Page 62 of Forged By Malice (Beasts of the Briar #3)

61

Ezryn

T he thud of the hard ground reverberates through my armor. Thorns release from around my waist, and I steady myself on all fours, immediately taking in my surroundings. We’re in the entrance hall of Castletree. Farron, Dayton, and Kel are collapsed beside me. My heart begins to blaze as I stagger to my feet and turn in a circle. The ground opens up again, and Rosalina emerges from a bramble bush.

Silence fills the hall, but blood rushes through my head, and my heart hammers.

Stay still. Stay in control. Stay grounded.

But when his eyes meet mine, there is no such thing as peace.

“How could you?” I roar, snagging Kel by his collar and slamming him against a pillar. “The bargain you made with Caspian has condemned us all!”

Kel grabs my wrists. “Do you understand now, brother, why I have chosen this path? Do you see me for the monster I truly am?”

“You are not a monster,” I growl back. “For monsters have no reason, no responsibility. You are far worse. You are a traitor, Keldarion.”

Pain riots through my chest, a wound that has no physical origin. I keep my grip tight on Kel to stop from falling to the ground. Year after year, I watched him throw his life away for Caspian. But for him to have made a bargain like this…

A bargain that now involves Rosalina.

Kel stares down at me with glazed eyes, a defeated half-smile on his face. “I own my betrayal. But let us not dance around it anymore. You betrayed me, too.”

Breath tears from my throat. The thoughts in my head are raw with memories from the past, but they keep coming, assaulting me like arrows through the flesh. “Never. I never—”

“My army, Ez,” Kel says softly. “You took my own army out from under me and marched it upon the Below.”

“That wasn’t a betrayal—” Even I can hear the doubt in my words.

Because wasn’t that exactly what it was? His own good, it was for his own good…

Or was it for mine?

I’d known it from the moment he showed up at Castletree begging for sanctuary: Caspian had evil in his heart. He’d tricked Kel, charmed Dayton and Farron, and had all the realms bespelled by the hope of a single smile.

But I knew it.

Kel never believed me. Never trusted me.

When I discovered Caspian had been a spy for the Below all along, I knew it was up to me to save Keldarion from himself.

Keldarion and I had served as generals, side by side for decades. I was in Winter at the time I learned the truth of Caspian’s plan, and my own army was still in Spring. But Kel’s soldiers were right there. When I told his personal legion of Caspian’s intention, they agreed to aid me.

Kel’s Winter squadron were not only elite soldiers but dedicated to him. As was I. We would do whatever it took to free him from Caspian’s possession.

More images flash before me: infiltrating the Below, goblins dying beneath our blades, breaking into Caspian’s personal chambers, the objects he’d stolen from the realms above crushing beneath my boot.

Kel returned with me and the army. But his loyalty to Caspian didn’t break.

At least not until after Caspian tore a hole in the world and all manner of ilk from the Below leached from the Great Chasm to march upon Frostfang.

“I did that to protect you,” I force out.

Kel shakes his head. “I didn’t need your protection, brother. I needed your trust.”

Anger flares in my chest, and I grab Kel’s wrist, yanking down his sleeve and revealing the bargain bracelet. “Look where your trusting nature has put us. Was your fucking love worth it?”

Kel rips his hand away and sneers.

I need to leave it. I need to stop. But the rage is too hot, cursed memories too fresh. I need someone to hurt like I’m hurting. I gesture behind me to Rosalina. “Look at her and tell me Caspian was worth it!”

Keldarion’s eyes glitter and he opens his mouth. Closes it. Turns away from me. “One day you’ll understand, Ezryn,” he mumbles. “You’ll understand what it means to shatter yourself for love.”

The edges of my vision are black with rage, my breathing ragged. But when Kel turns away, the rest of the world comes back to me.

There’s shouting. So much shouting. Rosalina is right under Farron’s nose, eyes blazing with anger. Farron stands still, brow furrowed, and fists clenched. Dayton paces beside the two of them.

“I don’t understand how you could make a deal with Caspian! Did you learn nothing from me? You know better!” Farron yells.

“That’s exactly it!” Rosalina screams back. “I know. I know , Farron. There is good in him. Trust me!”

Farron stalks away, throwing a dismissive hand in the air. “That’s what he does! He manipulates people. He offers them something, gains their trust, and then uses it against them. He did it to Kel. He did it to me. And he will do it to you.”

“You don’t know him like I do,” she whispers viciously.

Farron gives a harsh laugh. “Listen to you! You’ve known him for less than a year. We have lived centuries with him. Believe me when I tell you this is all a game to him. He will take your kindness and turn it ugly.”

