Summer Prince

by Juliana Haygert

  Then he lunged at me.

  21

  Varian

  I barely had time to react.

  Before the troll got to Layla, I shot a bolt of fire at him. Haijen twisted out of the way and changed course. He stopped just a few feet from us, his feet apart, his hands raised. Ready for a fight.

  The troll snickered, showing off his huge, sharp teeth.

  He said something in his tongue and laughed some more.

  “He’s amused about your magic,” Layla explained, her voice low. “He thinks you’ll make a nice meal.”

  “Tell him to shut up and fight,” I snarled, calling my power. Fire enveloped my arms.

  Eager to end this fight before it even started, I threw a stream of firebolts his way. They hit him on the shoulders, arms, and chest. The troll jerked with each one, taking half steps back, but when I lowered my arms, the troll smirked at me.

  “His skin is too thick,” Layla said. “Unless you put him inside a pit of fire, he won’t burn."

  “I can arrange for a pit of fire,” I half-joked. If that was the only way to get rid of this monster, I would find a way to dig a pit big enough for him in no time. “How do we kill a troll?”

  “It isn’t easy.” Layla raised her arms, her blue eyes turning black. A dark wind appeared from the sky and wrapped around Haijen. “This will only buy us a little time.” Layla turned to me. “I only saw one troll killed before. It was done by another troll, who was equally strong. He ripped the troll’s chest open and dug out his heart.”

  I scowled. “I bet we can’t do that with our bare hands.”

  Layla shook her head. “And I don’t have any swords or weapon strong enough to cut through his skin.”

  “What else can you tell me about him that will help?”

  She shrugged. “There’s nothing much. Other than being absolutely greedy, trolls are nasty and strong. Really hard to kill.”

  Greedy.

  That gave me an idea.

  I rushed inside the cottage and brought the sack with my things outside. I stood beside Layla and said, “Let go of your wind.”

  She frowned at me. “Why?”

  “Just do it.” Layla turned to the troll, but before she could command her wind, the troll cut through it on his own. He let out a roar and rushed at us. “Wait!” I called out.

  The troll hesitated but stopped.

  Layla said something to him in their language, and the troll replied back. “He wants to know what we’re doing.”

  “I don’t think I need any translation for this.” I extended my arm, showing the sack to him. I turned the pouch over and dumped the contents into my other hand, my jewelry spreading over my palm. Five rings, two bracelets, and a thick necklace. I didn’t like jewelry, but I had been attending a fancy ball when I was sent here. But the biggest prize of all didn’t fall from the sack. I had to fish it from inside.

  Layla gasped when I pulled out my crown. “What are you doing?”

  The troll’s eyes widened, shining with the greed Layla had mentioned. Slowly, I approached him. “All of these can be yours, but you have to leave us alone,” I said. When Layla didn’t translate, I told her to.

  “This isn’t right,” she said to me.

  “Layla, just do it,” I insisted. She pressed her lips tight, but finally translated my words. I continued, “And he has to let that young female fae go too.”

  Haijen looked from the items in my hand to Layla, to me, back to the gold and jewels between us. If he was really greedy, this would be a hard bounty to refuse. Everything was made of pure gold with large diamonds and other precious gems. And my crown was the icing on the cake.

  The troll said something, then swiped the items from me.

  “He said he’ll accept your terms,” Layla said, her tone somber. “He’ll release the fae too, though he can’t guarantee she’ll make it because of her injuries.”

  “We’ll take care of her,” I said, never taking my eyes from the troll.

  Layla said something else to the troll, and he nodded once. Then slowly, he took a few steps back, until he was a good distance from us. When the forest was right at his back, he turned and ran.

  Her fists clenched, Layla stomped toward me. “What the hell did you do?”

  I turned to her. “What do you mean?”

  “You just gave away all of those things because of me. Your crown! How could you?”

  “I did what I had to do.”

