Clash of Wills (14 page)

“We went together,” Nick said. “Your brother and I were footloose and fancy free…until Aurora showed up a few months ago.”

“She must have sensed the medallion’s power,” Samantha said.

“Aurora was an old crone when she found Julian and took hold of the medallion,” Nick said. “The thing probably should have been destroyed.”

“It’s not as easy as that,” Mara said. “An object of demonic power cannot be destroyed by ordinary means.”

“I wonder how Father discovered Aurora was a demon?” Samantha asked. “What gave her away?”

“I expect it had something to do with her summoning winter,” Julian said. “She was killing the crops with her brutal cold and Palorans were dying of hunger.”

“Only the worst sorts of demons thrive on the pain and suffering of others,” Mara murmured.

“How did Father expel her from Paloran?” Samantha asked. “I doubt she went willingly.”

“She must have allowed herself to be separated from that medallion at some point,” Mara said. “A fatal mistake on her part, but it allowed King Tomas to fling her out of the kingdom. He must be a powerful wizard.”

Julian and Samantha gasped.

“Yes, of course! I hadn’t thought of that, but you must be right,” Julian said. “Father is a wizard.”

“A wizard?” Samantha murmured. “I can’t quite believe it…but it explains why the weather in Paloran is so mild year ’round.”

“I still don’t agree with Father’s ban on magic,” Julian said. “If he’s a wizard, it doesn’t make sense.”

“Given the fact that one of his parents was a demon, I understand him better at least,” Samantha said. “He probably wanted to keep you and me from magic in case we’d inherited Aurora’s wickedness.”

“What Aurora will do now that her plans to provoke war between Paloran and Insolitia have been thwarted?” Nick asked.

“She’ll proceed anyway,” Julian said. “Winter will spread throughout her kingdom, and then south. Wherever there is snow, Aurora can summon an army. She intends to retake Paloran.”

“We must warn your father,” Nick said. “Perhaps he can stop her at the border.”

“Father should be warned, I agree,” Samantha said. “But this isn’t just about Paloran. Untold numbers of people will be slain if Aurora is allowed to leave the Uncharted Region.”

“What do you propose?” Julian asked.

“Mara, you said the medallion couldn’t be destroyed by ordinary means.” Samantha gulped. “Do you suppose it could be melted with demon fire?”

“
No
, Samantha. It’s too dangerous!” Julian exclaimed. “If you return to the ice castle, Aurora will kill you or turn you the same way she turned me.”

“Much of Aurora’s power can be blunted by the protection of a faery kiss,” Mara said.

Samantha peered at her. “It was
you
, wasn’t it? You’re the faery who kissed my cheek before.”

Mara smiled. “I could sense you needed my help.”

“It made all the difference.” Samantha thought for a moment. “Julian, turn me over to Aurora. You can pretend you’re still enthralled.”

“I-I don’t know if I can withstand her influence,” he said. “I barely managed to shake it off at a distance. What if she turns me again?”

“With Mara’s help, you’ll be stronger this time. It’s the only way I can get close enough to destroy that medallion with demon fire. After that, she should be easier to kill.”

“It’s a very risky plan,” Julian said. “I’ve already endangered your life more than once, Sam. Please don’t ask me to do it again.”

“We’ve no choice.”

“I created this mess.” Guilt was written on his features. “I just wish I could clean it up by myself.”

“I’ll come with you,” Nick said. “I’ll sneak into the throne room with a crossbow. Once you’ve destroyed the medallion, I’ll finish Aurora off. A silver-tipped dart or two should do it.”

Samantha reached out to squeeze her cousin’s hand. “I knew you’d help.”

Julian frowned. “There’s just one condition, Nick. If Sam fails and it looks like Aurora has truly possessed me again, you must kill me.”

Nick fell silent for several seconds. At last, he nodded. “If it comes to that.”

“It won’t,” Samantha said.

Mara bent down to give Julian a lingering, tender kiss on the cheek. “Your sister is right. It won’t.”

Samantha’s eyebrows lifted as a deep red blush stained her brother’s face. Her gaze flickered to Nick, who seemed equally surprised. He cleared his throat. “And where does Wills fit into this plan?”

A lump began to swell in Samantha’s throat, threatening to cut off her very breath.

“He doesn’t.”

Uncertainty over the coming battle left Samantha unable to sleep that night. The loss of Wills’ regard, however, made her possible death easier to bear. The dislike for her in his eyes—possibly even revulsion—had driven something akin to Aurora’s ice dagger into her heart.
The best part of me is already dead. I might as well spend my last few minutes in this world destroying evil.
And if she should survive the encounter, what then?
Am I even fit to live amongst humans any longer?

