Princess of Frost - Mila Young Page 0,7
prince is, but he is also the most unattainable man in the world.
He denies any princesses who arrive at his door, which always makes me laugh, as it's meant to be the men courting the females. Apparently, Prince Eryk has ancient roots tied directly to the last witch, and many believe he holds the key to finally eliminating the hobgoblins. Rumors also talk about him possessing more magic than just a poisonous touch with plants. Though no one has mentioned what that could be, I suspect the stories are fabricated lies, because if he possesses such power, why hasn’t he used it?
Of what little I know of the prince, he is a man who keeps to himself. The select few maids who serve him meals are trained to speak with respect, be silent and unseen, and never look him in the eyes.
Well, I broke that rule today. When someone tells me not to do something, my body automatically does it. And this is why I’m kept on dishwasher duty.
I sigh and hold onto my torn bag, then hurry through the night.
Cold seeps under my clothes and I tremble, so I move faster.
The corner of my mouth stings, and I lick at the wound. It's bound to look puffy and bruised.
Light from the torches glistens across the snow, and darkness shimmers beyond the track. Trees crowd the hedges, having overgrown to where they resemble arches overhead, and still snow cascades around me like a white curtain.
I pause for a moment and look over my shoulder, the castle looming in the shadows like a giant. Light beams from windows high in the towers. What would it be like to live in the actual castle? I’d hate it, I am sure of it. Eating what I wanted anytime of the day, wearing glamorous gowns, and having a hot bath. Oh, life must be so hard. I laugh under my breath.
The wind whistles in my ears, and I lower my chin against the weather. I’ll reach home soon enough and won’t risk using my ability to push the cold away.
At the age of ten, I was caught using my power to call snow on a bright sunny day. A man witnessed me and threatened to drag me to the castle to collect his reward from the kingdom. An older lady from town, Meg, came to my rescue and batted the man over the head with her broom, accusing him of drinking too much again and making up stuff.
She knows my secret, has kept it from the world, and offered me food and shelter when I lived on the streets. Now I reside next door to her. She is the closest thing to a mother I'll ever have. My mother died shortly after I was born, as did my grandmother, and a family in town took pity on me as a baby and cared for me. But when I came of age and they grew too old to care for me, I moved onto the streets. I know almost nothing about my family and I don’t even know where their bodies are buried.
Abruptly, a thundering thump erupts behind me, coming so unexpectedly, I startle.
Whipping around, I stand face-to-face with a monstrous man, towering over me, two times my width.
I stumble backward as he snorts, hot wisps of air floating from the corners of his mouth and over his tusks.
That's when I realize this isn't a man... A whimper slides past my throat, and I'm recoiling with dread chewing on my insides. I can't think straight.
He heaves for air, staring at me with large black eyes. Facial hair covers his chin, and the cords in his neck pulse from the way he clenches his jaw. He’s dressed in a black hide jerkin and matching pants.
I saw one of these creatures years ago from a distance, but now this monster stands so close I can feel the heat radiating from his body. Skin pasty with a yellow glow, he sneers, his wide nostrils flaring as he sniffs the air.
"Magic!" he snarls, sounding guttural, as if forming human words is a struggle.
I keep retreating from him when my back hits a wall... a hobgoblin wall of muscle, more specifically.
My heart stops and I can't breathe. All I can picture is being pulled apart by these creatures and eaten. They devour humans in stews, gnaw on our bones. Many females are used for rutting because their women aren't producing offspring. That's the real reason the hobgoblins want to take