Page 8 of Forged By Malice (Beasts of the Briar #3)

7

Rosalina

C aspian’s violet-flecked eyes widen. “Now, why would you say something like that?”

“Because I can feel them.” I started to piece it together when the princes were away, when it was just Castletree and me. These briars aren’t the source of its sickness; they’re like a second layer of foundation keeping everything standing.

The Prince of Thorns only lowers his hand from the briars, swallows, stays silent.

“I’m right, I know I am. From my first day in this place, I always knew these briars weren’t evil. So why are you letting everyone believe you’re taking the magic? If anything, it’s taking your magic.”

I study him. He’s still stupidly gorgeous, of course. But there are dark circles beneath his eyes, and he’s got a limp he’s been trying to hide. Not to mention the way he’d disappeared on the Autumn Realm’s battlefield, hacking up blackness; I haven’t puzzled that out. “Caspian, why are you letting everyone believe you’re the villain?”

“Who says I’m not?” he snarls.

“Because!” I spread my arms wide. “These thorns— you —are the only thing stopping Castletree from falling.”

The flash in his eyes confirms my suspicions. The briars aren’t evil, yet he attacked the Autumn Realm. But then he was fighting in disguise to help it. Or at least help me.

“Maybe there are things within these walls even a monster from the Below can’t stand to lose.”

I touch his arm. “I’m not sure what happened between you and the other princes, between you and Kel, but if you were to just tell them then—”

He pulls his arm away and snarls, “If you want me to keep my thorns here, you will not breathe a word of this to anyone . Do you understand?” And it’s not anger flashing in his eyes …

“Caspian,” I say, cupping his cheek, and this time, he lets me touch him, “what are you afraid of?”

Something sharp cuts across my vision, and a ringing reverberates in my ears. I’m no longer seeing the world through my own eyes. Flashes of moments tear through my mind. There’s a torturous sting along my back, my arms, the crack of a whip and a scream. A scream that sounds like Caspian. Then a haunting woman’s voice: My darling boy. Tall pillars of green gems, her kneeling before them, long dark hair blowing as emerald flames erupt around her.

I gasp, pulling away from Caspian. And for a second, it isn’t flecks of purple dancing in his eyes, but flames of green. Did he see the same vision I did?

My heart beats wildly, and I realize this is the first time I’ve felt fear since Caspian has come into my room. Even when I awoke to him prowling around, the only emotion I’d felt was mild annoyance. And … other things I wish I hadn’t.

“I’ve seen her, those flames, before,” I stammer. “When I tried to break Lucas’s crown. But we shattered it, and Perth’s too. Is he back—”

“Perth was nothing but a pawn.” Caspian coughs, then wipes his mouth to reveal a line of black. He gives a little sigh, then stares at me. His eyes have returned to the deep purple.

Thorns twine around his hands and form … a bow. Twisting briars curve to create a delicate bow with a taut string.

He holds it out. “Yes, I’m afraid of the green flames. And you should be, too.”

Gingerly, I accept the bow, never once shifting my gaze from his.

And with that, the briars rise around the Prince of Thorns and take him back to the Below.