“Oh, right,” Caspian drawls. “You left your child sister in charge. But I think your realm got off lucky. Better than the drunkard who let his brothers go off to battle alone. That ended well for you, didn’t it, Prince of the Summer Realm?”
Farron looks from Dayton’s ashen face to Caspian and snarls, “Shut up. You’re the villain here, Caspian. You’re sucking the life from Castletree—”
“Ah, if it isn’t our little researcher. Life is behind a book, isn’t it? You must love my thorns. You spend every day hiding away, trying to find a cure for them. But what would you do if they were gone, and you had to go back to actually ruling? Don’t try to fool me. You should be on your knees thanking me for the gift I’ve given you.” Caspian’s voice has lost its mischievous banter. He’s all darkness now.
Farron looks like he’s been struck by arrows. He staggers back, hand to his breast.
“Enough.” Ezryn steps forward to Caspian. “Guards, bring me a sword—”
“Of course you need a weapon. What is the Prince of Spring without blood on his hands?” Caspian paces before him, a scowl thrashing his angelic face. “The goblins love to talk, you know. You’re the favorite ghost story down Below. The Black Beast of the Briar.”
“Silence,” Ezryn rasps.
“I know how you love to kill them,” Caspian says. “How sometimes, you do it slowly. You torture them, letting their screams fill your ears like their blood fills your mouth. It’s alright. I can appreciate the art of torture.”
Ezryn storms up to him until they’re eye to eye. “I’ll take your tongue.”
But Caspian doesn’t back down. Instead, he smiles. “They fear you. And you love that. I know you well, Ezryn of the Spring. Is it true the only time you’ve ever been at peace is when you’re a monster, covered in blood? That you kill my goblins slowly so their screams will drown out the cries of all those you failed?” He flashes a white grin. “Like your mother?”
Now, Ezryn is silent. A tear falls from my face to the floor, and it sounds like a sonic boom. I turn to Keldarion on his throne.Do something. Help them.
But Keldarion stays pinned as if by invisible shackles, his face twisted in sorrow.
“All of you,” Caspian spits. “Pathetic.”
Rage floods my body.
Who does this guy think he is, crashingmyparty, belittlingmyprinces? Perth Quellos made me feel like an ant under his boot, a feeling that was all too familiar. I’d been made to feel that way my entire life by the people in my town, by Lucas. And I took every hit, every jab, because it was easier to be knocked down than to stand up.
But now, a fire burns within my flesh. And I will not lie down on these coals. Not anymore.
I step in front of Ezryn and shove the Prince of Thorns in his perfectly pressed chest.
He stumbles back, and a gasp erupts from the crowd.
Caspian looks down at his feet, then up at me, a single eyebrow raised. He opens his mouth—but I don’t let him speak a word.
“We get it, Prince of Thorns. You’re jealous.” My voice is a breathy growl. Now I’m the one pacing in front of him. “The four princes have each other. And what do you have? Your goblins and your briars. No wonder you pass your time stalking the princes and obsessing over them.” I walk right under his nose and glower up. “You wish you could be them.”
Caspian smiles down at me. “Oh, my sweet Rose, you have no idea what I wish.”
“Shut up. I’m not done talking.” My heart roars in my ears, but I don’t care. I’m so fucking sick and tired of these insecure men. “Are the princes perfect? No. Have they made mistakes? Yes. But they’re still here. Showing up because they care about the Vale and everyone in it.”
I poke his hard chest. “And what do you care about? Spreading your ugly-ass garden? Making a fool of yourself at parties?” I shake my head. “You’re the pathetic one, Caspian. And you know it.”
Caspian is silent, and I intake a breath, awaiting his thorns to rip out of the crowd and envelope me. But when they don’t, I turn my back to him and stare at my princes. Ezryn, Dayton, Farron, and Keldarion. Each of them, so broken. And yet, the shards of them glitter like stardust. “The princes have more courage and heart than you could ever imagine, Caspian,” I whisper. “I can tell your life has been very sad. I’m sorry you’ve suffered.” My eyes shimmer with angry tears as I face him. “But you don’t get to tear them down because of it.”
Caspian runs a tongue over his plush lips. His dark eyes narrow, and a traitorous smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “What do you know? My rose has thorns.”
I pull my shoulders back and march right beneath his nose. I stare up at this prince of darkness and I do not flinch away. “You said you came to the party to see me and to dance. Well, here I am. Let’s dance.”
“Rosalina, don’t,” Ezryn says, but I wave him away.
“Caspian?” I press.
Caspian runs a hand through the dark waves of my hair. “It would be an honor to dance with you.”
I nod at the musicians and they look up at Keldarion. His hands dig furrows in his icy throne, but I urge him with my eyes:I know what I’m doing.