  She punched my shoulder. “Do you think I don’t know the crowns in the fae realm are passed through generations. That wasn’t just expensive. That was a family heirloom! Sentimentally, it was priceless!”

  I held her wrist gently, before she could punch me again, and leaned closer to her. “You’re more important than my crown.”

  She groaned and jerked her arm free of my grip. “You’re only saying that because some destiny crap told us we are mates, otherwise you would have never offered your crown for me!”

  “Layla …” I shook my head once. When would I make her see that this, us, whatever we had, was so much more than fate or destiny or the ties of a mating call? “You are more important to me than all my riches, but I won’t force that upon you if you’re not comfortable.” I pressed the empty sack between my hands. “All I want is for you to give in a little. To give this, us, a chance. Then you’ll see it too.”

  She groaned again, but instead of answering me or yelling at me, she stomped into the forest.

  My instinct was to go after her; we had just been attacked by a troll who had left through a similar path, and there were ogres after our heads, but I stood my ground.

  I wanted her to give us a chance, but before that happened I had to give her some space. I just hoped she realized what she meant to me before we died in this forsaken land.

  22

  Layla

  I didn’t go far. All I needed was some space from the summer prince. A little fresh air to clear my head and let go of my frustration.

  I couldn’t control my thoughts though, and my mind wandered to what would have happened if Varian wasn’t my mate. If we hadn’t found out about the bond yet. Would he have offered his damn crown for me if I had been a nobody?

  Probably not.

  I shook my head, still upset about it all.

  I walked around a little, but ended up right where I always did.

  In front of Linde’s grave.

  I knelt beside the rough wooden plaque I had made and placed a hand on the damp earth. Several feet underneath, my dear younger sister was buried. Dead before she had reached adulthood.

  If only I could go back in time. If only I had insisted we didn’t join Sanna. But who was I kidding? I had been tempted too, only I had been too shy and scared to do it on my own. When Linde showed interest, I didn’t resist. I went with her.

  Though I had spun this scenario in my head thousands of times already, I never saw a different outcome. No matter what, Linde and I would have followed Sanna to Wyth. And history would repeat itself.

  I felt his presence before I heard him. Perhaps it was the mating bond making me aware of his presence, or the quietness of the woods and my senses tuned to this place.

  “Sorry,” he said, stopping a few feet behind me. “I just … I was worried and wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

  I nodded. In a way, I understood his feelings, because I was starting to feel them myself. If I was honest, I would say that since the first moment I heard about him, that I saw him in the ogre’s dungeon, I had been worried about him too.

  “Come here.” I patted the ground next to me. “I want to show you something.”

  It took him a couple of seconds, but Varian moved. He took three long steps and knelt beside me.

  Without looking at him, I reached into one of the corners of the grave and started digging.

  “Layla?” Varian asked, his tone guarded.

  I didn’t answer. Instead, I kept digging the damp earth with my bare hands. A good foot in,
I closed my hand around the leather pouch and pulled it up. I took one of Varian’s hands in mine, not caring that I was getting him dirty too, and turned the pouch's content in his hand.

  A golden ring with a large red stone.

  Varian’s eyes widened.

  “This is the ring I told you about,” I said, finally meeting his eyes. “The one Sanna used to absorb our powers and to create powerful magic.”

  “How do you have it?”

  ”When Sanna injured Linde, Linde had ahold of Sanna’s hands and pulled the ring from Sanna’s finger. Linde held on to the ring, and even though she was dying, she knew what the ring meant. What it could do. So she hid it in her pocket. Her last words were for me to hide it and never use it, because she was afraid I would turn evil like Sanna if I did.” I inhaled deeply. “I tried not to use it, but I did. Twice. It was how I got my reputation here. If it hadn’t been for this ring, I would probably have been dead years ago.”

  Varian turned the ring in his hand. “But you ended up hiding it anyway.”

  “I did, because the stone is powerful,” I said. “I can feel it calling to me even now.”

