Page 31 of To Wake a Kingdom

I shivered, wondering what nightmare this thing had escaped.

“Do you feel that?” My body tingled, like numbed hands and feet thawing after coming in from the cold, sharp and slightly uncomfortable.

Ronan nodded. “I do. It’s similar to the feeling that drew me here. I’ve learned it signifies magic.” He stood, scanning the eastern forest. Nothing moved in the trees.

“Don’t worry, Princess. You have the greatest warrior in the history of Estria at your side. You’ve nothing to fear.” He flashed me a smile, and despite my worry, I rolled my eyes.

“Shall I swoon in your presence too, m’lord?”

“You wouldn’t be the first damsel to fall at my feet.”

“I guess yourcharmis powerless in Ravalyn, then,” I snapped. His grin grew even bigger at the insult. Infuriating man. I glared as I brushed past to follow the rest of the group into the forest.

“We can set out a watch tonight. Noah, Em, and I can take turns,” Ronan said, catching up to me. “Keep an eye out for anything amiss.” Only sincerity in the offer, I nodded, suddenly grateful for their presence.

It took about an hour to reach my grandparents’ home. The forest sparkled, ice crystals and frost coating the trees and bushes. The royal birch leaves were white now, their surfaces faintly iridescent as they fluttered on a breeze.

Through the trees, the chateau became visible. Made from pale green stone like molded sea foam, it was adorned with whorls of white and cream and gold. The windows were broken, jagged edges glinting in the sunlight, and the gardens were overgrown, the tangle of weeds and gangly bushes now covered in a dusting of frost. Fountains that had once bubbled with sprays of water sat dry and cracked, filled with fluffy snow.

I wondered how long the servants and guards had waited before realizing their lord and lady weren’t coming back.

Debris covered the wide front steps where bits of dried leaves and dirt mingled with the snow. One golden door stood slightly ajar, and I walked up the stairs. Even in a state of decay, the chateau was magnificent.

Inside, my boots crunched on broken glass. Black-and-white checkered tile covered the floor, and a grand staircase dominated the entrance. In the sitting room, more broken glass and furniture covered the once pale blue carpet.I proceeded through hallways littered with debris, finding myself in the salon where my grandparents had once entertained.

A piano sat in the corner, surrounded by smashed settees and chairs. Thick green velvet curtains lay moth-eaten on the floor.

The last time I had been in this room had been weeks after my twentieth birthday, when we’d gathered to celebrate the engagement of my cousin Isabelle. I remembered the sting of it even now. She was six months my junior, but there would be no engagement, no wedding, and no future for me. Proudly she had stood, hanging off the arm of her soon-to-be husband, Edward.

My parents had avoided meeting my eyes the entire night, their guilt hanging like iron chains around their necks. We’d broken our unspoken contract. The one where we’d all deluded ourselves into believing the promise of two curses wouldn’t come to pass. But as the years had ticked by and the Fae had found no solution, the inevitable became harder and harder to ignore.

That night, we weren’t pretending anymore.

I was the only heir. It should have been my engagement and my future as queen we were celebrating, but there were only two paths for me. An eternal sleep or a Fae’s enslavement, and we were all powerless to stop it.

Kianna and her sisters had scolded me earlier in the day when they’d caught me moping in the castle’s halls.

“A princess is gracious and selfless,” Abigail said, glossy blonde curls hanging to the waist of her bright pink gown. Dutifully, I nodded, wiping away tears I didn’t have the freedom to shed. Isabelle would succeed me as the daughter of the king’s eldest brother, and that’s all there was to it.

I trailed my fingers along the piano keys, pressing them one by one. It was out of tune, but I played a small medley, feeling the off-key notes flow beneath my hand. That night, the shadow of knowing I wouldn’t be here in a year had hung over the room like a spectre. There were no more years left and no more places for me to hide.

A smile crept to my lips. It was also the night Adrian and I finally gave into the looks we’d been sharing across the throne room for months. I’d been drawn to his kind demeanor, as well as his athletic build, head of thick brown hair, and soft brown eyes. Given he was a member of the king’s guard, a relationship was entirely forbidden, but that didn’t stop my cheeks from flushing or my heart from tripping every time he walked in the room.

For months, I found reasons to run into him in the castle. It was teasing words shared in hallways or a light touch as we passed, conscious of anyone noticing.

Adrian wasn’t stationed in the room during the party, so I slipped away after the toasts to look for him. I found him in the gardens, out of uniform, handsome and relaxed in a navy tunic. He sat with a group of guards, also enjoying a respite from their duties.

Lingering on the edges, I caught his eye, and he extricated himself from his companions.

“Your Highness,” he said, approaching, concern on his handsome face. “Is something wrong?”

I shook my head. “It was lonely and boring at the party. I was hoping for some company.”

Shy and inexperienced, I was nervous, but also emboldened by what I wanted. I was under no illusion the attention of a princess would be easy to ignore. It was wrong and would get us both in so much trouble, but I had less than a year left. I was collecting happy memories like precious stones. Something good I could take with me.

Bewilderment followed a look of understanding as his bronzed face lit up. I was sure he’d assumed the looks we’d shared were just that—only looks. I was a princess, and he was a guard. But I didn’t care anymore. Let them all judge.

I walked deeper into the gardens, searching for a spot we could be alone. To my delight, I soon heard the crunch of gravel as he followed. We stole into the darkness of the trees, fireflies lighting our way. The sky was a blanket of stars, and the moon hung low and bright. We said little as Adrian drew me to him.

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