Page 34 of Frost Bound

“That’s not necess?—”

Dahlia gasped as an enormous pair of hands settled on her waist from behind, his fingers overlapping. She hadn’t even heard the monster approach. The giant tossed her up onto the mount and she latched on to the horse’s mane, almost falling off the other side. She blew her hair out of her face and straightened. It would have really hurt to fall off the other side.

She whipped around to curse out the devil, but found herself almost eye-to-eye with the blackguard who kept throwing glares her way. If there was one thing Dahlia hated, it was bullies. She shuddered, trying to hold his pitch gaze. It was like peering through the gates of hell.

“That was unnecessary,” she clipped out.

He blinked slowly, his lips thinning, but otherwise said nothing.

Despite her fear, she jerked as she noticed how haphazardly her skirts were strewn about. Frantically, Dahlia tugged at the dress to make sure it covered her legs. Luckily, she’d worn hose beneath the gown, but the need to hide her legs was ingrained in her.

She struggled for a moment, and yelped when the giant yanked her skirt down, his claws tearing through the delicate green material. Dahlia reflexively kicked at him, and he caught her booted foot. Fear swirled in her gut as he bared his fangs, a hair-raising growl that caused her to lean away from him. The brute dropped her foot and grabbed the front of her dress, jerking forward so they were eye-to-eye.

“Watch yourself,valles,” he hissed, the words heavily accented.

His voice rang in her ears, overlapping with the memory of the threat the night before. Dahlia began to shake, and the blood drained from her face. This was the giant who’d threatened to kill her. He looked as if he wanted to rend her limb from limb.

“Let go,” she managed, hating how his claws held on to the top of her corset, his claws pressing between her breasts.

“Arun!” the pale female giant barked from atop her own mount.

The bastard released the top of her dress, and it took everything inside Lia to straighten and not cower. He hissed, and then stalked away. Her fingers clenched hard against the reins. If this was how one got treated as a princess, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like as a regular Asteran. She glanced around, noting that it was a sea of shaggy horses and blue-skinned beings. She would be well and truly alone. The king had denied any human servants to accompany her, leaving her alone with the giants. It was odd that a princess would travel without her own servants or protection.

The female giant sidled up to her and Dahlia swallowed hard. Between the female’s silvery hair and pale gray skin, she looked like every horror Lia had dreamed since the attack on her mother all those years ago. It was like life had been breathed into her nightmares and been given a body.

This one was a Haunt. One of the king’s famed warriors.

She’d known it the moment she’d stepped out from behind the queen. There would be at least one. She’d prepared herself for it during the two hours they’d waited for the Loriian delegation. It wasn’t any easier.

The Haunt considered her. “If you think he’s bad, he has nothing on me.”

Dahlia knew that firsthand. The Haunts had destroyed her family with cruelty and violence. “Understood.”

“Do you?” the female asked, her words less accented than Arun’s. This one dealt more with humans. Lia didn’t know if that made her more wary or slightly comforted.

“Yes.”

“Do you know what I am?”

A murderer. “One of the king’s champions.”

“I am his blade, his heart, vengeance, and shield. There is nothing I would not do for my king.”

Message received. The Haunt wouldn’t hesitate to kill Dahlia if she stepped out of line. It was laughable that the female giant perceived her as a threat. What was she compared to the Frost King? Sure, she could handle herself with a bow, and a dagger on occasion, but that meant nothing when dealing with real-life monsters. She could barely look at the king without wanting to run screaming in the other direction.

But the Haunt was right to be wary. Dahlia had been tasked with their destruction.

“And I am just an honored guest who wants the same things as your king.”

Another lie.

That seemed to smooth some of the giantess’ feathers. Lia didn’t want to cause trouble for the king. All she needed to do was keep her head down until she could formulate a plan and get to her mum and then Cosmos. The politics of kingdoms was of no consequence to her. The plan to flee as soon as they crossed into Loriia would no longer work now that Queen Allium knew of her mother. Dahlia’s heart clenched. Her mum had been through so much already. She couldn’t allow her to suffer anymore.

“As you say,” the Haunt replied. She lifted her chin and nodded toward the drawbridge. “You first, my lady.”

Dahlia pulled up her flimsy hood and urged her mount forward, following the Frost King. She gazed impassivelydown at the creatures peeking out of the moat water almost dispassionately. They didn’t terrify her like they used to. They were trapped as much as she was.

She released the breath she held when they reached the other side, the clack of hooves against stone ringing around them. Lia sat tall and scanned the area out of habit. Nowhere had ever truly been safe. Especially as a young woman traveling with a little boy.

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