Dayton grabs Rosalina’s shoulders. “Rosie, I know you want to see the good in people. But Farron’s right on this. He’s not just dangerous. He’s sadistic. It’s fun for him to ruin people.” Dayton’s eyes shine. “Don’t give him the opportunity.”

She shakes Dayton off, pushing past him like he’s a mere nuisance. Instead, she chases after Farron, grabbing his arm. “You’re scared again, Farron. But you don’t have to be. I can handle him.”

“Can you?” Farron turns on his heel and holds her with a flaming gaze. “Did you forget what he did to me, Rosie? To my people? My history? He brought an army of goblins into Autumn to kill my soldiers. He used my beast against me and destroyed my realm’s ancient texts.” There’s anger and hurt in Farron’s voice like I’ve never heard before. “And Dayton nearly died because of him! Doesn’t that matter to you at all?”

Rosie steps back, tears welling in her eyes. “Of course it matters.”

“And you know why he did that?” Farron’s voice shakes. “Because I ripped the damned little book you gave him. I ripped his book, and in return, he murdered and pillaged and ruined. ”

Lightning seems to cross over Rosalina’s gaze. “You ripped it? That was my gift. You had no right!”

Farron’s brow furrows. “You think you can change Caspian with compassion? Kel thought so, too. Look at him now.”

We all turn to stare at Keldarion. A dark shadow has fallen over his gaze. His shoulders shake, but he stays silent.

Rosie looks down, eyes wide, chest heaving. “He hurts people because he hurts inside.” She clutches at her heart. “I feel it, Farron.”

Farron shakes his head. “I can hear what you’re thinking. He’s not your mate, Rosalina.”

Silence erupts in the entrance hall. Her mate? The thought staggers me. The idea that Rosalina could be mated to someone with such evil…

My fingers itch for a blade. Freedom. There has to be freedom for her and Kel from this—

I turn to him. Of all of us, Kel would know—

He’s staring at Rosalina, eyes glittering like sapphires. His expression … It’s one of shock, but not disbelief. She stares back at him, as if finding a tether in his gaze.

“What the fuck?” Now, Dayton’s voice is raised. He grabs Rosalina’s shoulder and spins her to look at him. “You can’t seriously think you belong with him. Not Cas. Anyone but fucking Caspian!”

“What do you care?” Rosalina speaks in a low, venomous tone. “You’ve got your little acolyte to make you pretty necklaces and fawn over you.”

“That’s not fair, Rosie,” Dayton growls. “That’s not fucking fair, and you know it.”

Hurt flickers in her eyes. “Yeah, well, go cry on Wrenley’s shoulder about the bitch of Castletree who’s good for a fuck but not good enough to love!”

Anger explodes across Dayton’s face. “Maybe I will,” he snarls, “because why am I wasting my time here? You’re not my mate, Rosalina.”

She gasps and staggers back. Immediately, Dayton’s eyes widen, and he blinks, dumbstruck.

Heat blazes, and fire licks up Rosalina’s fingers. “Get out of my head, Farron. I don’t want to hear your voice!”

“You don’t want to hear Caspian’s voice either, but that’s what’s happening,” Farron yells. “It’s only Kel’s ridiculous bargain linking you two.”

Rosalina looks shocked for a moment.

“Quiet, both of you,” Keldarion growls, looking from Farron to Dayton. “You’re both afraid. Not of Caspian. Of Rosalina. Of what she’s capable of with him—”

“Shut the fuck up, Kel,” Dayton snaps. “You’re the one who sent her away! Don’t pretend you know what’s best now.”

Kel storms toward him, and Rosalina starts screaming all three of their names, but I’m done.

“Enough!”

I stalk forward, standing between the four of them. Slowly, I pivot in a circle, hands extended, holding each of their gazes.

The anger is fading and there’s only sadness.

“Enough,” I say again, quieter. “We are family. All of us. And family doesn’t turn against one another. Find somewhere in the castle to be by yourself.” I take in a deep breath. “The night will pass. We have withstood each and every one so far. We will withstand this. Together.”

Rosalina holds my gaze for a moment, and I see it thundering within: a Spring storm ready to rage over anything soft and fragile. A look both frightening and beautiful.

A rose covered in thorns.

The castle seems to take a breath. It will sigh or it will scream—

A small flutter sounds. I look up to see a bird made of paper flitting down toward us. It hovers right before Rosalina.

She reaches out and takes it, unfolding the little bird into a letter.

Her face turns ashen. “From Dom and Billy,” she whispers. “It’s my father. He’s sick.”