Page 55 of Wicked Prince of Frost

After the prince’s earlier threat, I cannot risk our deal further. My parents’ lives, and those of countless other innocents, depend on my success. Nothing is worth failing them.

“It’s nothing to worry about. It was just from the overexcitement of everything catching up to me. I am well now.”

The king raises a brow and hums thoughtfully. “Then something must be weighing heavily on your mind.”

I need to choose my words carefully. Too many lies will make him doubt every word from my mouth, and I do not want to find out what consequences come from offending the king.

“Oh, I was looking for the prince, but I am afraid I’ve gotten all turned around.”

“Ah, I am glad to hear it is something easily remedied. I saw him not more than a few moments ago. I believe he was heading toward his private study behind the library.” He reaches out and takes my hand, clasping it between both of his. “But before you leave, I would like to say that I am pleasedyou are hale and whole. I worried you might be in a much worse state.”

Unease settles over me like a damp blanket. A lump forms in my throat, and I swallow to breathe past it. “Please don’t worry yourself on my account. As you can see, I am fine.”

A wave of nausea rolls over me, as my heart squeezes painfully. I fight to keep the episode at bay. Then, as quickly as it came on, it disappears, leaving behind a sharp pinch in my chest.

The king straightens, his gaze unfocused as he stares off into the distance. “Perhaps if they lived, he might not have turned out this way…” he murmurs to himself so quietly that I almost miss it. “Their screams were the worst sound I have ever heard.”

“Your Majesty?”

He clears his throat, shaking off the thought. “Oh, nothing, my dear. Only that our Crown Prince has a reputation for being… a bit cruel,” he says almost apologetically, as if cruelty is some small thing.

The king isn’t wrong. Even the human cities whisper about Prince Joon’s frozen heart and callous acts. But since the day he tracked me down, I have seen pieces of him that do not match what everyone believes. He is temperamental to be sure… though I am still figuring out if I am seeing the real him or if he is hiding his cruel side because I have something he wants.

“I thank you for your concern. I will be as careful as I can.”

“That is all I ask. Now,” he says, finally releasing my hand. “If you still wish to find him, continue this way to the Northern Court. The library is in the building on the far left.”

We part ways, and I wait for the king to disappear before resuming my search for the prince.

I pass the open arched gate, and to my dismay, I find aseries of connected buildings lined up against the western wall.

At least I have a general idea of where to begin.

Servants hurry through the halls too fast for me to stop them for directions. Just when I think I am lost again, I spot Mingi at the end of the hall, standing guard outside a door. I hurry over.

Mingi dips his chin in an obligatory polite greeting as he remains vigilant at his post.

“I request an audience with the prince.”

Wordlessly, Mingi moves to the side, pulling the door open, then closing it behind me.

Joon is at his desk with a stack of rolled documents on either side of him. He moves the paper he just finished reading to one pile and reaches for one from the other. He freezes, hand hovering in the air, when he sees me.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

JOON

The door slides open,then closed. I wait for Mingi to speak, but when he does not, I lift my head.

Violet—not Mingi—stands in the entrance.

“I’m sorry,” she hurls the words as one would an insult.

I bite the tip of my tongue to keep from laughing at the strangeness of it. “You already said that,” I remind her. “Is there some other reason for this interruption?”

Violet rolls her eyes and groans dramatically as she approaches the desk. Without invitation, or anything that could possibly be mistaken for one, she sits across from me with her legs tucked.

Imugi has curled up behind the documents I have finished with, unseen from where Violet sits.