Sacrifice (The Snow Queen #2)(82)

The children were the least weepy of the bunch. Kai’s face was grave but determined, and Gerta pressed her lips together in an expression of stubbornness.

Farrin watched, his eyebrow raised in curiosity, as the children stiffly bowed to the princess they had adored. Gerta’s parents started down the stairs, and the children turned to follow them but dawdled on the stair for a few moments.

Gerta slyly glanced at the guards—who were staring out at the crowds—and bolted, Kai on her heels, past the blockade of soldiers.

“Princess!” Gerta flung herself against Rakel and grabbed her hand. “Princess, you will wake up. I know it! You said magic couldn’t separate me ’n Kai, and it won’t separate us either!”

“Please, Princess!” Kai pleaded. He spun around and opened the sack he carried, dumping out three crudely carved reindeer and a pile of blocks that he hurriedly stacked as the guards reached for them. “Attack the guards!” he shouted. The wood carvings and blocks twitched to life and began ramming into the feet and shins of the guards.

Kai and Gerta joined hands and ran around Rakel’s stone dais, avoiding capture. “We’ll have hope ’n’ courage—so we’ll always be together!” Gerta shouted, ducking under a soldier.

“We believe you’ll wake up!” Kai added. A guard grabbed him by the back of his cloak, but let him go when the little boy kicked him in the shin. “We’ll keep on believing, even if everyone else acts like you’re dead!”

“So wake up as soon as you can!” Gerta ended her words with a yelp when General Halvor swooped in and scooped her up.

Oskar, who had climbed up the last few stairs, scooped up Kai. He murmured to the young boy, who didn’t appear to hear him as he leaned over the attendant’s shoulder and yelled, “We believe in you, Princess!”



“We’ll keep on believing, even if everyone else acts like you’re dead!”

I know that voice…Kai? Rakel’s thoughts were slow and rusty—as if she hadn’t had any in a long time. Why is Kai here? The last thing I remember was…Tenebris…I’m alive?

She struggled to move her body, open her lips, anything, but her muscles were heavy and stiff.

“So wake up as soon as you can!”

That was Gerta.

She heard a scuffle and the sound of feet running around her. She picked up notes of Oskar’s soothing voice, though she couldn’t hear what he said over Kai’s shout. “We believe in you, Princess!”

Rakel finally managed to snap her eyes open, and immediately shut them again when she was blinded by the bright sunlight. Her lips moved, but her throat was too dry to use. How long have I been unconscious? It feels cold.



“I wish I had the hope of those children,” Phile sighed wistfully.

“They’ll only end up disappointed.” Farrin turned to face forward again. It is cruel that they will learn there are some things hope cannot overcome. He frowned as the children grew more frantic and kicked at Halvor and Oskar as they pointed up at Rakel.

“Princess!”

“Princess!”

Gasps broke out across those still lined up, waiting to pay their respects.

“For the love of a king,” Phile uttered as she stared up at the landing.

The hair on the back of Farrin’s neck prickled, and he swung around.

Rakel struggled to sit up and blinked owlishly in the sunlight.



Rakel’s arms shook with exertion as she tried to adjust to the sunlight. She felt as blind as a mole.

“Rakel!”

“F-Farrin?” Her voice cracked.

In an instant, Farrin was at her side, tucking his arms around her. She pulled weakly at him, tucking her head against his shoulder until others crowded around her.

“Princess!” Gerta and Kai shouted, wrapping their arms around her legs.

Phile was scarcely a moment behind them. She was laughing and crying as she pulled Rakel from Farrin’s embrace and hugged her. “Little Wolf! You did it! You beat Tenebris and banished anyone with evil in their magic. We won!”

A little taken aback her plan had worked so smoothly, Rakel returned Phile’s embrace, frowning when her arms still trembled. “How long have I been unconscious?”

“A year,” Oskar said, grabbing Rakel’s attention. His green eyes were glassy with tears, but his smile was as bold and charming as ever. “It’s almost spring now. Welcome back, Princess.”

Rakel smiled and reached for him and was delighted when her loyal attendant caught her hand in his.

“Princess,” Halvor saluted her. A tiny smile quirked at his lips, but his eyes shone with tears of happiness—until they turned stern. “Do not do something that foolish again, or I will have you court-martialed,” he warned.

Steinar slipped past Phile to claim Rakel for the next embrace. “I agree—though I am so happy you’ve returned to us, sister.”

He stepped back, giving Rakel a clear view of her surroundings. She was humbled by the sea of people pressed into Ostfold. They were cheering, shouting, and stomping. Rakel could barely hear the sound of pipes and violins above the celebration. Banners of light blue with brown reindeer and white snowflakes hung from stair railings, storefronts, and balconies. Everywhere she looked, there were ice carvings, reindeer, snowflakes, or silver crowns.