Page 114 of Frost Bound

So apparently she did need an invitation. Dahlia lifted the hem of her dress and ascended the five stairs to stand before Neve. He held out his hand and she took it. His warm touchcurled over her shaking fingers and tugged gently. She let him reel her in and pull her onto his lap.

He leaned close, and brushed his lips along the junction between her shoulder and neck. “Lean back and relax, Lia,” he breathed onto her skin.

Her body tingled, and she tried not to shift on his lap, but did what she was told. He lifted her legs behind her knees, and draped her legs over the arm of his throne. The whole affair felt too informal and scandalous, but she didn’t fight him.

Her nerves ratcheted up a notch and she inhaled deeply through her nose, taking comfort in Neve’s cedar scent.

Hundreds of eyes were on her, but she didn’t buckle. Sweat dripped down the back of her neck as a well-dressed warrior addressed the crowd and listed off Lumi’s crimes.

“For these crimes against our crown andreilleve, Lumi, sister to the Blade of the Frost Throne, is sentenced to death or exile amongst thesaloes. Unless someone speaks up on her behalf.”

You could have heard a pin drop.

No one spoke up.

Lia waited for Neve to speak, and he said nothing.

This is wrong. You must speak up.

Dahlia waited one second longer before saying, “I’ll speak on her behalf.”

The king’s thighs stiffened beneath her, but other than that, he didn’t react. The warrior turned to the throne. “You wish to speak on behalf of your attacker, my lady?”

Swallowing hard, she found her voice. “Yes. Our dear Lumi has suffered much at the hands ofsaloes. My people caused this. I do not fault her for her rage and hurt. I don’t believe violence is the answer to such problems, but sometimes it controls us, not the other way around. The punishment does not fit her crime.”

Neve could have been a stone behind her.

“What would you wish upon her,reilleve?” the warrior asked.

She locked gazes with Lumi. “First, I wish for her to find peace.” Murmurs broke out among the people. “Secondly,” she continued over the whispers, “I wish for her to work along the southern borders, harvesting with the humans.”

The crowd fell silent.

“Hard labor instead of execution or banishment, my lady?” the warrior questioned.

“Banishment to Astera is a death of its own. I want Lumi to learn how to control her pain and anger through hard work. But I also want her to see that not allsaloesare evil.”

The warrior bowed. “Very wise. What say you,reillov?”

Neve clicked his nails along the throne’s armrest. “I support myreillevein this decision. Let it be done.”

The warrior picked Lumi off her knees and helped her limp through the crowd.

Lia watched her go, feeling no joy in her punishment. She prayed the king wouldn’t rip her head off for sending his only family away. She scanned the people, looking for anyone who was disgruntled, and froze as she spotted a familiar face.

You.

Jekket—the Giver’s right-hand man, stood in the crowd, staring straight at her. Her pulse galloped when he didn’t look away, and a slow smile spread across his face. Either Allium or the Giver had finally sent thehelpthey’d promised. She hadn’t imagined him shadowing her journey.

The monsters had truly arrived.

And they were there for her.

Chapter Forty-One

Neve

She’d spared his sister.

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