When a soft tapping came on the cottage door at dawn, Samantha was awake to answer it. Wills stood there with a borrowed knapsack over his shoulder. She felt suddenly tongue-tied.

“Blair and I are taking the Stairs of Tears to Elturon this morning.” Wills’ manner was distant. “Now that your brother has come to his senses, I feel my duty to deliver you safely has been discharged.”

“Yes, of course. You’ve acted more than honorably, and I thank you.”

He edged backward. “You’ll be returning to Paloran with Nick and Julian, I imagine?”

“We’ll stay with the Fae for another day or so before we set out.” The lie rolled easily off her tongue, but she felt no guilt this time.
He’s more than fulfilled any bargain we had, and I don’t want to thrust him into another dangerous situation.

Awkward silence.

“Good-bye, then,” he said finally.

“Wills?”

He paused.

“Take Nan to Insolitia with you. She’ll be happier there, with Joe.”

A curt nod was her only reply. He turned away, and Samantha watched as he strode off through the golden dawn. “Safe journey,” she whispered. “My love goes with you.”

Wiping away tears, she closed the door. She reached for her bloodied tunic with a sense of dread.

With Blair at his side, Wills hiked through the forest toward the tunnel. The strap of his knapsack was looped over his shoulder and a faery-made sword hung from his belt. Since Aurora had taken the Sword of Allinar, he was grateful the Fae had furnished him with a serviceable weapon.

There was a spring in Blair’s step. “This will be my first time leaving the Uncharted Region. I never felt the need to travel—until now.”

“And I’ve never felt the need to stay in one place.” Wills forced a laugh.

“How did you come to meet Princess Samantha?”

“Now
that’s
a funny story.”

As he told Blair about his charade in Paloran, however, the tale suddenly seemed less humorous and more pathetic. Here he was, a grown man who’d resorted to a ridiculous subterfuge to avoid an unwanted romantic entanglement. If he’d met his responsibilities head on, he probably would have left Paloran without having met Samantha at all. Duped, yes, but with his heart intact. On the other hand, had his life been so very grand before he knew what it was like to love? Despite Blair’s company, as Wills contemplated the journey to Insolitia, never before had it seemed so long, nor so lonely.

This is no time to lack resolve. She lied to me about her demon blood.

But had she really? Snippets of conversations they’d had about demons resurfaced. Samantha had shared his hatred of demons. She’d warned Joe to steer clear of demons when he went to the stream for water. Had that been deceit as well? What if his accusation toward her was unfair and she truly hadn’t known she was Aurora’s granddaughter?
If that’s the case, I’m guilty of cruelty.

Blair pointed. “There’s the tunnel up ahead.”

Wills merely grunted in response. As he followed Blair into the tall granite passageway, a palpable chill was in the air. When they emerged at the Stairs of Tears, snow covered the ground and more was pelting down.

“A spring snowstorm? How inopportune,” Will said. “This must be Aurora’s mischief.”

Blair turned up the collar of his coat. “I suppose it’s to be expected, all things considered.”

The statement was cryptic, but Wills wasn’t really listening. As he waded through the snow, he noticed the waterfall and pool had iced over. As he remembered bathing there in water Samantha had warmed for him, he felt a sharp pang of regret. He stopped in his tracks, torn between continuing his journey and going back to talk with her.

“What’s wrong?” Blair asked.

“I was just wondering if my judgment of Samantha was too hasty. It’s entirely possible she had no idea what she is.”

“I expect she didn’t, but it makes no difference. She and her brother are still demons.”

“Only partly.”

“Partly is too much to my way of thinking. The only one I feel sorry for is Nicholas. Although he was a wizard, he was always a decent fellow.”

“Why do you speak of him as if he’s dead?”

“If he’s not dead yet, he soon will be.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nicholas, Samantha, and Julian are battling Aurora. If this snow is any indication, they are in the thick of it right now.”

Wills was bewildered. “There’s to be no battle. All three are returning to Paloran in a day or two. Samantha told me as much this morning.”

“You’re mistaken. When I went to the smithy to pick up our weapons after dinner last night, Nicholas was there. He told me they’re planning to kill the snow demon today. I thought you knew.”

In the next moment, icy guardsmen rose up from the snow behind Blair, raised their bayonets, and ran him through.

Mara led Samantha, Nick, and Julian to the faery ring of toadstools marking the invisible gateway to Aurora’s kingdom.

“Let me give all of you a kiss on the cheek for luck,” she said. With Julian, however, she added a kiss on the lips. He responded with a long lingering kiss of his own.