The Frozen Prince (The Beast Charmer #2) - Maxym M. Martineau Page 0,83

either side of the gate. Countless more along the top of the wall,” Kost muttered under his breath, gaze bouncing from Sentinel to Sentinel.

Lust died, and I inched closer to Noc. Every Sentinel looked identical: covered from head to toe in gleaming metal armor. Polished like swords and sharpened to kill with swiftness and surety. Noc had once told me they were a by-product of Mavis’s blood, much like Zane had been to the assassins. I’d never had a personal run-in with the Sentinels, but I’d heard enough horror stories rambled over ales at Midnight Jester. Strong. Fast. Lethal. The recounts were always the same.

“Breathe,” Noc whispered against my ear. “Act like we’re out for a nice walk.”

With a slow breath, I straightened and angled my chin high. Noc slid his arm around my waist and put a lazy smile on display. Oz and Kost wore disinterested expressions, and as we approached the open ivory gates, not a single Sentinel glanced our direction. We joined the line of Wilheimians entering the city and kept our lips sealed. And then we were in. No warning flares or sudden shouts from the guards. Just happy laughter and mundane conversation from the locals. Oz stuck close to my open side, and Kost fell into step beside Noc.

Kost leaned close and offered a false grin. “We’re in the clear.”

Noc let out a quiet laugh as if Kost had just said something amusing. “For now. Follow my lead.”

With Noc’s warm hand on my hip and the security of Oz beside me, I took in Wilheim’s splendor for the first time in my life. Glimmering bricks of salmon, daffodil, and tangerine made up the palette for the buildings. Roofs of all different shapes were covered in gardens, with vibrant greens spilling over windows and giving birds a place to nest. Waterways with crystal streams divided a maze of marble pathways, and slow-moving canoes leisurely paddled in the still waters. Trees with pink blossoms were planted at every intersection, and despite the winter chill, not a single petal dropped from the smooth white branches.

“Queen’s Heart,” Noc said. His gaze followed mine to the closest tree. “They say Adeline, Mavis’s mother, planted the first one after her daughter’s death. They’ve been growing steadily ever since with no signs of dying out.”

“Gorgeous.” My voice was barely a whisper.

Noc pinned me with his stare. “Yes.” After a long moment, his gaze swept away, tripping over shops and people. A dark shadow flickered through his eyes, and his hand on my waist tightened a fraction.

“Noc.” I placed my hand over his. “Do you miss this? Miss home?”

He let out a dismissive grunt, but there was a slight tightening of his jaw. “This isn’t home. Home is Cruor. And right now, getting us through here safely and back is all I care about.”

I couldn’t bring myself to believe him. I knew how badly it had hurt to be cast away from Hireath, to lose the people and home I’d always known. Even if his family was gone, there were still memories here. Perhaps a childhood friend lingering on a street corner, or a battle-scarred brother from the royal army who he’d shared life-threatening moments with. Noc may have been hesitant to admit it, but I could see the masked longing. The way he shifted, the slight pain flickering in the dark depths of his gaze. How often he forced himself to swallow. The ever-increasing pressure from his fingers on my hip.

It was one thing to bury the past and walk away, but when the truth resurfaced, there was no denying every unraveling, unspoken feeling that came with it. Anyone would come undone.

We continued down the marble paths until they opened to a wide, circular courtyard with fresh-cut lawns. White rosebushes drenched in crystals tossed blinding light into the air, and an elegant tiered fountain showered the area in a fine spray of mist. On the highest layer, a man carved out of stone kneeled with his crowned head tucked to his chest. With one arm over his heart and the other pressed flat to the ground, he was the complete picture of reverence.

“The First King.” Noc paused, and Kost and Oz stalled a few feet away. “Receiving his blessing from the gods.”

I came up empty for words, and instead basked in the silence. Noc didn’t seem to mind. Endless gaze locked on the hand over the man’s heart, he didn’t move. Didn’t speak. An angry muscle feathered down his neck and spasmed