Frost (Frost and Nectar #1)(51)

He stepped back and turned to look at me. “Only the four of us will be able to enter now. I’m going to set patrols all over the castle looking for him, but Aeron is the one fae I trust the most.”

I caught Shalini staring at Aeron, the look on her face like a starved woman seeing food for the first time in months. I hoped I didn’t wear the same expression.

Torin rested his sword by the door, his blade against the wall. “I’ll leave this here. Aeron, will you be able to stand watch all night, or should I send others to take shifts?”

Shalini raised her hand. “What if he was inside our room? I mean, where it’s more comfortable.”

“No,” said King Torin. “For one thing, I need him searching for the intruder before he gets to the door. And for another, we wouldn’t want anyone getting the mistaken impression that he’d forsaken his vow of chastity.”

“His what?” Shalini’s face twisted into a horrified expression that reminded me of the time I’d told her my WiFi password was “password.”

Torin’s gaze met mine—but for just a moment, it swept down my body, and I caught the faintest curl of his sensuous lips. “I hope you sleep well. I will return in the morning to check on you.”





22

A VA

P early morning light tinged with amber streamed into my room. I rubbed my eyes, still feeling like the events of last night had been a dream. Who the fuck had been in here with a dagger? I shuddered at the thought and pulled open a drawer in the dresser.

For women in Faerie, there were basically two options—beautiful gowns or leather leggings with blousy shirts and leather vests. I went with brown leather pants and a silky white shirt with billowing sleeves. When I’d dressed, I pulled my hair into a ponytail.

As I entered Shalini’s room, she was already dressed, drinking coffee in her bed. She sat with her phone in her lap. Steam curled from her cup, and her blankets formed a twisted nest around her brown leggings.

She stared at me over her coffee. “A vow of chastity? Who does that? It’s supposed to keep him focused on protecting the king. Honestly, it’s the worst thing I’ve learned about fae culture so far.”

I moved to the little table by her bed and poured myself a cup of coffee with cream. “There are plenty of other fae, you know.”

“I know. But I liked him. I talked to him through the door last night. He has a cat named Caitsith, and he bakes bread. And he’s read so much poetry, Ava. He reads poetry books under this sycamore tree by the river. He said he’ll show me the place.”

“And the vow?” I perched on the end of her bed, sipping my coffee.

She was sitting cross-legged, her long dark hair falling over a silky blue shirt. “Vows can be broken, and you know I like a challenge. He’s like…a hot priest.” She smiled at me, looking so stunning that I had no doubt she would succeed—until her smile fell, and she lifted up her phone. “I wasn’t sure if I should tell you this, but Andrew is sending me text messages in all caps.”

I stared at her. “Why?”

“Since your fans on Reddit doxed him, he’s been getting harassed in the street, and I think maybe some death threats?”

I gasped. “Fuck. I mean…I’m mad at him, but I didn’t want him to get death threats. I didn’t know they’d figure out who he was.”

“It’s not your fault, Ava. He’s a douchebag, and he’s reaping his douchebag consequences.”

A knock sounded on the door, and I opened it. The king stood in the doorway, fully dressed this time in a gray shirt, black pants, and high boots. A crown gleamed on his head, made of silver strands twined and spiked like thorny tree branches. Aeron stood by his side, looking exhausted. “Good morning, Ava,” said Torin. “I tried to dismiss Aeron to get some sleep, but he seems very committed.”

Aeron’s eyes were locked on Shalini. “I don’t care if you want me here or not. I will be keeping you safe today.”

Shalini shrugged. “Fine. How about a tour of a castle, then?” She rose from the bed with catlike grace, flashing Aeron the same dazzling smile she’d given me earlier.

Aeron shook his head. “I’m not sure if it’s safe to move around like that.”

“We came here for adventure,” said Shalini.

“I’ll join you,” said Torin. “No one would dare attack in my presence.”

I snatched up my white cloak and pulled it on over my shoulders.

Aeron opened the door. “What would you like to see?”

I stepped into the drafty hall. “Can we see the magic thrones up close?”

“Whatever you like, changeling.” Torin started to lead us down the hall, past towering lattice windows with a view of the snowy courtyard.

He turned into a narrow stairwell. “King Finvarra built this castle three thousand years ago after uniting the clans and claiming the land from monsters. I don’t know that I’ve even seen all of it. I suspect I’ll die before I finish discovering every passage in the place. And that is exactly why we haven’t found the assassin yet.”

“There are legends…” Aeron spoke up from behind me, his voice echoing off the stone. “That once a long spring blessed the land, and the castle grew from the earth itself, sung forth by the vernal goddess Ostara.”