  “And you’re suggesting you use it to steal the medallion,” he said. A small smile tugged at my lips. I knew he would understand my intentions without the need to voice them. I nodded. “Are you sure?” He reached for me and held my hand in his free one. “I don’t want to see you battling with yourself because of this ring.”

  “I think it’s our only chance,” I whispered.

  He squeezed my hand, somehow giving me strength through this touch. “Then let’s do it.”

  23

  Varian

  It was deja-vu.

  Layla and I headed to the ogres’ keep. We waited until the two relentless suns went down before I glamoured us and we sneaked in. We climbed over the wall and tiptoed around the weaponry, and only saw a handful of ogres. From what Layla told me about their hunts and bonfires and loud manners, the keep seemed quiet for this time of the evening.

  Well, it made our job easier.

  Layla and I tiptoed around a big ogre stationed at one of the side doors and entered the keep. We were careful with noises around the few patrols we encountered as we went around the keep, looking for Ranzio, the leader.

  Knowing a little more about ogres than I did, Layla guided us to the back of the keep, where the leader’s quarters were. And there he was, alone in a large room, seated at a throne-like chair in front of a fireplace that was easily three times my height.

  My heartbeat sped up when I saw the glinting medallion hanging from his chest. So he wore the medallion like a prized possession? It didn’t matter. I would cut off his head and take it … and go back home.

  Layla stopped outside the wide archway, frowning at the king. She shook her head at me once.

  I mouthed, “No what?”

  A force slammed my back and pushed me into the room. I scrambled forward, trying to keep my balance, and ended up skidding on the balls of my feet so I wouldn’t fall. I grabbed Layla’s arm when she tripped and kept her up.

  The force stopped and we found us in the middle of the large room.

  Ranzio rose from his chair, his incredible height towering over us. His lips stretched wider over a sharp-toothed smile, and his eyes gleamed as he watched us.

  He said something in the common language.

  Layla groaned and called on her magic. Following her lead, I did the same and fire enveloped my hands.

  “That would be a waste of time,” a new voice echoed through the room, speaking in English. A moment later, Carlyn strolled into the room. “What took you so long? We’ve been waiting for you.”

  Before we could react, a curtain of foreign magic fell over the room and dozens of ogres filed in behind Carlyn, surrounding us.

  “You …” Layla started.

  “What?” Carlyn snapped, halting a few feet from us. “Didn’t you wonder why we didn’t go after you?” She leaned closer. “Because I knew you would be back for the medallion.”

  Layla gasped. “It was a trap.”

  “Indeed.” Carlyn’s smile widened. “It worked beautifully, didn’t it?”

  Ranzio huffed. He said something in the common language and Carlyn chuckled.

  “What did he say?” I asked in a whisper.

  “That he’s pleased about not only getting the fae back, but also a powerful witch,” Layla whispered back. “He thinks this year’s festival will be the most powerful of all with the both of us serving as their dinner.”

  By the scorching heat!

  A shadow weaved past the ogres, coming toward the center of the room. It hovered close to the floor, until it was right in front of Layla and me. I held on to my fire closer, not sure of what was happening.

  The shadow took the shape of a dark ghost, and an eerie voice rang through the room. “I told you that you had no idea what trouble you had gotten yourself into.”

  Oh, the blazing lich from the dungeon.

  Layla beat me to it and threw a black bolt of magic directly at it. The shadow yelped and dispersed into the air.

  Carlyn tsked. “Shame that doesn’t kill him. This place would be much better without that damn lich.” She waved the air, as if fanning away smoke. “Where were we? Oh yeah. As you can see, there’s no way out. You’re outnumbered and powerless.” She raised her hand, showing a symbol carved from wood.

  “A charm,” Layla said, answering the question in my head. “It’ll numb our magic.”

  “And not hers?” I asked, loud enough for Carlyn to hear.

  “It should,” Layla said, her eyes on her former friend.

  “It will.” Carlyn nodded. “But then it’ll be the two of you against a hundred ogres. No magic whatsoever. Hm, I think the ogres will win.” She let out a bored sigh. “Surrender now and let’s save ourselves a headache.”

