LOGINThe mountain exploded into utter chaos.Thick black smoke rolled across the snow as burning rocks crashed down all around us. My sister Evelyn charged through the fog like a wild demon, her sword flashing red under the light of the fires."Get down!" Julian yelled, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the freezing ground.Caleb scrambled through the deep snow, barely dodging Evelyn’s lethal swing. Her blade sliced right through his heavy wool cloak, missing his throat by an inch. Caleb rolled down the icy bank, shouting orders to his archers up on the cliffs."Fire!" Caleb roared from the snow. "Kill the mercenaries!"Arrows rained down from the high rocks above, slamming into Evelyn's riders. Horses screamed and reared up, throwing men into the deep drifts. The narrow ridge turned into a bloody brawl within seconds."Amelia, give me the box!" Alexander panted out. He was on his knees beside me, his grey eyes wide as he reached for the silver chest."No!" I yelled over the deafening nois
My jaw dropped open. My whole body went totally numb.I stared up at Master Caleb sitting on his heavy gray horse. The icy sleet whipped around his face, but he didn't even flinch. He looked completely fine. There was no deep chest wound, no pool of blood, and no sign that Lord Marcus had ever touched him with a blade in that dark tower room."You... you lied to us," I whispered, my voice trembling as the bitter mountain wind cut through my wet wool tunic. "We thought you were murdered!""It was a simple trick, Queen Amelia," Caleb said, his voice smooth and calm like a quiet stream. "A hidden leather pouch of pig's blood under my tunic and a dull knife. Marcus was too stupid to check for a pulse before he ran out to open the fortress gates for Valerius."Julian stepped in front of me, drawing his broadsword with a sharp metallic ring. "Stand down, old man! We don't have time for your games! Valerius's army is right behind us!""Valerius won't cross this archway, Julian," Caleb replie
The freezing river water swirled around my waist, pulling hard at my wet skirts. My fingers dug deep into Alexander’s heavy leather tunic, keeping his limp head above the surface. Blood from the gash on his temple mixed with the cold spray, turning the white foam pale pink around his face.Lord Valerius stood on the flat stone right above us. The long iron broadsword in his gloved hand glinted under the moonlight. His shadow stretched long and dark across the rushing water."I won't ask a second time, Amelia," Valerius said, his voice cold and steady despite the roar of the rapids. "Hand over the silver box, or I will drive this steel through your husband’s neck before he ever wakes up."My throat burned as I gasped for air. Every muscle in my body trembled from the bitter cold. Alexander was heavy in my arms, completely unconscious, his breath coming in short, weak rattles. In his locked right hand, he still gripped the wet silver-bound box containing the royal seal."He's the rightf
I didn't stop to think. I didn't care about the freezing wind or the thousands of soldiers screaming around us. My feet tore through the cold mud, throwing me straight toward the rocky edge of the canyon cliff."Amelia, no! Stop!" Alexander yelled from behind me.I heard his heavy boots pounding the dirt behind me, but I didn't slow down for a single second. Below us, the mountain river crashed through the sharp black rocks like an angry beast. White foam sprayed high into the dark air, and the water roared so loudly it shook the very ground beneath my boots.The silver-bound box carrying our royal seal was somewhere in those deadly white rapids. If Valerius found that seal first, he could claim our kingdom, name himself ruler, and wipe out every last person who stood in his way. But worse than that, my father was riding deeper into the mountain fog with my baby boy, leaving me behind in this living nightmare."Get to the riverbank!" Lord Valerius bellowed from the top of the stone br
I stepped out of the shadows and felt the sharp mountain wind hit my face like an ice-cold slap. My hand held the leather grip of my broadsword so hard my knuckles turned raw and white."I am right here, Evelyn," I said. My voice did not shake.Evelyn turned her head toward me. Her dark green eyes–the exact same eyes I saw in the mirror every single morning–flashed with a cold, sickly hatred."Kill them!" she shrieked, pointing her bloody dagger at my heart. "Bring me their heads!"The camp erupted. Hundreds of southern guards drew their heavy iron swords, shouting as they charged down the dirt slope toward us."Bryn, now!" Alexander yelled.Behind us, the ground seemed to split open. High Chieftain Bryn and forty of our best mountain warriors poured out of the dark drainage grating like a wave of wild fire. They locked their heavy wooden shields together, slamming into the first row of southern guards with a crash that sounded like thunder."Get Sophia!" I shouted to Julian.I didn't
The red message dripped slowly down the damp stone wall of the root cellar, catching the flickering yellow light of Julian’s torch.Amelia stared at the words until her eyes burned. I have your sister. If you ever want to see Sophia alive again, bring Alexander's crown to the Iron Pass alone."Evelyn..." Amelia whispered, her voice cracking as her fingers brushed against the bloody silk scarf in Victoria's hands. "She was inside the fortress the whole time we were fighting at the gates. She used the old mountain drainage tunnels to slip in and out.""And she took Sophia," Victoria sobbed, burying her face against Julian’s broad shoulder as her entire frame shook. "Sophia didn't even have her winter cloak. She was just sitting by the hearth when they broke through the paneling."Alexander stepped into the cellar, leaning heavily against the stone doorframe. His face was still pale from the poison, but the golden willow juice Thomas had left behind was already working its magic, restori







