“Did you know you’re the antidote to Frosted Oblivion?” Did she know that by kissing me and waking me, she took in the poison? I gather her in my arms.
Her eyes shine, but not from the glitter beneath them. “You’re their leader,” she says, but her voice doesn’t quiver. She’s sure, solid.
I don’t break her gaze as Leith says, “Nephew, we could still be great, together. You’re a valiant fighter. You could lead the Shadow Army beneath my might.”
“Is there a way to break the curse?” I ask.
“There’s no way to fix a frozen heart, Soren. The only solution is to rule alongside me.” Leith doesn’t mask his eager pleasure as he leans closer.
“Do you have something to cure her?” I demand again.
Kiki’s skin pales against the snow as if her blood already runs cold.
Leith scoffs. “Pledge your service to me, Soren. Take your rightful place in Fjallhold.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t listen to him.”
Leith poisoned me. He gave me the Frosted Oblivion when I was a baby and yet continues to plead and lie. Battle rage builds inside and presses against my bones, tightens my muscles, and seems to consume me.
“You’re the heir, Soren. This kingdom can also belong to you.” Leith’s thin smile spreads wide and greedy across his face.
“Yes, yes it does.” Vespertine told me to take the throne. I step forward and clear my throat. “Your rule is over, Leith.” Disdain shades my voice.
“And you think you’ll take over?” He cackles. “You could rule by my side or fall under my heal.”
The ice in Kiki’s eyes traces me from top to bottom, freezing me all over again, dismantling me, reminding me there’s something stronger than might. It’s my choice. The time has come.
My battle rage simmers as I summon it to the surface. I came to fight for freedom, and I won’t stop until we all have ours. I see no other way to defeat Leith except for this.
I awaken what I now know is my companion form and feel the shift begin, tearing me apart from within...and like my father and other ravens, I may never be human again.
“I’m not afraid of dying. I am not afraid of living. I’m afraid of what will happen if I let go of your hand,” Kiki whispers as her teeth chatter.
“Whatever happens in the present, we’re doing this for the future,” I say, kissing her forehead.
The sky is white with clouds, the land black with battle, but my heart beats red and full of hope and love for these people, my people, Raven’s Landing, and Kiki. Given our small numbers, and defeating Leith and the patrol stacked against us, I let my rage spill over as I step toward Leith.
He was right. This is just the beginning, of war.
My human form as I knew it dissolves and I morph into a mighty raven that’s as big as a night howl.
Chapter 30
Ineke
Through the veil of ice, I’ve watched helplessly at the battle rages on. I didn’t dare close my eyes and fully succumb to the spell, but I can no longer resist. I’ve learned little of my fae powers—I wonder if there’s an academy I could’ve attended like I did to become a Peace Officer. College for magical beings or something.
Focus, Kiki.
I took a risk, kissing Soren the first time and the last time. I’d have sacrificed myself for him, to come back from the Frosted Oblivion and fight for his people, but I also held onto the hope that I might somehow be immune to its effects.
However, I’m colder than I’ve ever been so I’m not sure if my hope was enough to ensure my survival.
Guards and the Rising knock into me, a popsicle person. My mind drifts to my mother lying in her bed where I found her seemingly frozen then I remember the heat when I pressed my palm to hers. The warmth before I landed in the Sea of Dreams lifts me up. My mind floats to better memories—summers in New York when Mom and I would sit on the fire escape and eat popsicles or ice cream and watch the sunset. We’d be sweating up there but didn’t care.
Sweltering nights. Humidity. Heat.
An idea bursts through my chilled haze. Vespertine talked about balance, equal and contrasting opposites. My frost fae nature might be cold, but it needs the counterpoint to exist.
I dig into my fae power, summoning warmth.
Defrost, defrost, defrost.
The source of my power sparks and then like a fuse it catches flame, burning through me, radiating, thawing.
I blink a few times, wishing I’d known about this nifty feature after plonking down on the iceberg in this realm. Will I ever be able to get home or is this my life now?
My life. I keep fighting my way back, waging an internal, invisible battle everywhere the grim magic tries to take hold—it tries to freeze out my good memories, the beat of my heart, and the fae light along with the shadow, but I feed it the one thing it can’t tolerate. The thing my mother taught me is the most important thing and what Soren’s mother must’ve known too.
I warm through, confident that the Frosted Oblivion didn’t take me.
I remain still, not yet revealing that I defeated the spell. I spot Gerda battling two guards. I can hardly believe she’s the queen’s sister. A princess from another land. What’s worse were Leith’s deceptions, separating the golden king and queen. Although a swell of sympathy rushes through me at the idea of the princes’ parents favoring the shifter brother over the fae brother. Still, that’s no excuse for what Leith has done.
Wounded, but still standing, Britta, Trotter, Grunk, and others from the tavern fight bravely. Some guards even
