Runaway
Template:Spoiler
Book Title: Runaway
Protagonists: Foeslayer, Snowflake, and Prince Arctic
Release Date: September 27th, 2016
Author: Tui T. Sutherland
Pages: 50
Blurb:
Thousands of years before the dragonets of destiny were hatched, another destiny began...
Foeslayer the NightWing and Prince Arctic of the IceWings are legendary. According to the myths, before they became the parents of Pyrrhia's most infamous dragon, Darkstalker, Foeslayer and the NightWings kidnapped an IceWing prince. The act set off a bitter rivalry between the tribes that lasted thousands of years.
But it all started so simply: Foeslayer and Arctic fell in love. They just wanted to be together; instead, a runaway dragon becomes a fugitive -- and changed Pyrrhia forever.
The ebook starts with Foeslayer's PoV. She is in the dome after she meets Arctic in Darkstalker. Her mother, Prudence, comes over and asks where she's been. Then she notices her earring and asks her where she got It, accusing her of stealing it. She tries to pull it out but it stings her talon because it's protecting Foeslayer. She tells him that an IceWing gave it to her and Arctic comes over. Foeslayer tells Prudence that she and Arctic met outside and is ordered to go back to her chambers. As Foeslayer heads out she sees Snowflake and remembers that Arctic is supposed to marry her, making Foeslayer upset.
It goes to Snowflake's PoV, who's thinking that the IceWing royal family is full of snobs and how much she hates Queen Diamond. It's revealed that Snowflake is actually filled with seething rage and is alway angry. She doesn't think she can stand being married to Arctic for the rest of her life. She then meets Snowfox, Diamond's niece. Snowfox tells Snowflake that she may call her Fox, and Snowflake says that she will as long as Fox never calls her "Flake". Fox tries to talk to Snowflake about how wonderful for her it would be to marry Arctic, and Snowflake agrees, but she finally lets her dislike of Arctic slip. Fox sees this and talks to her about a plan to get rid of Arctic and make herself the future queen.
On the second-to-last night of the NightWing visit, Diamond finds Arctic in his room and asks him why he's up so late. In truth, he's just about to go and see Foeslayer like their secret meetings all the other nights, but he tells his mother that he's worried about the gifting ceremony. Diamond tells her son that a true IceWing wouldn't be worried. Diamond reminds Arctic of what she told him he should make and Arctic remembers that he told Foeslayer about it two nights ago. Diamond wanted him to make a "gift of vision", a mirror with the power to predict the weather at least a year in advance and Foeslayer laughs at the idea. Foeslayer suggests that a better gift of vision would be something that tells you exactly what is going to happen whatever you ask. Foeslayer tells him that she shouldn't do that because Diamond will use it horribly and Arctic asks for more ideas, to which Foeslayer replies "only about eighty million". Diamond snaps Arctic back to Earth and asks him if he swears to make the gift. Arctic says he has some other ideas that he'll talk to her about in the morning. To make sure Arctic sleeps, Diamond puts two guards inside his room and Arctic realises he won't be able to talk to Foeslayer that night.
It goes back to Snowflake, who is on a balcony listening to the conversation with Fox, who she has come great friends with. They have been watching Arctic and Foeslayer's meetings every night. They make a plan: Snowflake will tell Arctic a rumour that Diamond is thinking of killing the NightWings, especially Foeslayer, because the negotiations didn't go as planned. Meanwhile Fox will tell the guards that something strange might be happening tomorrow night, so if Arctic tries to run he won't be able to go back.
On the last night Foeslayer is with Prudence who is packing to leave the next morning. Foeslayer is frustrated because Arctic hadn't talked to her since two nights ago. Prudence is scolding Foeslayer about her pacing when she freezes and stops moving. Arctic walks through a wall, apologising for freezing Prudence, and tells Foeslayer that they should run away and live alone together and have a great life, and he enchants the earring to keep Foeslayer safe from any of Diamond's enchantments. Foeslayer considers leaving, but she doesn't want to abandon her tribe and mother. Foeslayer suggests that they can go back to the Night Kingdom, and Arctic reluctantly agrees. He unfreezes Prudence, and Foeslayer and Arctic persuade her to let Arctic into the Night Kingdom. As Arctic leaves to freeze any dragons in their way Prudence reveals that she had been planning for Foeslayer to fall in love with Arctic, have his eggs, and luckily end up with NightWing animus dragons. As her mother leaves to get the other two NightWings, Starclaws and Discretion, Foeslayer swears to never tell Arctic or she will take his trust. The five dragons leave the palace, and just as Arctic and Foeslayer get ready to leave six IceWing guards come after them. Foeslayer tells Arctic that they have to leave, but he falters because he knows one of the guards behind him. Two more IceWings – Fox and Snowflake – yell that the NightWings are stealing their prince and the guards chase them. They shoot arrows at Foeslayer but the arrows swerve away due to the earring enchantment. Arctic enchants the guards' spears to stop them but the spears kill the guards, which wasn't what Arctic meant, leaving him upset and guilty. Snowflake comes forward and yells at Arctic that he doesn't deserve to be happy, trying to fight him. Foeslayer shoots fire at her just to drive her back but Arctic causes the fire to catch all along one of Snowflake's wings. Snowflake falls and Fox extinguishes the flames with her frostbreath and yells at Arctic that she's going to kill every last NightWing if she gets the chance. They fly to the cliff where Prudence offers her the bracelet to get across, but Foeslayer declines, saying the earring will keep her safe. Foeslayer asks if Arctic's soul is alright, to which he replies that it is none of her concern. When she tells him that it is, Arctic growls and her mother looks at Foeslayer smugly. Foeslayer still believes that she'll make Arctic happy, and she tells herself that she knows she loves Arctic, and it'll still be her and Arctic, together against the world, forever.
