Carols and Spies by Jennifer Kropf

Author:Jennifer Kropf
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Winter Publishing House

The Red Kingdom palace was dusted with snow, its scarlet banners rippling in the breeze. Mighty white pillars held the balconies in place, resembling the stone legs of strong, resilient giants. Everything a Ruby Legionnaire was meant to be.

Mikal abandoned the wagon in the Scarlet City and pulled the Green prince the rest of the way on foot with Redson guarding their backs. They marched through the garden of ice sculptures and over the courtyards, but their trio came to a halt when a toddler on wobbly legs wandered out from around a sculpture and cut off their path. Mikal blinked down at the boy with mahogany hair, burgundy eyes, and a silver coronet atop his head. The Migraithes were not certain whether they ought to bow.

The little Red Prince blinked up at Edward Green.

“Hi,” the boy said, drawing a white apple from his velvet coat pocket. When he bit into it, it made a loud crunch. He did not break eye contact with the Green prince as he chewed, studying him all the while. The boy did not even have all his teeth yet.

A smile threatened the corner of Edward Green’s mouth. “Hi,” he said in return.

An ivory-haired woman swished out from the palace, and Mikal and Redson straightened their backs for the Crimson Queen.

The queen tugged the little Red Prince back. “Don’t talk to him, Cane,” she snapped. “He’s a dead folk.” Her icy glare fired up to the Green prince, and Mikal felt Edward flinch beneath his grip.

“Apologies, Your Majesty.” Redson grabbed Edward Green’s other shoulder and dragged him away from the royals, casting Mikal a look of worry.

When they entered the throne room in their muddy leather boots, high ranking members of the Crimson Court scowled at the Green prince, at the muddy trail they left on the floor, at the situation as a whole. Mikal knew he smelled of the forest. Not of the palace perfumes like the people here in claret robes.

Scarlet light flooded the white tile floor from the windows where the sun burned through. Nobles in long dresses and flowery holly wreaths watched with snoopy eyes and quiet whispers. Some of them had perhaps recognized the Migraithe brothers.

But all recognized Edward Green.

The king settled his purple eyes on the enemy prince with a smug smile.

“You will not escape me twice, Green. I will give you one last free choice before your timestring is snuffed out and you’re given back to the snow from which you were made,” the king decided, rising from his gilded seat. “You may choose which of the Legionnaires beside you to face in my arena at tomorrow’s midday.”

Mikal stilled. He had slain many of the Crimson King’s enemies. But now he looked at Redson to read his brother’s reaction.

Redson’s face was stone, as it always was in the king’s presence. He was a fit, obedient Legionnaire.

Everything Mikal was supposed to be in this moment.

Mikal’s hand drifted down to the parchment-wrapped pen in his pocket, where he had inked a tale that this Green prince had recited back to him without knowing it.

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