He nods once, and the bond thrums as my determination becomes his, until our feelings are indistinguishable.
He turns to address the winter guards who remain in the throne room. “Keep Princess Mirena alive and secure,” he orders. “She’s not to leave this throne room until I command it.”
The knights move to surround the princess, maintaining a respectful distance as she stands.
“Ghost, Nebula—stay with them,” Riven tells them, and both familiars pad forward, positioning themselves around the throne room.
Ghost’s eyes never leave Mirena, while Nebula settles near the entrance, blocking any potential escape route.
“The human wing is in the western section of the palace,” Mirena says, and when we look at her in surprise, she shrugs with elegant indifference as she gives directions.
Riven and I already knew the way, thanks to our interrogation session with Zythara, but Mirena’s help is a show of diplomacy that can’t be ignored.
“Let’s go,” I tell Riven.
He falls in step beside me, and together, we move toward the massive doors and race through the blood-stained corridors of the conquered palace.
We’ll find Zoey.
We’ll also find Aerix.
And when we do, he’ll receive no mercy.
SAPPHIRE
The doorsto the human wing are a warm wood, and they’re already open, revealing similarly lighter halls with bright tapestries along the walls.
No bodies are scattered about like in the rest of the palace. Still, I continue onward, calling Zoey’s name and stopping at each open door to see if anyone’s inside. A library, a dining hall, a billiards room, a foyer… all of them are empty.
Finally, a winter knight emerges from a side corridor, bloodied sword in hand, ice crystals gleaming along the blade. “Your Highnesses,” he addresses Riven and me with a brisk salute. “The humans are secured in the courtyard.”
I tighten my grip around the Star Disc. “How many?”
“Ten,” he replies. “Seven females and three males, all in their teens and twenties. They were frightened when we arrived, but unharmed.”
Seven females.
The number echoes in my mind as we follow the knight to the courtyard and burst through the open doors, sunlight washing over us.
Like the rest of the palace, the space is beautiful. There are multiple fountains spread throughout it, each one bubbling with blood. Round stone tables serve as places to eat and socialize. There’s even a garden plot off to the side. The tall stone walls are the only reminder that this place is a cage for the humanpetswho are currently huddled together near the central fountain.
They’re wearing silk nightclothes, and they look shell-shocked, their eyes wide with fear and confusion.
My stomach drops immediately. Because Zoey isn’t among them.
“She’s not here,” I whisper as bloodied water from the fountains churns and rises, spiraling upward. “Riven, she’s not here.”
His arm wraps around my waist, frost spreading beneath our feet. “That doesn’t mean she’s dead,” he says, but I can hear the fear threading his voice and feel it through the bond. “There could be other places?—”
“No.” I shake him off and step forward, scanning the courtyard as if Zoey might step out from behind a tree or pop out of the garden plot.
She had a phase where she obsessively took care of a garden she forced her parents to put behind their house. But, as was typical of her, she lost interest before the vegetables ripened enough to eat.
“I’m looking for someone,” I tell the humans gathered at the fountain. “Zoey Madison. She’s my best friend. I need to find her.”
The humans exchange uncomfortable glances, some stepping back as if my presence terrifies them. Which, to be fair, it should. A few look genuinely confused, but others have that careful blankness I recognize from the time I spent in the Winter Court before Riven’s father drank the potion that restored his sanity.
It’s the look of people who know something important, but are afraid to speak.