  Layla glanced at me. I dipped my chin once, slowly. A corner of her lips tugged up.

  “Sorry, Carlyn.” Layla threw up her hands. “We won’t surrender.” The red stone on her finger gleamed bright and a powerful wave of magic rippled through the room.

  Carlyn and most of the ogres skidded back several paces, some even toppled to the floor in a heap of ugly bodies.

  The witch fell on her knees but didn’t lose her composure. She stared at Layla with wide, dangerous eyes. “You have the ring.”

  Layla’s smiled stretched some more. “I do.”

  “Ranzio, you must flee,” Carlyn yelled.

  The leader of the ogres turned toward the nearest exit. Oh, no, he wouldn’t. I ran after him.

  The battle started. Ogres came into my path, but I used my magic to create a fire corridor, pushing the other ogres back and isolating their leader. In the center of the room, Layla destroyed the wooden charm and Carlyn attacked her.

  I almost hesitated, wanting to help, but I knew that Layla wasn’t a damsel in distress. She had been alone and alive for many years in this blazing land. She could take care of herself.

  I pushed my worry aside and focused on Ranzio.

  He rushed to the door, but I spread my fire wider, creating a thick orange barrier. He wasn’t going anywhere. The big, nasty ogre turned to me with rage in his eyes and a bite in his teeth. He growled.

  I halted and fashioned my magic into a long, fiery blade in my hand. When the ogre lunged at me, I stepped to the side and swiped the fire blade, cutting through his chest.

  Blood oozed from the burnt gap, smoke hafting along with it, and the monster fell on his knees. He clutched his chest, as if he could fix the damage I had done, but there was nothing to be done now. Before we had come in, Layla had given me a burst of power from the ring and now my magic was incomparable, even if only for a short time.

  Not even an ogre could resist the brunt of my fire now.

  The other ogres roared, trying to advance through the fire, but the ones who dared met a similar fate. Their bodies caught on fire immediately and they burned to a crisp in a matter
of seconds.

  Ignoring their shouts and yells, I stepped right beside their leader and reached down. I wrapped my hand around the medallion and yanked, ripping the crude leather cord from Ranzio’s neck.

  I straightened and stared at the medallion, still not believing it was right in my hand. There was a moment when I thought Carlyn had been joking when she told Layla about the medallion to provoke her, that this medallion was a fake. But no, it wasn’t. I could feel the familiar magic pulsing inside it. It was real. This was it.

  I was going home.

  I looked to the center of the room, but Layla and Carlyn weren’t there. Instead, Layla had Carlyn backed into one of the corners in the room where the fire wasn’t raging, a magical black dagger in her hand as Carlyn shook on her legs, eyes wide with fear.

  Both of them looked like they had taken quite a beating with disheveled hair, bruises on their faces, and ripped sleeves, but in the end, Layla was stronger because of the stone in the ring.

  But I knew she couldn’t kill her former friend.

  I walked to Layla and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “It’s over.” She startled and turned to me, brandishing the dagger. She realized it was me and put it down. “I have the medallion.” I showed it to her. “We can leave now.”

  Her eyes widened and she lowered her hand. “We did it.”

  “We did,” I whispered.

  “No!” Carlyn let out a cry and rushed to Layla, her hands up and ready to do some damage.

  I didn’t think. I stepped into Layla’s way and summoned my fiery blade. I extended it forward and Carlyn ran right into it. The fire plunged into her chest and spread like wildfire.

  Beside me, Layla went still.

  I extinguished the blade and Carlyn fell at our feet. Shocked by my actions, I turned to Layla. “I’m sorry.”

  Layla shook her head. “She wouldn’t have stopped. You did what you to do.” She glanced around the room, taking in the raging fire, the shrieking ogres, the many bodies thrashing on the floor. She shuddered, then glanced at me. “Let’s get out of here.”