it. Immediately the manacles fell from my wrists, and my arms felt like they were floating without the weights. Once the air hit my wounds, I sucked in my breath and held it from the ache.
I could hear my mother’s voice.
“Use it, Rosalie. Use the pain.”
And I did.
Aspen’s mouth worked, and like Eden, I could see him begin to form a spell. He was no match for me.
In a weakened state, I was still a mighty force to be reckoned with, and I didn’t give Aspen a chance to fight me. With a flick of my wrist, I flung him across the room into the workbench, knocking him out cold.
“Whoa!” Eden squeaked. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
“Let’s go!” I snapped, angered at how quickly I had defeated my brother. It shouldn’t have been this easy. It should never have come to this.
We left Allemar’s workroom and came into a long hall. His rooms were actually an old armory tower and were quite a distance from the main palace living quarters. Eden turned, grabbing my sleeve and trying to lead me out the side door and to freedom. Gobbersnot waddled out after us, holding a bag filled with what I could only assume were more dead things.
“No.” I shrugged her off. “I’m not finished.
“Rosalie, you are in no shape to fight. Let’s go now. Fight another day.”
“Not until I bring the kingdom of Florin to its knees,” I vowed. My words held power, and I could feel the powers of the moon and stars listening in, hearing my plea.
“Uh-oh,” Eden murmured. “The ice queen is back.”
“And she’s livid,” I seethed.
Storming into the throne room, I expected to confront the king, but the room was empty. So was the study. In fact, very few people or servants were around, and the ones I did find were quickly packing their belongings.
“What’s going on?” Eden asked, grabbing a maid by her elbow.
“They’re here,” she said, fear filling her voice, but didn’t elaborate.
“Who is?” I questioned, but the servant grabbed her bundle of clothes and ran.
A retinue of guards jogged past us in full armor, swords drawn, and headed out into the courtyard. As I searched the palace for the king, we continued to run across soldiers preparing for war and servants preparing to flee.
“He’s not here,” I said once I’d searched the king’s personal study off his suite.
“Rosalie,” Eden called, waving me over to the window.
I followed and could see the great mass of soldiers lining up in the courtyard two stories below us. Archers were in place along the wall, waiting. Not once in our search did I even think to look outside.
But that wasn’t where Eden was pointing. She directed my gaze out past the palace walls to the hills beyond.
The field was covered with blue specks of moving flowers—no, not flowers. Soldiers in blue uniforms marching across the field. It was Baist!
“What are they doing here?” I muttered, but my heart soared. If the army was here, that meant Xander was probably down on that field as well. Had he come for me?
Then I remembered what he’d said. Baist wasn’t as large a kingdom as Florin; their armies had nowhere near the strength or the magical artillery at their disposal.
“No!” I gasped when I realized what this could mean. They would be slaughtered.
Running out of the king’s room, I stumbled down the stairs, Eden on my heels as we barged out the front doors and into the midst of chaos. As frenzied as the inside of the palace was, this was worse. How had I not heard the trumpets blaring, the troop leaders shouting orders, and the chainmail as soldiers ran to prepare for war? I had become tunnel-visioned in my desperation for justice.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a group of servants carrying large potato sacks between two outbuildings; from their fearful glances at one another, I knew they were escaping. They must know of a hidden exit. Motioning to Eden that we follow, we used glamour on our clothes and quickly blended into the mass of servants.
I was right; they headed down into a cellar and rolled a keg away from the wall to reveal a hidden tunnel. One of the girls held out a torch to the first woman and she ran ahead, lighting the way for the others to follow. I grabbed Eden’s hand and we followed the lead girl through a twisting cave. Just when I thought there wouldn’t