Page 19 of Wicked Prince of Frost

“Here you two are.” He throws his hands. “You know Mother would turn into a demon if she knew you ran off like that.”

Talya takes the empty skewers from me and shoves all of them into his hand and closes his fingers around them as she says, “Oh, for demon’s sake, Sebastian, I’m a grown woman and it’s the middle of the day.”

I press my lips together to stifle a laugh at their bickering. It didn’t even take them an hour.

“Besides,” she continues, “How would she know unless you tell her?” She steps up to him and glowers. “And if you do, I will make you wish you lived with the wild demons.”

He looks down at his hands gripping the sticky ends of our skewers, then back to her face. His eyes narrow, and I can tell it’s only going to get worse if I don’t stop them first.

I push my way between them and thrust an arm out, pointing to a random food stall. “Let’s go to that one next. I’m still famished!” This time, I drag Talya. “Come on, Sebastian, or I can’t promise there will be any left for you.”

The two siblings quickly get caught up in the excitement of the day. I will say, even though they are quick to fight, they are just as quick to forgive and forget.

We sample as many of the different foods as we can before I even complain about being full.

“If you two gluttons are quite finished, perhaps you could deign to help me pick out a gift for Lilly?” Sebastian takes the opportunity to lead us to a stall selling brooches. His cheeks darken with a slight blush.

Talya and I barrage him with questions about his fiancée’slikes and dislikes until we’ve narrowed down the choices to a handful of different options.

I shiver from a change in the air. The din of chatter changes to a murmuration of hushed voices. We turn to see the crowd parting as the clomping hooves approach the center stage.

“What’s happening?” Talya asks, excitement mingling with worry in her voice.

I close my eyes for a brief moment and swallow down my nerves. “Let’s go see,” I say, moving forward before I lose what little courage I possess.

Sebastian stops me by my elbow when a carriage surrounded by several soldiers riding identical white horses comes into view.

The entourage halts at the center. The guards and their mounts are dressed in the same shades of blue and silver as the carriage where my fate waits inside.

I shake his grip and force my feet to move forward.

“Vi, wait. We should stay back,” Talya says.

I smile for her as if nothing is wrong. “It will be fine. I only want a closer look.”

Then I slip into the crush of people before either of them can hold me back.

CHAPTER SIX

JOON

“When you sayyou found the thief…” Mingi trails off. The air is heavy with his unspoken question as he and Imugi await my answer.

Did you murder them?

He and Imugi exchange a glance. Both remain silent, waiting for me to answer.

There is no reason for him to assume otherwise. My hands have been stained with blood since the day I cursed myself and this kingdom. Yet, this time, it grates against my nerves.

Turning away from them, I lean against the pavilion’s balustrade and stare past my rippling reflection into the water. Silver fish glide past. Their shimmering, slender bodies catch the light of the setting sun.

This is one of the few places in the palace where it is unlikely anyone can eavesdrop unnoticed. Nevertheless, we remain careful to speak vaguely.

I release a long breath through my nose attempting to push down my ire.

It doesn’t work.

“It means exactly that—Ifoundthe thief,” I grind out the words.