The Frozen Prince (The Beast Charmer #2) - Maxym M. Martineau Page 0,102
him a sharp nod. We were already short on time. Now, we didn’t have the ruska fruit or the Azad. But more than that, we didn’t have Noc. And none of this mattered if we didn’t have him by our side. Turning toward the cliff where Raven’s Fabric Spinner had been, I sent out a silent prayer that he’d keep fighting until we got to him. Because we would get to him.
And then Raven would be sorry she’d ever laid a hand on my anam-cara.
Twenty-Four
Leena
We only made it a handful of steps away from Glacial Springs when our plan to track the Fabric Spinner went to hell. Just as we approached the ridge where the beast had been, a heavy thud ricocheted through the mountain pass. As one, we froze. Had the Nix Ikari returned? Several more thuds crashed in the distance. Closer. The snowfall had thickened, making it difficult to see anything. I couldn’t sense a beast, but that hardly meant anything when it came to the legendary feline. She could appear without warning.
Panicked, I forced out a whisper. “What was that?”
Silver flashed momentarily several yards away and then disappeared.
Kost’s eyes narrowed. Then widened. He snatched my wrist and yanked me the opposite direction. “Sentinels.”
Oz cursed, calling forth his own weapons. “We need to move. Now!”
We never got the chance. Columns of blinding light erupted around us, and Wilheim’s prized soldiers manifested with their swords unsheathed. Our run-in with the Nix Ikari must have alerted them to our presence. My breathing turned shallow.
My gaze bounced from Sentinel to Sentinel. Fifteen. I had beasts, but sending them against a brigade of soldiers? At least one would surely die. Not to mention, asking them to attack a human? It was too reminiscent of the First War. My gut churned as I thought of Celeste’s watchful gaze. What would she do?
But Kost and Oz’s shadows wouldn’t work against these warriors of light. We’d nearly had our defenses burned to ash on a chance encounter with one after we’d outmaneuvered Darrien’s assassins. Only Kost’s wits had us escaping unscathed. But fifteen?
Out. We had to get out.
I tossed a quick glance at Kost and Oz. Their jaws were tight, fingers twitching. They leaned into their heels and were waiting, calculating. The last of the Sentinels had just fully emerged from his beam of light and raised the tip of his sword in our direction.
Kost whispered under his breath, “Leena, we’ll hold them off. You need to run.”
No. My heart jumped into my throat. I wouldn’t let them sacrifice themselves for me. My mind raced for an option, tearing through the pages of my bestiary. Maybe I could create a diversion.
And I had just the beast to do it.
“Sorry, Kost. Not gonna happen.” Thrusting my hand outward, I forced power into my symbol and opened the beast realm door. The groaning hinges howled like the winter wind, and Kost and Oz showed only the barest hints of recognition. I called on Iky, giving him the silent command to stay invisible. I felt rather than saw him appear beside me, his watery scent a welcome relief. His two-hour timetable clicked into place in my mind, and I gave the slimmest of nods.
It was all he needed.
He slipped through the night, footprints obscured by the ever-falling snow, and snuck behind the first Sentinel.
The solider glowered our direction. “Stand down. You’re to return with us at once to the capital.”
“For what reason? Visiting Glacial Springs isn’t illegal.” Kost held his ground, giving Iky time to slip into place.
The Sentinel grunted. “You’re charged with treason. King Varek will—”
He fell face-first into the ground before he could finish, as if something had yanked his feet out from under him. Then, he was being dragged backward across the snow by his ankles. His shouts climbed higher as he kicked in vain against a foe he couldn’t see, and I forced my expression to remain neutral. Kost and Oz glanced around at the distracted men. Took a few careful steps backward to see if they’d notice.
They were all too preoccupied with the mysterious force that was dragging their friend down the mountain slope. Two of the closest Sentinels turned to help him, dropping their swords in the snow and reaching for his hands. But as soon as they closed in, they too were bowled over by Iky’s invisible limbs.
“It’s Iky,” I whispered once the Sentinels had all turned their attention downhill. “We should move. Now.”