Clambering to his feet, Tristan pulled me along with him to the window and we both stared out into the night. A strange shadow flew across the sky, pausing in front of the glowing moon on wings as vast as a ship’s sails. Something so vast it defied reason. A creature that could not possibly exist outside of fairy tale and legend.

Just like the trolls…

Horror flooded my veins as I watched the dragon furl its wings and dive toward Trianon, and seconds later, all too real human screams cut through the night.

What had I done?

Chapter 58

Cécile

Swearing under his breath, Tristan went back to the other room and scooped up Sabine, depositing her on the bed. “She’ll be as safe here as anywhere,” he said. “The castle walls are rimmed with steel – the dragon won’t be able to breach the perimeter.”

“What do we do?” I said, pulling one of the blankets off the bed and draping it over Anushka’s corpse, more to spare Sabine the sight than out of any sentiment. The woman was nothing to me. “How do we stop it?”

Tristan picked up the knife and pistol from the blood-soaked carpet and handed them to me. “We don’t. I do. Keep a steel weapon on you at all times – those who come will have even less tolerance for the metal than a troll. Stab one while it is corporeal, and you’ll likely kill it.”

“I don’t know what that means.” I followed him into the corridor, trotting to keep pace with his long stride.

“If it takes a shape.” He stopped in his tracks and gripped my shoulders. “I should have told you more before, but I did not believe they’d come so soon. They must have been watching.” He took a deep breath. “There is too much to explain, and we’ve no time for it. Stay within the castle walls, and you’ll be safe.”

I nodded in understanding if not agreement, as I had a sinking suspicion that he had no intention of remaining safely behind walls.

We ran toward the front of the castle and out into the darkness of the night. The torch flames danced wildly with the force of the wind, the sudden thick snow descending from the sky, carpeting the ground. It was painfully, unnaturally cold, and I would have retreated back if not for the warmth of Tristan’s magic wrapping around my body.

The gates were closed, and the walls were lined with guards too fixated on the monster flying above the city to notice anyone coming up from behind them. “Open them,” Tristan demanded once we reached them.

“Are you mad?” one of the guards replied, eyes wild. “Do you know what’s out there?”

“Open the gates!”

I turned to see Lord Aiden striding towards us, but there was something about his voice that seemed… off. “Cécile,” he added under his breath, and gave me a wink as he passed. It was my brother, disguised as Aiden with troll magic.