Page 36 of Frost Bound

Or maybe she was as cursed as she’d always been.

Chapter Thirteen

Neve

The fartherhe traveled from Florrant, the more he regretted his decision of taking a humanloviaye.

They’d only been on the road for seven hours when the princess began to wilt like a sick flower. Humans weresoweak. He cursed underneath his breath when she slumped even lower in the saddle. Neve had wanted to make it closer to Loriia’s border before stopping. He’d been gone long enough, and Flyka had spotted several men tailing them. He didn’t want to deal with more assassins.

Sighing, he edged up next to Eyri, who kept wiping rain from his spectacles.

“We need to stop for the night,” he said in Loriian.

His cousin squinted. “So soon? I thought you’d want to put more space between us and Florrant.”

Olwen slowed so his pace matched their own. “What’s the plan?”

“We stop in Umberje for the night. This way, we can choose where our followers catch up with us. Preferably with the princess tucked in for the night.”

His best friend chuckled. “Hiding her from the truth of what backstabbing creatures her family really are?”

“No.” He didn’t care what she thought. “I don’t want her to accidentally be killed before we get into Loriia.”

“But her death is acceptable if we’re in our own kingdom?” Eyri asked, arching a brow.

“It’s less dangerous for usifsuch a thing were to happen in Loriia.” He nodded to Olwen. “Will you go on ahead of us and find a suitable place?”

His friend pursed his lips. “I don’t like leaving you behind with so little protection, sire.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“As you say.” Olwen flicked the reins and his mount picked up speed, soon disappearing from view.

The rain continued to fall, but Neve welcomed it. It helped soothe the fire raging within. He’d been uncomfortable in Astera. It was much too hot for his taste.

“You’re angry,” Eyri commented, water droplets rolling down his spectacles. “Why?”

“The consequences of my decision are dawning on me.”

“She doesn’t seem so bad.”

Neve’s brow furrowed. “You’ve known the little mouse for all of ten hours.”

“She hasn’t complained once.” Eyri shrugged. “I heard thatsaloesdon’t like rain.”

He opened his mouth to argue when a haunting melody reached his ears.

Crying to the stars but they don’t hear my plea.

A darkened night, one whisper away from breaking.

Fighting for life but no one hears me.

Light is just a figment of imagining.

Death is calling but I cannot pay his fee.

The hair along Neve’s arms rose at the spellbinding aria that poured out of the princess. He’d heard nothing like it before. How did something so powerful come from an entity so small? He shivered, and he blamed it on the rain dripping down his spine.

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