Page 21 of To Wake a Kingdom

“You’re lying,” I said. “What are you doing here? How did you find this place?”

“You were at the inn the other night,” Ronan said, his demeanor sobering as he bestowed me with a serious look. My lips pursed into a line scratched into hardened concrete.Shit. He remembered me. “And as I said, we were passing when we saw the castle and hoped we could stop for shelter. It is a long way to the next town, and we won’t make it there by nightfall. It appears a storm is brewing.”

“No.” I forged iron into my voice, hoping I sounded firm and in control of this rapidly deteriorating situation. “Absolutely not. You cannot stay here. You must leave this instant.”

Suddenly, Kianna was standing at my elbow. I hadn’t even noticed her move. “Your Highness.” She pinched my arm, and speculation flicked in Ronan’s eyes. I stifled a groan of frustration, wanting to pinch Kianna twice as hard for calling me that. “Don’t be so rude. Of course, these gentlemen and this lady should stay and join us for dinner. I hope you’ll forgive the simple fare. But you are welcome to what we have.”

Incredulous, I flayed Kianna with a glare hot enough to melt glaciers.

She ignored me as she dipped into a quick curtsy, so I dragged her behind the tree. “What the hell, Kianna? We can’t invite them inside. They’re going to see everyone asleep and start asking questions.”

“Maybe they can help,” Kianna said, her hands clasped over her heart, her expression as bottomless as a well full of wishes.

Fingers pinched to the bridge of my nose, I asked, “How can they possibly help?”

“I don’t know, but didn’t you say you have no idea how to break the curse? What harm could it do?”

Maybe she had a point.

“Just dinner, Your Highness.”

“Is everything okay? Should the rest of the trees in the forest be worried for their safety?” A deep voice drifted to our hiding place, accompanied by more snickers.

I tossed Kianna a dark look to convey the unending depth of my disapproval, and I stalked back around the tree, planting my hands on my hips.

“We would appreciate anything you can offer,” Ronan said now, his hand pressed to his heart. His words felt sincere, even if the corners of his mouth were turned up in amusement.

Five pairs of eyes watched me, expectant, waiting for my verdict.

“Fine,” I snarled at them. “Dinner, but you are not spending the night. Is that understood? I don’t care if you freeze to death. That isn’t my problem.”

Kianna nodded as I pinned her with another glare, her eyes dropping to her feet. I was about to turn away when Ronan reached for the sword at his hip. Kianna let out a small screech that mirrored my own, and we both jumped back as I shoved her behind me.

Ronan held up his empty hands. “Sorry, my lady. I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you’d like a sparring partner who can fight back?” He glanced at the tree I’d been attacking and then arched a dark eyebrow that had me warring between thinking it made him even more devastating and wanting to slap him for his impertinence. “I may know a trick or two.”

There was no doubt this man knew more than a trick or two. A scar bisected his eyebrow, and his large hands bore the marks of someone used to fighting. By his physique alone, no one would mistake him for anything but a seasoned warrior. He was almost a head taller than me, his broad shoulders filling out his armor like he’d been born with it on.

Still, I’d also learned a trick or two since I’d begun schooling myself in the fine art of swordplay.With a confident step forward, I nodded and pulled out my weapon. He did the same, and we circled. He blocked me with ease when I lunged. I tried swinging again and, as we sparred, it became rapidly clear he wasn’t even trying. I couldn’t get anywhere near him. I had learned nothing and was as helpless and useless as I’d always been.

Fury curdled thick in my limbs, and I was about to call a halt to this nonsense when he lunged for me, spinning the sword from my hand. To add to my humiliation, I tripped on the same fucking root and went down, a bolt of pain shooting up my spine and my teeth cracking so hard I felt it in the lining of my skull. It took every ounce of will I possessed not to throw a toddler-sized tantrum.

To his credit, Ronan didn’t gloat. I wasn’t sure if it was good manners or an attuned sense of self-preservation. The rest of his companions weren’t so considerate, each of them staring at the ground, their shoulders shaking with tightly restrained laughter. Kianna gave me a smile that was one part apology and one part apprehension, knowing I was furious. Ronan offered a hand, but I ignored it and stood, picking my sword up and sheathing it with an irritated grunt.

My shoulders squared, I turned and marched toward the castle, not waiting to see if they followed. Of course they would. If the world had any sense of justice, they would all dissolve into the ether, but nothing in my life was that easy. The pounding ache behind my eye had returned, wearing a scourge on my patience.

Snippets of conversation drifted to my ears as Kianna laughed at something one of them had said. At least someone was having a good time. After I entered the castle, I briefly considered barring the door and leaving them all outside. Even Kianna. If she was so eager to have dinner with them, she could do it in the snow. Instead, I left it open and made my way down the wide central hallway to the throne room.

My muscles seized with tension when they approached. They couldn’t fail to notice our circumstances. I was going to throttle Kianna for inviting them inside.

A few moments later, their heavy, booted steps accompanied a low whistle. I wanted to cover everyone in the throne room from their gazes. My family wasn’t here to be gawped at like a three-headed goat at the circus.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Ronan, wondering how he would react. “It’s real,” he said, momentarily speechless, a touch of awe in his voice. I sensed he was a man who wasn’t surprised by much.

“What’s real?” I asked as he stared at my parents—not in judgment, but with glimmers of concern and curiosity.

“The stories. As children, we were told tales of the sleeping princess inside the castle. How people tried for years to get inside but eventually had to give up when the enchantment killed everyone who tried. Are you…” His gaze shifted to me.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not a princess. And I’m clearly not asleep.”

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