by L. Danvers
There was the whizzing of arrows.
There was the distant clank of metal.
There was a grunt from her brother. A ferocious sound from him that made her hairs stand on end. It was as if he had heaved something with tremendous force. His sword? There was no way to know. Not until she heard the giant let out a pain-stricken roar.
She jostled about, doing flips inside the giant’s hand. He stumbled.
Daphne’s stomach churned.
They were falling.
A COMFORTING SENSATION cloaked her body. Warmth. It was like she was back in her bed with silken sheets tucked snug around her.
But she couldn’t be in the castle.
Was she dreaming?
Was she dead?
Her head pounded. It was like a thousand daggers were digging into her skull. No, she wasn’t dead. There was no pain in the afterlife.
Her forehead was warm.
Was she feverish?
No, something was pressed against her head.
No, someone.
Her eyes fluttered open. The person’s silhouette was dark and indistinguishable.
Someone held her close. She sensed the warmth of their breath.
“Daphne?” It was Gregory. His voice shook. He seemed... surprised. “You’re alive.”
Her eyes adjusted to the light, and she saw his face, inches from hers. He cradled her head in his hands. Her cheek was pressed into his chest. He leaned over her, his blue eyes glossy with tears.
“What...” she started. Her head pounded so much it hurt to think. “What happened?”
He jerked his head to the side. Daphne looked and saw the giant. His lifeless body was limp in the blood-saturated snow.
“Your brother saved your life,” Gregory explained. “There was a fireplace poker beside the hearth. He took it and chucked it at the giant, and it struck him in the eye. The giant stumbled, and he fell into the statue. It pierced and killed him. We had to pry you out of his fist. We... we didn’t think you’d make it.”
He was still talking, but she didn’t hear a word he said. All she could focus on was the worry in his face. The concern he had for her. The way he looked at her like he’d been afraid to lose her. Daphne took his whiskered face in her hands, and she kissed him. She forgot about the pain. Forgot about the fear. Forgot about propriety and what the others would think.
And he kissed her back. His warm lips lingered on hers. She melted, there in his arms.
Chapter Eighteen
Footsteps sloshed toward them. Lillian cleared her throat. Daphne pulled back, fighting the urge to keep kissing Gregory, despite Lillian standing there.
Daphne should have been embarrassed that Lillian had seen them, mortified at being caught kissing an outlaw. But Lillian of all people knew the real Gregory. She understood what Daphne saw in him. And anyway, something about kissing him felt right.
Gregory helped her to her feet. Her knees buckled, but he caught her. She clung to him, and he held her steady. There was something strange in the way Lillian looked at Daphne, like catching her kissing Gregory was the last thing on Lillian’s mind.
She looked worried.
“What’s wrong?” Daphne craned her neck and looked past her. Thomas and Merek were crouched on the ground. Phillip was between them.
Lillian chewed her lip. “The giant swung his arms when he fell. And... and he knocked the prince from the tower.”
Phillip lifted an arm and waved it around. “I’ll be alright.”
He sounded weak, and by the way Lillian’s forehead crinkled, Daphne could tell she wasn’t so sure.
“Is he able to walk?” Gregory asked. All the warm, fuzzy emotions Daphne had felt slipped away. She had come so far, fought so hard to rescue him. She worried whether she’d contributed to the doomed fate the wiry-haired woman had predicted. Maybe they shouldn’t have come. It felt like someone wrung her heart dry. This was her fault. Phillip saved her from the giant, and because of her, he was hurt.
Her brother clutched his ribcage as he sat. He winced and said through gritted teeth, “I can manage. If someone could just help me up.”
Thomas and Merek wasted no time. They draped Phillip’s arms over their shoulders and helped him to his feet. Phillip pursed his lips, his face contorting in strange ways. The three of them walked together, and Daphne could tell the prince felt defeated. Lillian offered to switch out with Thomas or Merek, whose injuries were bothering them, too. They declined her offer. It was for the best. While Phillip cared for Lillian, he still saw her as a maidservant. To have to lean on her... well, that might have been too much for his ego to take in one day.
