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I cannot move, yet she pulls at me, her gaze staring up at something in the distance. The ground beneath me shakes, and Carleah tries to drag me away.
My hearing comes back in a rush, and a roar unlike anything I’ve ever heard slams into me.
“Come! We have to move!” Carleah urges me, her eyes wide with panic.
I try to move, try to aid her, but I can no longer feel my legs. “Leave me. I can’t move.”
“No. Absolutely not.” Carleah grips my furs and pulls, using every ounce of her body weight to drag me mere inches. Then, she does it again and again, her face red as I try to aid in any way I can—which isn’t much.
She tucks us both behind a rock just in time to be hidden as gigantic humanoid creatures rush past us. They stand taller than any castle I’ve ever seen, their dark eyes focused only on what’s ahead. And in each of their hands, they carry weapons that are large enough to slay an entire army of people in one hit.
Fear thunders in my veins as I think of our people waiting just outside. They won’t even know. They won’t see them coming.
The giants hammer at the wall with their weapons, each strike bringing rocks raining down upon us. Carleah shields me with her body, and I’m so damned broken I cannot even argue.
And then—a blinding light fills the room, and the shaking stops.
But the giants march past us.
One by one, they pay us no attention as they leave their prison.
Awake and prepared to lay waste to the realm that imprisoned them.
* * *
The giants are awake! I have already started writing Birth of a Queen, and when I tell you guys that this final installment in Fort and Carleah’s journey makes the events in this book look like a walk in the park…WHEW. Let’s just say that they have to work for that marriage he promised her.
I cannot thank you enough for coming on this journey with me. This series has been a labor of love. I wrote it because it’s a story I desperately wanted to read. A tortured hero with a past that made him believe he was unworthy of love, a heroine who had no idea what world awaited beyond her walls but was determined she was capable of so much more…those are things that I can relate to.
And having them fight so desperately in the face of certain death—it’s such a powerful thing, to stand up for what’s right even if no one else stands beside you.
Those are all of the things I wanted to highlight in this series, and I cannot thank you all enough for standing alongside me as I tell this powerful story!
Birth of a Queen will be out in November (if not sooner)! If you want to stay up to date with all things Blade of Ice, then join my newsletter! It is where I share all of my important updates, and you can get a free book just for signing up.
I hope to hear from you soon!
-Jessica
P.S. Keep reading for a preview of Birth of a Queen!
Chapter 36
Bowman
The ground thunders, and the fighting stills. Harmonica is right beside me, hands raised as she holds a wall of water in place. She’s far more powerful than I ever thought possible, but somehow I know even she cannot stop what is coming.
The Tenebris even look fearful at the sounds of what’s coming. Of what we all were here trying to stop.
Carleah. Fear for my sister outweighs fear for myself, and I sprint in the direction she went. I make it two steps before I slip and fall, sliding back down as the ground beneath me turns from snow to slick ice.
“I have to get to her!” I yell as I whirl on Harmonica. Her hand is raised, her beautiful face contorted in terror.
“You will never make it. She has failed.” Her gaze is wide as she stares straight past me.
Massive creatures straight from the pages of legend crest the top of the hill. They’re taller than any castle I’ve ever seen, their hands the size of horses. Their hair is matted on top of their heads, their faces bulging.
And just beneath them is Patrick.
