Page 32 of A Bond of Ice and Glass
Coughing, I rush over to the window and press my hands against the warm stone. Ice spreads beneath my palms, cracking and spreading out in intricate patterns. My breath hitches.
No, no, no, no. This can’t be real. Not again. Not again!
Everything is on fire. Panic flares through me as black flames cover the grounds below, melting everything until nothing but ash remains. A horn bellows by the gates, signalling the alarm, while bells toll in the distance.
We’re under attack.
Women and children scream as they scramble for safety, and guards rush to man the gate. A watch tower crumbles and crushes several people under its weight. More screams as magic crackles in the air—thick, dark, heavy. Then I see it.
The sigil burning in the ash on the ground.
The two dragons devouring each other, one breathing fire while the other breathes roses. It’shissigil.
My heart thrashes against my ribs. Erax has finally come to take me away again.No, please gods, no!
Behind me, the door bursts open, and I whip around. Noble storms into my room, his entire body covered in blood and ash. Even his blond hair has been stained black from it all.
“Maelena!” He wipes the blood from his sword on his cloak. “You need to stay here. Don’t leave this room. Do you understand?”
“What’s happening?” I ask, despite knowing already.
I just need to hear it. To make this nightmare real, even though I don’t want to.
“An attack,” Noble answers curtly. He strides to the window and sweeps his gaze over the chaos. His expression isn’t surprised or horrified. It’s calculating, like he’s fought a million battles before and won them all. “We’ll handle it. Just… stay here.”
I stare at the muscle thrashing in his jaw, giving away his unease.
He might be experienced in battle, but something tells me even he wasn’t prepared for this attack so soon. Maybe they thought they had more time to prepare.
“You’re lying.”
His jaw tenses. He doesn’t look away from the window. “You’ll be safe in here.” He slides me a grin, winking at me. “You have the best warrior in the realm protecting you.”
Even in moments like this, he’s still trying to lighten the tension with a joke.
I can’t find it in me to smile back. I’m close to passing out.
“Where’s Loch?”
Noble nods towards the window. “Warding the gates.”
I follow his gaze, but smoke chokes the view. Flames dance across the rooftops. The gates are gone behind the blaze, swallowed in chaos.
All I can see is ruin. All I can hear is screaming.
So many screams…
It’s like that night all over again when Erax came for me.
When he tore my world apart and dragged me into a prison worse than death.
I won’t survive that again. Iwon’tgo back. I’d rather throw myself from this window than let him take me.
Noble’s hand lands on my shoulder. I flinch, twisting away before I can stop myself. His jaw tightens, but instead of anger, there’s something else in his eyes. Something that looks like… regret. Or maybe guilt. It vanishes as he lowers his arm.
“I won’t let him hurt you again.” His voice is low, rough. “He’ll have to go through me first, and I don’t plan on dying anytime soon.”
He means it. I can feel it. But before I can speak?—
