Clash of Wills by S.G. Rogers

reddish brown…like His Highness.”
    “ No ,” Julian muttered.
    “And he was willing to have his throat cut to protect the prince,” the snaggletoothed man said. “Odd thing was, the demon came with him all the way from Paloran.”
    “It seems we already have Prince Wills in our dungeon.” Aurora laughed. “As easy as that.”
    “How is it possible for my sister to possess the powers of a fire demon? I don’t understand.”
    “All the elemental demons stem from a common source. She’s a throwback—a abominable freak of nature. If I could bend her will to mine, she would be a formidable weapon. As it is, Samantha poses a danger.”
    With a rapid movement of her hands, Aurora shaped a long icy stiletto from thin air and proffered it to Julian. He gave it a wary glance. “What’s that for?”
    “Kill Nicholas, Samantha, and Wills.”
    Julian blanched.
    “We’ll send their bodies back to their kingdoms with an appropriate story to match. The war we need will soon follow.”
    Julian stared at the glistening stiletto and slowly shook his head. “But it’s Sam …”
    Aurora fixed him with a stare. “You will obey me.”
    Confused, his eyes glazed over. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

    Samantha cast a critical eye around the dungeon cell. Melting the cell door was easiest, but would likely result in alerting the guardsmen—and Aurora—to their escape. She focused on the narrow block of ice near the ceiling, which was crystal clear like a window.
    “That block of ice is at ground level. If I can burn through it, we can get out.”
    “You can’t burn through it,” Nick said. “I’m telling you, magic won’t work here. And since when are you a wizard?”
    “I don’t work magic, exactly, but I can’t explain more fully right now.” She was loath to disclose her intimate connection with Aurora to Wills. Being part demon is worse than anything I can imagine. He’ll never look at me the same way again. “I can get us out of the castle, but I’m not leaving without my brother.”
    “Julian isn’t the same man you and I once knew,” Nick said. “He’s been possessed by a demon. His soul is gone.”
    “You can’t be certain of that!”
    “Only one thing is certain at this point,” Wills said through gritted teeth. “Unless we get out of here now , we’re all going to freeze.”
    “If we can reach the kingdom of the Fae, we’ll be safe from Aurora,” Nick said. “We’ll sort out what’s best to be done about Julian then.”
    “It’s not too late to save my brother, Nick.”
    “I truly wish I could believe you. He was a good friend to me before Aurora came along.”
    The temperature was dropping rapidly. Wills and Nick were both in danger from frostbite, and her own fingertips were getting numb. “Let’s go. But I won’t give up on Julian. Not ever.”

Chapter Seven
    The Fae
    M INDFUL O F A CCIDENTALLY S ETTING the whole dungeon on fire, Samantha carefully visualized a shaft of sunlight hitting the window. As she concentrated on melting the ice, beads of moisture began form and trickle down the wall. Not fast enough! What I need is a blast of fire—like a coal forge. Almost instantly the glass block vaporized, taking a large chuck of the wall with it.
    Huddled on the far side of the cell, Nick gasped. “What sort of magic do you wield?”
    “Never mind that now,” Samantha said. “Let’s go while we can.”
    Wills positioned himself underneath the window. “I’ll boost you up first, Samantha, and then Nick. Pull me out last.”
    “Let me go first so I can help Samantha,” Nick said.
    “Just hurry,” Wills replied.
    He laced his fingers together, but the opening was so high, Nick expended considerable effort to drag himself through. Wills was obliged to duck several times to avoid Nick’s flailing boots. Wills lifted Samantha up next. Although Nick got a good grasp of her arms, Wills had to shove her through with his hands on her behind. Wills’ escape was more problematic,