The six of them headed back in the direction of Proelium. Between the pain and the utter exhaustion, it felt like they would never reach the seaport city. The moon and the sun shared the sky for some time until the sun said its goodbyes and vanished into the night. The stars were bright and twinkling. Daphne had heard there were men who stayed up all night studying them. What a daunting task that must be. There were so many. How could anyone keep them all straight?
She was growing to hate snow. They would have moved slowly enough had they trekked across grass, but snow required so much extra effort to wade through.
Gregory kept his hand on the small of Daphne’s back the entire time they walked. As much as she liked to think he enjoyed feeling close to her, she suspected it was more about him being worried she would fall. Even so, she liked knowing he’d be there to catch her. Her brother was in too much pain to notice. Otherwise, he would have said something.
It was late when they reached the seaport city. Phillip suggested the group stay at the Red Cape Inn. “The innkeeper took good care of me while I was there,” he said. “He can send help for Daphne.”
“And for you, my prince,” Lillian added.
Daphne didn’t like the way the moonlight hit Phillip’s face. He was all dark lines and shadows in the most foreboding of ways. Reflections of flames danced in his eyes. Daphne turned her attention ahead. They were coming upon Proelium.
They hobbled through the cobblestone streets. Phillip and Daphne looked more like beggars than royalty. They were worse for wear, limping and moaning, wet with snow and sweat. They followed Phillip’s directions and reached the inn. Daphne could’ve cried at the sight of the fireplace and the smell of bread, but food and rest would have to wait. First, Phillip needed tending to. They all did.
Lillian pulled back the oak door and waited while Thomas, Phillip and Merek turned sideways and shimmied inside. She motioned for Gregory and Daphne to enter, too, and she followed them inside. It was a relief to be out of the elements.
The innkeeper, who was busy behind the counter, looked up at the group over his round spectacles. He gasped and hurried to them as fast as his frail legs could carry him. “My prince,” he said, rushing to Phillip’s side.
Phillip pulled his arm off of Thomas’s shoulder and took the innkeeper’s wrinkled hand. “Can you send for a physician?”
“Right away, my prince.”
The white-haired man pulled aside one of his servers and whispered in her ear. Her eyes widened, and without saying a word, she nodded and slipped out of the front door. Daphne was thankful it was so late and that the few patrons downstairs were too drunk to recognize Phillip’s attire. They were all so beaten and bruised, no one would recognize their faces.
The innkeeper asked them to follow him upstairs. He led the six of them to a small room with one bed and a nightstand.
“Please, my prince,” the innkeeper said, motioning toward the bed. “You need rest.”
There was reluctance in his face. Daphne knew what he was thinking. There were two young women in their group. It made him look weak to be the one to take the bed.
“Phillip,” Daphne said as gently as she could. He hung his head in defeat, and he went over to the bed. He rested the back of his head against the pillow. He was in pain. He kept his hands on his ribcage, and she worried whether he’d broken any
bones. She sat beside him, careful not to touch him. She knew her twin well enough to know he was scared, though he would never admit it.
No one spoke while they waited. Thomas, Merek and Lillian sat on the floor, their backs against the wall. The flame from the candle on the nightstand danced about, making shadows jump back and forth across the room. Lillian’s eyes grew heavy, and she shut them. A few minutes more, and her head was resting on Merek’s shoulder. He was taken aback at first, looking around to see if anyone else had noticed. Daphne had, but she didn’t say anything about it. Lillian was tired. Who could blame her? Merek came to the same conclusion, and after some time, his eyes closed, too, and his head rested on top of hers. Thomas just sat there, arms draped over his knees, staring mindlessly at who knew what. Gregory stood the whole time with one finger pressed to his lips. He wasn’t looking at anyone or anything in particular. Daphne imagined he was recounting the events of the day. If she hadn’t lived through it, she never would have believed they could have survived such obstacles.
