The Frozen Prince (The Beast Charmer #2) - Maxym M. Martineau Page 0,76
and I itched to rip it off and allow my true self to be free.
No. Shaking my head, I slipped my hand into my pocket to remove the thing from sight. Thinking like that was dangerous.
Right as we reached the Zeelahs, a strange beast lowered from the tree on a series of vines. Leena peered at us from a cage in its belly, and I froze.
She took one look at me and immediately thrust her hands through the bars. “Wait! I’m fine. I swear.” Just as she said that, the cage splintered in half and she stepped out. Scratches marred her skin, but she seemed otherwise unharmed. She cradled a glowing fruit in her hands, and she rushed toward us.
“I got it.” Her smile was so genuine it chased away the frustration coiling inside of me. “I also tamed a beast. This is Tok.”
“Tok?” Ozias inched closer. A bold vine shot out and touched his nose. “What kind of beast is it?”
“I’m not sure. Never seen one before. When I send him back to the realm, my bestiary will update. For now, though, let’s make sure this stays safe.” She held the ruska fruit as if it were breakable.
The anxiety of seeing her caged ebbed with her smile. Running a hand through my hair, I studied her prize. “Will it keep long enough for us to get to Silvis’s Ruins?”
She shrugged. “I think it will be fine. Yazmin didn’t mention any need for it to be freshly picked. I don’t see how anyone could get it from here to there that quickly, anyway.”
“I’ll take it.” Ozias secured the fruit from her and gently carried it over to his Zeelah. With deft hands, he unfastened a side pocket of his saddlebag, wrapped the ruska fruit in cloth, and nestled it securely between what appeared to be a spare change of clothes. “That should do it.”
“Thanks.” Leena extended her hand, and the beast realm welcomed Tok home. Her fingers immediately went to her bestiary, and she stroked the pendant. No doubt eager to read about her newest addition.
Kost swung his leg over his Zeelah and righted himself in the saddle. “There’s a small trading town a few days to the east of here. Let’s travel quickly. The nights are getting colder, and we’ve got to think about what it will take to get to Silvis’s Ruins.”
Leena’s fingers paused. “I’m not sure I follow.”
A ghostly chill raced over my skin. “It means we’ll have to pass through Wilheim.”
Three pairs of eyes rounded on me. There was no other way to get to the ruins. We were close to the ocean here, and the trading town would provide temporary lodging, but there were no docks or easy places to land along the mountainous coast of Glacial Springs. Perpetually lost in snow, the freezing range would be devastating to try to pass during the winter months, which left one point of entry: Wilheim. Through the dangerous walls under constant watch of Sentinels. Through the back alleys of the city with a thousand lights. Our shadows didn’t stand a chance.
Kost grimaced. “Exactly. We’ve ventured through the city once before undetected, but now…” His gaze pointedly slid to my ring. “Your glamour isn’t exactly holding up like it used to.”
“I know.” I flexed my hand. “But it’s the only way.”
He adjusted his glasses and gave a tight nod. “We’ll keep a low profile and blend in with the locals. Draw as little attention as possible.”
“Agreed.” Swallowing the rock in my throat, I hoisted myself onto my Zeelah and steeled my churning gut. One way or another, we’d get to Silvis’s Ruins. We’d remove this oath. And then we’d be on with our lives away from the people of Wilheim.
But as we rode away from Oslo’s Ruins, disappointment not entirely my own threaded through my gut, and the vision of a hissing snake flooded my mind. Zane was far from pleased with my desire to cast away the crown. Regardless, his blood would never have the chance of returning to the throne if we didn’t make it out of Wilheim alive.
Seventeen
Calem
The ceiling in Kaori’s quarters was the lightest shade of blue. I suppose it was painted that way to inspire a sort of tranquility, but considering I’d gotten overly familiar with it after having my ass handed to me time and time again, it didn’t really have that effect on me. Wincing, I sat up on the cool tile and rubbed my lower back. Pain flared beneath my