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The ice goblin dropped to one knee and bowed his head. “I thought you were dead.” His voice rasped like stone grinding against stone.

“Not yet.” Eshkeshken glanced up at the dais at the end of the courtyard. “Do me a favor?”

“Anything.” The older goblin looked up at Eshkeshken, his gray eyes shining. “Iphreshken is here, too.”

“Tell him and any others loyal to me that the bear is not to be harmed, and keep the queen away as much as you can. I will challenge her soon.”

The goblin stood and looked down at the prince. “We are preparing now for the wedding. She plans to marry him in three days.”

Gytha gasped, “That’s too soon!”

The goblin glanced at her curiously but then looked back at Eshkeshken as if he could not look away. “The queen is not patient.”

“He does not want to marry her, does he?” Her voice shook, and she took a deep, stinging breath.

Another goblin stopped and knelt before Eshkeshken. “Your Highness.”

Eshkeshken put a hand on the goblin’s gray head and smiled a little. “Wirkelshen. It is good to see you.”

This goblin was younger, probably not much older than Eshkeshken himself. He had a pale gray scar that arced down his forehead, over one eye, and halfway down his cheek. The prince hesitated and then touched the scar where it crossed the goblin’s eyebrow and said, “Javethai did this?”

Wirkelshen gave a sharp nod. “Didn’t lose my eye, though.”

The prince gripped his hand and pulled him to his feet, and then grimaced and doubled over, gasping.

From the end of the courtyard, the soft murmur of the growing crowd changed into a grumbling, grinding roar. It wasn’t exactly a happy sound, but it was excited and expectant.

Dakjudr stood protectively beside Eshkeshken’s shoulder as he took several shuddering breaths. His gray skin had taken on an even more alarming hue, white around his lips and with blue shadows around his eyes.

“Your Highness,” whispered Arenenak. “What is wrong?”

The prince straightened, swaying, and said hoarsely, “I’m all right. In a few days, either the queen or I will be dead.”

Then there was a roar of voices, and the queen stepped out of a glittering, ice-crusted doorway flanked by a dozen guards wielding crystalline spears and swords.

Behind the queen, more guards followed, surrounding the bear and poking at it repeatedly with their weapons. Bright red blood spotted the bear’s white pelt and darkened the tips of the guards’ spears.

“Brave goblins of the north, citizens of the lands of ice and snow, see my triumph!” The queen’s voice rang out like the sound of an avalanche, jubilant and terrible. “The bear prince has seen the folly of his recalcitrance and has agreed to marry me. What an honor I bestow upon the unworthy creature! This is a sacrifice I make for the good of all our people.

“The old king’s magic is caught up in the enchantment that maintains this beast in his current form. When he yields himself to me in marriage three days hence, I will reclaim that magic and rule as I should, in strength and beauty and dominion over the north lands.

“For many long years, our power has been limited by the old king’s foolish decision to tie up so much of his magic in this enchantment. This limitation is soon to be at an end. Soon our strength will be restored!”

She gestured at the bear, who roared in protest. One of the guards jabbed his spear deep into the bear’s side, and the bear spun and shot out a paw in response, swiping the guard off his feet and sending him tumbling off the dais and to the ground. Other guards retaliated with more jabs and stabs, and the bear growled and whirled, striking out blindly. Despite the speed of its powerful strikes, the bear tripped over its own feet and nearly fell before gathering itself again. It shook its head as if it were disoriented.

“Alexander is so gentle!” Gytha whispered in horror. “What must they have done to him to make him so angry?”

Eshkeshken murmured, “There is cruel magic on him, threading through his fur and into his ears and eyes. He can hear very little, and he’s nearly blind with it. He feels the pain of the injuries but has very little way to fight back.”

“I must help him.” Gytha swallowed. “What do I do?”

The ice goblin prince hissed between his teeth. “Offer Javethai a bargain. It would help if he knew we were here. He might hold out a little longer if he knew he was not entirely alone.”

Full of righteous anger, Gytha did not wait for more instruction. She shoved her way forward, leaving the goblin prince behind, and cried, “Your Majesty! Please! Wait!”

The queen’s expression sharpened, and she stood still, her eyes searching the crowd for a moment before she focused on Gytha. “You!” Her gray brows lowered fiercely. “Foolish human! It is too cold for your kind here.”

“I want the bear freed!” Gytha shouted. “It’s not fair to force him into marriage! He should be able to choose his fate!”