The door swung open, and a man emerged. His back was hunched, and his long, gray hair hung over his shoulders. His bony fingers were gripped tight around a satchel. Daphne stood to make room for him.
“Good evening, my prince,” the man said with a bow. “My name is Terrowin. I am the town physician.”
Phillip gave a polite nod.
Terrowin was about to sit on the edge of the bed when Phillip stopped him. “No,” he said. “Tend to my sister first.”
Terrowin’s focus shifted. He was surprised to realize that Daphne was the princess. She couldn’t blame him. She wouldn’t recognize herself, as rough shape as she was in. Terrowin spent much time examining her head and looking at her many bruises. He retrieved a poultice from his satchel and dangled it in front of her nose. He swung it back and forth so that the aromas seeped out. With her blessing, he pressed it against the side of her head. It smelled of garlic and herbs, but it somehow lessened the pain. Terrowin instructed her to keep it there until he finished examining Phillip.
Daphne sat on the floor beside a sleeping Lillian and watched Terrowin tend to her brother. He untied the strings to Phillip’s vest and unbuttoned his shirt so he could get a look at the wounds. Terrowin clicked his tongue and shook his head. That wasn’t good. Even from where she sat, she could see Phillip’s ribs were black and purple.
“Does it hurt when you breathe?”
Phillip nodded.
Terrowin pulled another poultice from his satchel and placed it against Phillip’s ribcage. Her brother moaned at the touch. “Keep it there, my prince. It will ease the pain. You’ll hurt much less by morning.”
“Thank you.”
The physician adjusted his spectacles and secured the strap of his satchel over his shoulder. He gave a bow and slipped out of the room. Gregory followed him. The door pulled shut, but Daphne could see their shadows creeping out from underneath the door. She leaned over, trying to hear what they were saying. Despite Gregory’s mumbling, Daphne was able to make out his words.
“How bad is the wound? Be honest.”
“It doesn’t look good. I fear he has more than one broken rib. The poultice will help, but this is beyond my capabilities. You need to get him back to Vires as fast as possible. I’ve known the court physician for many years. He’s an old friend of mine. I’m sure Durwin can give the prince the proper treatment he needs.”
“Thank you.”
Terrowin’s shadow took off toward the stairs.
Chapter Nineteen
They’d sailed three days so far. Daphne’s headache had vanished, but she was left with more bruises than she cared to count. She had slept well, though, and had regained enough energy to think clearly again. Each day Gregory, Thomas and Merek took turns steering the ship. The group had been fortunate to have clear skies and calm waters. They were grateful for the pleasant weather. They had all had enough adventure to last them for a while.
Lillian spent her days keeping the boys company while Daphne and her brother reconnected. The princess hardly saw Gregory aside from mealtimes, but she knew he understood that she needed to be with Phillip. It was good to be reunited with her brother. He and Daphne shared the captain’s quarters—Merek gave Lillian his bed—and they spent plenty of time catching each other up on their respective adventures. Phillip’s route had been less treacherous than theirs had been. It was only after he crossed the Perdeus Ruins that he ran into trouble. Daphne wished she would have known which way he’d gone. It sounded like they would have had much easier travels. Though, if she and Lillian had gone another way, they wouldn’t have met Gregory, Thomas and Merek. It was hard to imagine life without them. She tried not to think about what would happen to them when they got back to Vires. She worried whether she and Lillian would ever see them again.
Phillip, who had been sprawled across the bed snoring, gave out a yawn and stretched his arms. He grimaced and pulled them back close to his body, regretting making such a wide movement. He rested his hands on his ribs and looked at his sister. She had been awake for a while but had stayed in the room. She wanted to be there in case he needed anything.
Daphne was busy shuffling a deck of cards. Not intending to play, just passing the time. After all the chaos they’d been through, being on a ship was rather boring, but maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.
“How are you feeling?” she asked him.
He tried to hide how much pain he was in, but it was written all over his face. He sighed in defeat. “Still hurting. But I can walk now, at least. That’s something, right?”
