echoed between us as we made our way back to the Court of Frost’s castle. A darkness had overtaken Orion. For all of his Midnight powers, he’d never truly appeared as though he was a part of their Court. He’d been too compassionate, too sane, too gentle. He was anything but that now. Even in his silence, I could sense the dark force within him. There was no denying it, no hiding it.
And surprisingly, Sorrell wasn't much better. No matter how much he preached against Cress, his anger was nearly as potent as mine. His very skin was whiter than ice, nearly blue as frost crept up over the side of his neck, inching forward. Every step he took left a path of ice in his wake. None of us could control it—the emotions swirling within our bodies demanding restitution.
“We need to get back,” I said, stopping in the corridor just outside of the Court of Frost’s throne room. “We have to go after her.”
Neither of them said a word, but their strides did slow and stop alongside mine. I closed my eyes and forced my anger back. I grabbed each of their arms and yanked them along with me. Shoving until they both slammed into the wall.
“Wake the fuck up!” I yelled. “We are in no position for this. We need to figure out what we’re going to do. We have to form a plan of attack.” Cress was depending on me, she was depending on us.
Sorrell blinked at me, a light seeming to reenter his eyes, though not fast enough for my liking. Orion remained expressionless.
“It’s time to fucking go,” I gritted out. When, once again, neither of them said a word, my Royal fire burned out of control, and for the first time since I was a child incapable of controlling my powers, I lost it. I roared as fire licked against my scalp, and turning, I slammed my fist into a nearby stone wall. So many turbulent emotions were pent up.
I didn’t think. I just reacted to all of it. I pivoted, grabbed onto Orion, and yanked him towards me, shoving my face into his.
"You think this is going to help Cress?” I demanded. “It’s not. We need to go out, find her, and get her back. And I swear to you, Orion—throne brother of mine or not—I will kill your blood brother if it’s the last thing I do. I will not settle for less. He took what is mine.”
Orion blinked and I could feel something seeping from his pores as a darkness wafted over my skin. “Ours,” he rasped.
For a moment, relief poured through me. “Yes,” I agreed. “She’s ours, and we need to get her back.” I took a deep breath and fixed him with a look. “Don’t make me do it alone. I need you.” I knew he cared for her as I did. There was no one else I would want at my back than my throne brothers.
“You are not going alone,” Sorrel said as he stepped up alongside Orion and me. His cool, icy gaze traveled over us both. “I’m coming as well.”
Orion didn’t look at him, not even when I took my hands back and released him from the wall. The three of us stood in a semi circle and there was a jagged piece of us missing—a piece I hadn’t realized was so important until that moment. Her. She was everything. And perhaps I’d just been claiming her as my fiancée and future Crimson Princess to protect her in the hostile frozen Court of Sorrell’s ancestors, but the truth was, I expected to marry her. I wanted her. They wanted her.
And there was nothing that would stop us from taking her back.
I dragged in a lungful of air. “We must speak to the Queens,” I said.
Sorrell and Orion both nodded, and together we turned and moved towards the throne room.
We stopped just inside the entryway and my eyes widened at what I saw. The Frost and Crimson Queens sat, side by side, entertaining their guests from their thrones, seemingly unconcerned, or perhaps unaware, of what had occurred at the Run of the Gods. It didn’t take long, however, for them to notice our presence.
“Roan,” my mother bid me, lifting her hand towards me as she beckoned me to her side. “Is the Run over already?” Her lips tilted up into a half smirk and already, I sensed her thoughts. She likely believed that our early arrival must have