Page 49 of Wicked Prince of Frost

I contemplate that information for a long moment. The only dragon I know—besides Imugi, who is actually a demon in the form of one—is the Winter Dragon.

People say the prince summoned it to curse all of Arum. But if the Winter Dragon is a guardian, and all the past rulers had them, then perhaps something went wrong, and Joon never intended to attack the people.

The path ends about a hundred yards from the base of the tree. The prince dismounts gracefully and makes his wayforward with a singular focus. I slide off the horse and hurry after him.

He stops halfway there, his dark eyes searching for something. When I catch up, he continues to face straight ahead. “The curse limits my powers. The frost bloom is the only thing that allows me to harness the Winter Dragon, giving me a little more time to find the items I need before it kills me.”

My gaze snaps to his profile. The words of the frost bloom’s entry rush back.It is said to have the ability to hold the effects of a curse at bay.

Demon shit.

I really made a mess of things. How much more time would he have if there were someone stronger in my place?

He doesn’t clarify whether he means the dragon or the curse will kill him. But that hardly matters. He just told me something very important about the monstrous dragon that has terrorized Arum for the last fourteen years. Either he needs control of the dragon to send it out to attack, or to keep it from escaping and causing harm.

But which one is it? More importantly, what brought about the curse?

I want to ask, but now isn’t the right time. Not that I think he would tell me if I did.

Prince Joon continues forward. His long strides force me to jog to keep pace. I nearly collide with his back when he comes to a sudden stop.

He glances from side to side, a frown furrowing his brow, completely lost in thought.

To give him space, I meander toward the tree, stepping over roots as I go.

The trunk is massive up close, more than I first realized. Ilift my face to the canopy above. Pale blue sky peeks out from between young leaves shivering in the gentle breeze.

I circle the tree, letting my fingers run over the rough bark. My entire bedroom back home could fit inside, with space to spare.

On the opposite side, my finger slides over something blunt protruding from the bark. The oddity of it is enough to stop me in my tracks. I lean in to examine the anomaly. A small hole the size of my little finger is pierced through the wood, which is not abnormal in itself. It’s the bark surrounding it, splintered and bent outward.

Bracing against the trunk, I peer into the opening and see through to the other side. A thin coating of ice on the inside. Almost as if whatever made it came from within.

Something punctured it with enough force to enter one side and out the other. I can’t think of anything so small that would have the power to pass through an object this size, as easily as a nail through leather.

Joon steps into my line of sight, still searching as he walks closer. Each step he takes is hurried, as if he can’t quite hold back the anxiety that drives him.

Continuing the rest of the way around, I find the prince peering through the cavity.

“Demon shit.” He pounds his fist against the trunk and straightens. Devastation and frustration cross his face. “It’s gone.”

“If you tell me what you’re looking for, I might be able to help,” I offer.

The prince’s gaze darts to me. “Do you possess a magic ability that I am unaware of that lets you find anything you want?”

“Well, no. Obviously not,” I say, unable to help the pout that forms at his harsh words. “But?—”

“Then I doubt telling you would do any good.”

“It’s in my best interest to help you.”

“And it is in my best interest to tell youwhatyou need to know,whenI feel you need to know.” Prince Joon’s mood is a storm in his eyes.

Every time I think we make the slightest bit of progress, he throws up a wall and shuts me out.

He inhales deeply and closes his eyes. When he opens them again, magic flares as a golden-red ring around his irises, making the vibrant blue glow. The color is almost spellbinding in its beauty.

The prince scans the tree. Then the rest of the landscape, turning in a slow circle. A sheen of sweat forms on his forehead with the effort of using his power in unseen ways.