She laughed. “My brother, the optimist.”
Phillip clenched his fists and buried them into the bed, shifting his weight so he could sit up higher. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. Did Father have any idea where you went?”
Daphne twirled her chestnut hair around her finger, trying to avoid acknowledging his judgmental stare. “He figured it out.” She shrugged. “The guards were searching for me back in Proelium.”
He buried his face in his hands and pulled his fingers down his cheeks in dread. Daphne thought he had asked about their father because he was upset that she didn’t let him know where she had gone. Now, seeing his cheeks flushed, she understood that he was upset that their father knew she had gone after him.
“I can’t imagine what he must think of me,” he said. His voice was heavy and morose. “I bet he thinks I’m an embarrassment... having my sister have to come save me.” He felt the fire in her eyes. He cleared his throat and said, “Sorry. That’s not what I meant. I’m impressed with you, you know. It sounds like your quest to save me had more trials than mine did. Of course, I still can’t believe you dragged Lillian along, but there’s not much that can be done about it now. It’s time to get back to reality, though. Have you even thought about which suitor you’re going to marry?”
“I don’t want to marry any of them.”
“Daphne, you know that’s not an option.”
She crossed her arms. “Why not? There’s nothing fair about it. You don’t have to choose a wife. Why do I need a husband?”
Phillip was exasperated. He ran his fingers through his still-greasy hair and said, “It doesn’t matter if it’s fair. It’s tradition. It’s how things are done. Anyway, you had better figure it out soon, because we’ll be back in Vires in no time, and Father will expect a decision from you.”
She didn’t know what to say to that. That was Phillip, though. Always following the rules. That was a good quality in a prince, but it was an infuriating trait to have in a brother.
The door rattled when Lillian knocked on it.
“Come in,” Daphne said.
“Is it a good time to bring in dinner?”
“Yes. Please,” Phillip said. “I’m starving.”
The knob turned, and Lillian backed into the room carrying a platter filled with food. It was just more salted meat, cheeses, bread and wine, but none of them minded. Though days had passed since they had boar
ded the ship, their ravenous appetites remained. Gregory, Thomas and Merek filed in after her carrying more food and drinks. It was torture for Daphne to be in such close quarters with Gregory, but not being able to be open about how she felt about him. She just had to pray Thomas would continue to keep his big mouth shut about it in front of Phillip.
She helped her brother from the bed to a seat at the head of the table. It pained her to see her twin hurting so much. His legs moved just fine, but his ribs caused him such anguish that his steps were slow and careful. She sat beside him, and he motioned for Gregory to take the seat on his right. A nagging voice in her head kept telling her it was wrong not to tell the prince he was dining with a thief, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. That brother of hers, always doing things the way they should be done, would be horrified by the revelation. Even though that thief had helped save his life. It was a big enough deal that he was sharing a meal with Lillian. It would be foolish of her to expect more of him.
They spent the evening stuffing their faces, swapping stories and playing cards. It was late when they said their goodbyes for the night. The moon hung high in the sky, full with a magnificent glow about it. Daphne felt so small when she looked at it. It had seen so many lives playing out in this world. She wondered sometimes what her place would be in the ever-evolving tale of humanity, whether she’d leave a mark on history or be forgotten like so many before her.
Phillip was asleep in minutes. Daphne rested her head on the pillow, staring out at the moon. She reminded herself of how many nights she’d spent fretting over her brother. Regardless of their differences, she was glad to have him beside her.
It was morning when they reached Nemoria. The dwarf they’d borrowed the ship from was waiting for them at the dock. Daphne wondered if it was by chance, or if he’d spent every day of their travels waiting. Once the ship docked, they walked down the ramp to greet him. His bushy eyebrows and beard did little to hide his scowl. His rings glistened as he folded his arms over one another. He didn’t say a word, but it was obvious he was unhappy the journey had taken so long. He motioned for the group to follow, and they did. He led them to a stable, and inside were their horses. He’d cared for them while they were gone.