle. “Don’t touch him!”
The flame goblins all turn to her, chittering, but it dies when the heavy energy of magic crackles in the room. Dies when Rosalina’s eyes transform from brown to pure fucking gold. And for a single moment in that flash of light, dressed in the Summer training garb, she looks like an ancient hero in the Sun Colosseum. My heart all but stops.
Golden briars erupt from the ground, tear through the ceiling, and strike the goblins. They don’t even have a chance to run before they’re pierced by the sharp thorns and ensnared completely.
Rosalina lets out a gasp and drops to her knees. “Remove their heads,” she says. “They’re under similar magic as Perth’s soldiers. They’ll come back to life if we don’t do that.”
She doesn’t have to tell me twice. Quickly, I grab my blades and relieve the goblins of their heads. They turn to ash as I do. When the last one fades away, Rosalina drops to all fours, the briars crashing to the ground with her.
I kneel before her. “You saved me, Blossom.”
The briars remain, and golden roses bloom among the leaves. Just like the ones that destroyed Lucas on the Autumn battlefield. She hasn’t been able to summon that magic since, but here it is today. Here to protect me.
“One of the goblins mentioned they were looking for something,” she pants. “Do you have any idea what it might be?”
“Could they know about the High Tower? Our roses? Maybe they’re trying to destroy them.”
“No, High Tower hasn’t been breached. And they didn’t want anything in the library.” Rosie’s fingers curl into the sand on my floor. Then her eyes widen. “They’re in the Winter Wing. Earlier, you mentioned Kel’s sword was blessed by the Queen herself. Could they be after that?”
“Only one way to find out.” I help her up, and we take off to the main corridor. There, running from the Spring Wing, are Marigold and several other staff.
“The castle is secure,” Marigold says. “The last pack of goblins ran from the Winter Wing and out the front door.”
I exchange a glance with Rosie. “Can you run?”
She nods, seeming to have caught her breath.
“Then let’s go.”