Wildlanders.
They came from all directions – at least 50 of them, and we were devastatingly outnumbered. These men looked ravenous and ready to kill, and if we didn't find a way out, we would surely be dinner. As they approached, a small opening within the crowd became visible - an opening just big enough for the three of us to slip right through.
"There." I pointed to the gap in men and Sebastian nodded. He then made a sound, causing the polar bears to take off. I looked down at my sides to make sure the wolves still followed. I then looked to my right and saw Luca, who silently suffered from a burn, wincing as his bear moved forward.
The odds were against us.
With Luca's burn, he wouldn't be much help when it came to fighting, meaning the Prince and I would be the ones to fend off our attackers. One thing I was certain of: I wasn't going to get eaten alive.
An arrow slammed into the snow just inches away, causing our bear to shift to his left, and we flew off of its back, landing in the hard snow. My head hit the ice with a thud, momentarily dazing me and I moaned as I sat up. I tried to see past my fogginess with much difficulty.
"Sebastian," I called, turning toward him, and his hand was instantly at my waist, pulling me to my feet.
"The wolves," I said, blinking rapidly as I held on to him, regaining my sight. Thankfully, the three large cubs still trailed along the sides of the bear, unaware of our departure. So much for protection.
Luca, the wolves and the bears were so close to making it through the gap, and it seemed as if the Wildlanders didn't care to stop him. They were more focused on us, the easy targets.
I looked up at the Prince and saw all of the emotion he usually kept hidden behind his icy eyes. The most dominant of those emotions was determination. He was a strong Prince, one who'd do anything to keep us alive. It took a while for me to see the protector inside of him, but once I did, there was no denying it.
So much had happened since the first day I lay eyes on him. Back then, he was cold and distant, a Prince following in his father's footsteps. But he'd only been misunderstood by his people and misused by his own father. The daunting tasks, such as killing innocent royals, left him in a state of coldness - a coldness I'd somehow began to melt.
It had happened with our first kiss, and somehow the warmth and electricity that had passed between us had began to melt the chips of ice covering his heart. Our second kiss was even more powerful - so much so that I thought about it even in the midst of chaos. Our enemies were close, and if we didn't think quickly, we'd be captured.
"White fire," the Prince said, and his hands lit up like a thousand moons. "Shall we?" The fire wouldn't kill them, but it would do enough damage.
"Lets torch these bastards." It was something Cora would've said, and I knew she would've been proud.
The Wildlanders came to a stop 50 yards away, and with them so close, I was able to scan through certain profiles. They all somehow managed to have similarities: sharp, dirty faces, angry, hungry snarls, and wild, lowered eyes. Some had knives carved out of wood hanging at their sides. Others had objects with deadly spikes pointed at us. Another similarity was the dirty wool and rags that covered their bodies
"Don't show fear," the Prince whispered. "We need to scare them."
I nodded as I watched a woman dressed heavily in armor step forward. Her head tilted to the side as she stared at us. I straightened, ready for an impending attack, but nothing happened. The woman took a few steps toward us and spoke.
"I am Ika, Queen of the Wildlands. It's not everyday we get visitors...especially ones with royal blood." She then whistled, and the girl from the meat stand stepped out of the crowd and approached her. The Queen, who was not much older than I, placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and looked down at her. "My little sister did well today. She's provided her people with a royal meal.
"We can do this the easy way, or we can make this complicated. Come with us willingly, or be taken. We aren't afraid of your white fire," Queen Ika laughed, and her people joined in. Their laughter made me grind my teeth in frustration.
As if on queue, she sobered and met my eyes with a scowl. "A Queen is never afraid."
"You are no queen," the Prince responded. "You're only playing pretend. When I face you, I'll remind you who the true royal is."
"Is that what you plan to do to the new King as well? Or perhaps, he is the one who showed you otherwise." Queen Ika smiled as she took another step toward us. "I've been in these woods for a long time. I know each part like the back of my hand. Even if you ran, I'd find you.
"I know the villages as well. If you ran to one, I'd still find you. You can't beat me. I run the northern wilds. I am the north. You should've never journeyed past your little castle."
The Prince spat in the snow and then took his own step forward. "You're people have always been a headache to my father, but you will not be my headache. I will destroy every last one of you."
"Is that so?" the queen asked. "And how do you suppose you'll do that?"
The Prince's entire body ignited in white flames, and I watched the Queen's eyes widen a fraction. I didn't hesitate to join him; my arms lit up, and I took a step forward, ready to fight with my prince.
Together, we looked unstoppable.
The Queen roared, and her men charged us, shouting out the song of war. Simultaneously, the Prince and I attacked, and balls of white fire buzzed past the Queen's head, colliding with her men.
The snow around us shifted as wielders tried to entrap us. Luckily we jumped out of the way seconds before a cage of ice rose from the snow. Arrows zoomed past us, and we dodged each one, sending waves of white fire in their direction.
I'd counted six men injured from my doing alone. With another blast, I took out two more. The closest man was feet away, and he came at me with a wooden knife. I quickly ducked his attack and slammed an elbow into the back of his head. He fell to the ground, unconscious.
Five new Wildlanders approached, causing the Prince and I to drift apart from each other as we fought them off. One man sliced his knife in the air, inches from my face with malicious intent. Another grabbed at my shirt, trying to contain me.
I caused the snow below to entrap both men. I then spun around, just in time to catch a man seconds from slamming a knife into the back of Sebastian's head. I cried out and swung my fist into the side of his head. He stumbled forward, falling into the Prince. Sebastian spun around, finishing him with a deadly blow to the head.
I heard a sound behind me and spun around. My eyes then lowered as I took in Queen Ika. I had to admit, she was a beautiful woman, no older than myself. There was something familiar in her silver eyes, and I frowned as I stared at her.
In return, she smiled at me, but it was nothing friendly. Before I could react, her hand collided with the side of my face. I stumble backward but quickly straightened as I met her eyes again. Her foot then shot out and collided with my chest causing me to fall into the snow. My fire went out.
Hands from behind me grabbed at me, and I allowed them, thankful that the Prince was helping me. These hands then grabbed my arms and roughly
pulled them behind my back, holding me in place. It was then that I realized I had been caught and that the Prince stood feet away, fighting off a group of men.
He looked over and saw my disposition, he instantly stoops fighting. "Anya!" he shouted, and he moved toward me, but was quickly seized by several men. We'd been overpowered.
And now, we would be food.