“DON’T KILL THE creatures.” Proctor stalked closer with the twins, while the soldiers waited farther back. “We need them alive.”
“Don’t worry,” Lady Nosey said, with a razor edge in her voice. “We’ll just wound them at little.”
She fired her crossbow: schwap!
The bolt flew at Ji, and fear turned his knees boneless. He stood there like a lump of fat—until Roz shoved him out of the way. He stumbled sideways, and instead of piercing his leg, the bolt shattered against Roz’s calf.
“Please, my lady,” Roz said. “Let’s not resort to physical viol—”
Schwap, schwap! Two more bolts broke against Roz, and Lady Nosey said, “Keep your grunts to yourself.”
“Save a few for the goblin thing,” Lord Pickle told his sister, glaring at Sally.
“She’s not a goblin,” Ji said.
“And she’s certainly not a thing,” Roz rumbled.
“She’s a hobgoblin,” Ji said. “And she’s about to kick you cross-eyed.”
Sally launched forward from behind him. She landed on Roz’s shoulder, then bounded at Nosey and Pickle. Another crossbow bolt flew, but Sally plucked it from the air and hurled it at Proctor, who was throwing his dagger at Roz.
Proctor ducked and his dagger missed Roz by inches, then buried itself hilt-deep in a boulder. A chill touched Ji. That was no ordinary dagger.
“It’s a magic knife!” Chibo piped. “Watch out, Roz!”
Ji hefted a piece of driftwood. He gulped as Mr. Ioso’s fists started glowing white, and he made himself step beside Roz. He didn’t know to fight, but he knew how to try.
“Please,” Roz begged, spreading her four-fingered hands. “Can’t we discuss this like rational—”
“Freaks?” Lord Pickle asked. “Beasts?”
“I’m sorry,” Brace told Ji, swinging his sword. “If you won’t serve me willingly—”
“I beg you, Lord Brace,” Roz said. “Surely we can—”
“Roz!” Ji raised his driftwood to block the sword. “Less talking and more trolling!”
“If you even touch the prince,” Proctor warned, “you shall pay dearly.”
“You’re the prince now?” Ji asked Brace.
“One day I’ll be king,” Brace said, shifting his grip on his sword. “And Roz is right—there’s no need for this. Pledge yourselves to me and—”
“Stay still, you filthy squirrel!” Lady Nosey snarled, stabbing at Sally.
Sally backflipped away, hurling a rock at Nosey’s forehead with one foot. Thunk. Nosey dropped to her knees. A howling Lord Pickle attacked, his blade a blur of slashes. Sally twirled and leaped and punched him in the eye. He fell and—
A beam of white light struck Sally. The impact slammed her to the floor. The light recoiled to Mr. Ioso’s fists, and a palm tree withered behind him.
Sally lay still, her fur singed . . . and Proctor kicked her in the side.
“Bad Proctor!” Chibo’s wings glowed as brightly as an emerald sun. “You get away from her!”
Brace recoiled from the blinding light while Proctor raised a hand to shield his face.
“You’re being terribly rude!” Roz roared, and leaped through the green glare to backhand Proctor.
Her blow struck his chest with a meaty thud. His beard shook and his mouth opened in a scream as he was flung through the air and slammed into Mr. Ioso. They tumbled off the walkway together, dropping in a tangle to the mucky bank of the half-empty, fish-stinking pool.
The light dimmed as Chibo fell exhausted to his knees, and Brace pointed his sword at Ji. “I’m trying to save the realm!”
“I’m trying to save us,” Ji said.
“This isn’t about you, Ji,” Brace said solemnly. “It’s not about me, either. It’s about the survival of humankind.”
“I guess you just got lucky, huh?” Ji asked. “Humankind needs you in a crown, but it wants us in chains.”
“Look around.” Brace gestured toward the soldiers on the walkways, waiting for the command to attack. “You have a good eye for strategy, Jiyong. You know you can’t fight a whole army.”
“We can fight them,” Ji said.
“But you can’t beat them.”
“There’s more to life than winning,” Ji said.
“And you can’t get away, not with the water frozen.”
“So unfreeze it and let us go.”
“I can’t. I need you. We need you. You know me, Ji.” Brace’s voice sounded raw and honest. “Join me. Please. I’m not asking as the new heir, I’m asking as an old friend. How many hours did we spend in my room, fighting ogres and goblins?”
“Lots,” Ji said. “Lots of hours.”
“I know what it’s like to be weak.” Brace looked to Roz. “I know what it’s like to be bullied. How many kings can say that?”
“Not many,” Roz said.
“Am I cruel?” Brace asked. “Am I greedy?”
“You never used to be,” Ji said.
“I haven’t changed,” Brace said. “I’m still me.”
“If we join you, Prince Brace,” Roz rumbled, “will Her Majesty truly reverse the effects of the Rite?”
“She will,” Brace promised, and sheathed his blade. “She’ll turn you human again.”
Ji glanced at Roz and saw the longing and hope in her eyes.
“There’s a long war being fought between humans and beasts,” Brace said, “and the Summer Crown is our only defense. It’s the only thing keeping the monsters from killing us all. There’s exactly one way to save the realm. Exactly one way to save every crafter and clerk and farmer, every mother and father and child.”
“Yeah,” Ji said. “And that way is ‘finish sacrificing us to the water tree.’”
“No!” Brace said. “No, that was wrong, that was terrible.”
“We didn’t like it much, either,” Sally growled, limping closer, holding hands with Chibo.
“Pledge yourselves to me,” Brace said. “Serve me. Help me.”
“And if we do,” Ji said, “the queen will break the spell?”
“You have my word,” Brace told him.
Nobody spoke for a moment. The trickle of water in the garden mixed with the creak of the soldiers’ armor. Ji watched Lady Nosey and Lord Pickle on the other side of the pond, helping a muddy Proctor drag a limping Mr. Ioso onto a walkway.
“Being servants isn’t so bad,” Sally growled.
“It’s not freedom,” Chibo fluted.
Ji looked to Roz. He needed to talk to her, he needed to tell her what he feared. She returned his gaze steadily. Maybe reassuring him, maybe encouraging him. Maybe just trusting him.
When Ji ducked his head, his gaze dropped to Brace’s court boots: the stingray leather, the gleaming turquoise, clusters of garnets, topazes, and fire opals. And two sparkly new baubles, glittering with emeralds, rubies, and pearls.
With an aching hunger, Ji wanted them.
For a long moment, he stood there, feeling this sudden craving. Whatever he did right now might save him and Roz, Sally and Chibo, and even Nin—or kill them all. He thought about battling ogres with Brace, and sacrificing knights. He thought about friendship and honor and betrayal.
Then he fell to his knees.
He dropped his forehead to the walkway, inches in front of Brace’s jewel-encrusted boots, and said, “We’ll join you, my prince. We’re yours to command.”