“Enchanti fiergo!” I screamed, and with a blast of fire that almost ripped my head in two, I engulfed the brackenbeast. I heard his cry of pain as his fur caught fire, and then the beast dashed into the river. But it was an enchanted fire and could not be so easily extinguished, unless Gaven shed the skin. I heard his strangled cry as he ripped the burning fur from him, but I could not see him, nor did I want to imagine the pain it must have caused. I chose fire for a reason; it had a purifying property, and removing a burning skin would be as painful as being skinned alive.
Gaven’s cries of pain continued for a moment, and then they fell eerily silent.
The wolf lay on the ground before me, and I found myself wobbling over to him. The world faded in and out around me, and I knew I wouldn’t be conscious long. Falling to my knees, I ran my fingers along the wolf’s body and felt the warm pool of blood. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth, and he was panting fast. He was dying.
He whined.
“Shhh,” I whispered to him. “Hold still, will you.” His ears fell back under the weight of my command and another whine came forth. “It’s okay,” I murmured soothingly.
The wolf looked at me, his amber eyes pleading, then becoming fearful as they flickered to the sound of the hunters and their hounds. Laying my hands on where he was injured, I sent a trickle of magic outward, searching for the source of the bleeding. First, I needed to fix the internal injury, and then I could reknit the muscles and skin.
Got it. Sealing it with a whisper, I pulled my hand back and felt the first wave of nausea hit me. Gritting my teeth, I tried to stay awake. No. I’m stronger than this. I had to stay awake and help him. I would not let Gobbersnot’s sacrifice be in vain.
Tears burned in the corners of my eyes as I pressed harder on the wound and focused more of my energy. It was going slowly, the wolf’s body fighting my magic. But then it was done, the bleeding stopped and the wound healed. The fur beneath my hands shifted and disappeared, leaving baby-soft skin.
“It’s okay. I know. You don’t have to hide from me.” The wolf let out a growl, and then he got up and shook his fur. I watched in fascination as the copper wolf transitioned easily into my copper-haired prince.
Xander. A werewolf. It didn’t shock me once I’d figured out his curse, but seeing him as the wolf was another thing altogether. Part of me was frightened, but part of me was curious. His skin was warm to the touch, and I could see the slight trail of silvery scars that were years old.
“You’re not scared of me?” Xander asked softly.
I shook my head. “You were the one who killed those kidnappers in the woods that night. You rescued me. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Xander nodded. “I had done a terrible thing. I murdered two men to protect you. And yet, I still had doubts about who you were. You were still a daughter of Eville.” His words, meant to be comforting, instead stabbed me in the heart, and I pulled away as doubt crept in.
“Is what Gaven said the truth? Did you know your father planned to be rid of me?” I asked angrily.
Xander swallowed and staggered to his feet, grimacing in pain and clutching his side. I knew he would be fine, but newly healed muscles were stiff and uncomfortable, and he would probably be scratching at them for a while.
“Rosalie—”
“Yes or no,” I demanded.
“Yes,” he said, “but let me—”
“No. Say no more to me. Ever.”
Stumbling away in exhaustion, I headed deeper into the woods, away from the river and away from him. I fought the tears that blinded me as I crashed through the bushes, forging my own trail as I became lost, promising to cut my heart out and to never love again.
He had betrayed me.
A wave of light surrounded me, and I blinked painfully, the mage light causing my head to ring in pain. I smelled the stench of dark magic encircling me and heard a male voice whisper a spell I knew quite well.
“Somnus.”
A wave of nausea hit me, and I fell forward and passed out.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I awoke with my hands bound. At first I was confused by the large manacles clamped onto my wrists. Then I was livid.
“Mmmfff?” I cried out. My shackles were connected to a chain and anchored to a post in the ground. Standing up, I pulled at the chain from every angle, but I couldn’t force the clasp to budge.
Tipper, in full armor, warily came close, reaching forward to tug the rag around my mouth down.
“Tipper, what’s going on? Unchain me,” I demanded.
His face was unreadable, his eyes dark. “You are being charged with the murder of Gaven Hostler.”
“That’s nonsense.”
“My men found you in the woods, with the body, covered in blood. With this.” He held up the burned skin of the brackenbeast. “You are the beast.”
“No, I didn’t kill him. I mean, yes, I did, but that’s because he was the beast. Please, Tipper,” I cried out. “You must believe me. Xander, where’s Xander? He’ll explain.”
My plea for Prince Xander made Tipper look at me with utter disgust. “We haven’t found him yet. He’s gone. You probably murdered him as well.”
Tipper shook his head and signaled for the guards. They hauled me up by my forearms and dragged me to my feet, scuffing them across the ground as I tried to fight them. I reached deep inside for my power but was met with intense pain. I screamed as the bands around my skin began to heat up and burn me. When I released my power, the burning stopped. The pain was so excruciating that I struggled not to pass out.
Earlsgaarde walked over to me, his face covered in a smug smile. “It’s no use. The bands are enchanted and will bind your powers. You will no longer be able to harm anyone.”
“But I’ve never harmed anyone.”
“Yet you are the daughter of Eville,” Earlsgaarde said. “It is only a matter of time before you walk in your mother’s footsteps and curse us all. When I heard you were the prince’s new bride, I immediately knew what must be done. We must rescue Baist from your evil.”
“Release me. I am the princess,” I growled.
Earlsgaarde began jumping around, waving a scroll in the air. “Not according to this. The king of Baist agreed to surrender you to us.” With a flick of his wrist, the scroll unrolled, and I could see the new peace treaty in a hastily written script. “I once asked you what you were willing to do for peace.” Along the bottom of the scroll was none other the royal seal of Baist and King Gerald’s signature.
My mouth went dry as I realized what had been done. I was betrayed, traded to protect their country from invasion. Even after I had saved Queen Anya and Princess Ameline, it wasn’t enough. For the good of the crown, I was being sacrificed to save the many.
I scanned the growing crowd of onlookers and couldn’t help but see the horrified look on Pru’s face. I was relieved she was safe. She was crying and being held back my one of the guards. I smirked as she kicked him in the shin to release her, and she ran to me.
“Miss!” she cried out, but was stopped when another guard stepped in and grabbed her around the waist. Lifting her in the air, he physically removed her from the yard.