Thorns of Frost (Fae of Snow & Ice, #2)

by Krista Street

I nearly snorted at that thought as the music continued around me while those remaining in the dining hall danced or chatted. Such a thought was ridiculous. The only time something that extreme happened was when . . . My eyes turned to saucers as my heart jolted. A fae male had found his mate.

He’d done it just tonight when he’d spoken of Lady Endalaver. “In that case, Lady Endalaver is about to realize what happens when someone messes with my⁠—” The word he’d been about to say was mate, but he’d stopped himself, because he knew I’d still been ignorant of the bond, and he was waiting for me to feel it. Or the time when he’d been in the healing infirmary. “When the time comes that you know, your question will be answered.” He’d been speaking of the mate bond then too—the bond that I’d been still ignorant of.

“I’m sorry,” Norivun said gruffly. “Fuck, Haxil. I almost . . . almost . . .” Such torment was written across his face. Haxil sat up, still rubbing his side, but he nudged Prince Norivun. “I know. It’s okay. Instincts in a male can be⁠—” Haxil cast a wary glance my way before he grunted and stood. He smiled at me sheepishly.

I sat stiffly on the couch, staring at the crown prince as my heart raced and my breathing grew shallow. The prince stayed on the floor, looking toward where his friend had lain, had almost died. He wouldn’t look at me. Wouldn’t answer the questions that my silence asked. I realized he wasn’t going to admit what happened, so finally I said, “How long have you known?” His shoulders rose sharply, his wings lifting above his head.

I knew I could deny it, could continue pretending that I didn’t know, but there was no running from fate. Inevitably, it caught you, and I would rather this moment be on my terms than his. “That I’m your mate?” I whispered. His breath stuttered, and his wings lifted more as his breathing grew faster. A moment passed and then another. “My prince?” I demanded. He met my gaze again, his eyes swimming with barely leashed wildness. It was a look I’d seen so many times in him over the past two months, so⁠— My breath caught.

He took another deep breath. “I created a small village here, hidden by so much illusion magic that nobody knows of its existence. Not the locals. Not my father. Not Nuwin. None of the council members. The only fae that know of what I’ve done here are my guards. Them and now you.” “Why would you do that?” “Because I may be the Death Master of the continent, but I’m not what everyone claims me to be. I bring fae here, fae I was supposed to execute, but they are fae that I cannot kill. I stopped murdering innocents a long time ago, but my father doesn’t know that.”

“Are you saying that my parents—” My throat grew dry, my tongue nearly paralyzed. “That my brother⁠—” But I couldn’t say it. I couldn’t even think it, because if I was wrong, and this was all one giant misunderstanding or some twisted game that he was doing for his amusement . . . It would destroy me. His eyes softened. “Yes. They’re alive, Ilara. They’ve always been alive. I never killed them.”

He wasn’t evil. He wasn’t my enemy. If anything, he was my family’s savior.

“This is your bedroom chambers? But isn’t it warded?” “Of course it is, but it’s never been warded to you.”

“I just don’t understand it, Cailis. How can this courtyard still be alive but that field dead? I did the exact same thing there as I did here. My affinity, if anything, is stronger now, so I don’t understand why the crops died.”

Boo boo... Its cause someone is killing/destroying the crops lol

“Just like some of the council members want us to do.” I pulled from her embrace and frowned as I turned to face her. “Just like some of the council members want us to do,” I repeated as my frown deepened.

Girl... Put two and two together....

“Cailis, I need to go. I need to find the crown prince and visit that field again.”

“I want to study that field again. Something tells me that it’s possible the lack of orem isn’t what’s killing the crops.”

I nibbled my lip and felt for my magic. Pain accompanied that attempt, but my magic still swirled in my gut. It was still there, but it didn’t rise readily. “My magic is . . .” I shook my head. “I don’t know what’s going on.” Norivun’s eyes shuttered. “We’re going back to the castle. Now.”

“It’s almost as if something is encapsulating her magic, like it’s suppressing it. It’s as though something in the Isalee field attacked her.”

I blinked, my chest heaving, as the remnants of Georgyanna’s power fully disappeared. And then I was staring at what lay before me, shivering in the brutal winter wind as reality refused to penetrate the dissipating fog from my brain. Standing above me, Georgyanna was wearing the crown. She dipped low into a curtsy, her fist to her chest as the crowd cheered around us.

Lady Meegana Ockson, daughter of Harrivee Territory, shall marry Lord William Waterline, son of Osaravee Territory.” Meegana blanched as the crowd cheered more. The king waved toward Beatrice. “And Lady Beatrice Leafton, daughter of Prinavee Territory, shall marry Lord Dameel Brusher, son of Mervalee Territory.” Cheers rose higher and higher. The king’s grin grew. “And of course, our runner-up shall not be left empty-handed.” King Novakin turned his malicious smile on me, and all of the sadistic pleasure he wore shone in that horrifying grin. “Ilara Seary, daughter of Mervalee Territory, shall marry Lord Arcane Woodsbury, the third son of Isalee Territory.”

“Of course, Krelahala. I’ve been waiting for you to join my clan and for you to learn who you really are.”