The ice door that was not there before opened with sound like first thorn blooming.
Kael held my hand, gold and black shadows mixing with my gold fire, mark on my thigh burning cold then hot, same rhythm as Lyra's gold scar, same rhythm as child's heartbeat screaming "Sun Mommy Help" deep below.
Behind us, war raged in ballroom, four armies at gate, three armies protecting, hunters throwing silver nets that burned thorn girls and ice nets that froze ice girls, shadow uncle's black scythe aiming for Kael's back, Micah roaring, mother and aunt thorn vines exploding, Frost King ice spears, blood girl blood turning gold.
But we ran down bone stairs that glowed gold and white, through black ice that cracked under gold fire, through frost flowers that bloomed brighter and sang ice and sun hum
