Under the blankets told the real story, where she was covered in bruises, cuts and gashes, some deeper than others. She was in rough shape.
Across from her on the other set of cushions, Riley was equally worn. He was unconscious, wrapped in several oversized beach towels.
Despite the bruises on his face and the dirt, he simply looked like he was resting.
Luza flung open the hatch door and stepped out onto the white with red trim twenty-two foot 1990 Sea Ray Sundancer.
The wind blew into her face. She had to balance herself on the hand rail to see what was going up on deck.
Cameron sat behind the wheel. His aviator sunglasses concealed his blue eyes from Luza’s gaze. She noticed his chiseled chin, the perfectly white teeth when he grinned and of course his blond hair. Slicked back to the max, the wind did nothing to the boy’s locks unlike Luza. She had to hold her long white with black streaks hair down so it would stop blowing across her face.
Cam wore the same pair of light washed denim jeans that Keira had first met him in. Gone was the denim jacket replaced with a 1992 Nautica America’s Cup Marine Hooded yellow sailing jacket. He looked like a movie star.
A double barreled shotgun and a hunting rifle rested against the side of the boat.
He nodded to Luza. “How are they doing?”
“I’m not sure. Riley’s out cold and Keira too.”
“Erin you mean,” he corrected Luza.
“Erin? No, I mean Keira.”
He furrowed his eyebrows. “Why do women do that? Seriously? I knew Erin wasn’t her real name. All of us in the kingdom know King Lane’s daughter’s name. I’ll get on her about that later, should we get out of here in one piece, which we will, of course. Don’t you worry about that as I’m the best at what I do.”
“I’m Luza.” She looked out at the fog well in the distance, and the vast open water ahead.
Cameron took his left hand away from the wheel. He offered it to Luza.
“Cameron, but call me Cam. Feel free to have a seat, I won’t bite.”
“No you’ll just shoot,” Luza snickered.
“You didn’t leave me much of a choice.”
“I suppose we didn’t. I still don’t understand how you managed to drive this boat in through the fog and the rocks.”
“Want to know a secret?”
Luza nodded.
“Most people don’t try.”
“That’s not a secret,” she laughed and watched the young man curiously.
“You got me. Let’s just say I had home court advantage.” He held up his forearm and Luza spotted three distinct freckles.
“Wait you’re a faerie?”
“I don’t know if I would go so far as to say I’m one of those faeries. Sure I have their blood, but it’s not like I can do anything with it. You might want to keep that on the down low. When your boyfriend recovers ...”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Really?”
Luza blushed. “I don’t know what he is. The point is —.”
“Riley doesn’t need to know or be reminded. He and I already go way back. It’s not like he’s the first traitor in the world, you get my drift?”
“Whose side are you on?”
Cam laughed. “Haven’t I made that clear, Princess of the Northern Wood? It would have been a lot easier to stay out of the fray. Now you better pray my Mustang is in one piece. We’re going to need that car if we’re going to get out of this blasted country.”
Luza took it all in. She couldn’t decide whether to trust the charismatic guy or to remain guarded. What choice did she have with her companions down for the count?
“Hey Cam you don’t have any food, do you?”
He pointed to the locker at her feet and then said, “Help yourself. While you’re at it, hand me a Slim Jim.”
“What’s that?”
“You’ll like it, trust me.”
* * *
Luza had several Slim Jim wrappers on the seat between her and Cam.
“These are good. I think I like them better then Cheez-Its. Well maybe I won’t go that far, but it’s close.”
“I told you to trust me. I have them on all my road trips.”
Shifting her head towards the hatch, Luza swore she heard moaning.
“Keira is stirring or something is wrong.”
“I’ll check on her,” Cam said.
“What about the boat?”
“It’s easy, just sit where I am and keep the wheel straight.”
“Won’t I hit something?”
Cam searched the lake ahead for anything that might be in their path. “Do you see anything but water?”
Luza shook her head.
“Then you’ll be fine. I’ll be back.”
Cameron stepped out from behind the wheel and Luza slid over. He paid no attention to his guns and headed down to check on the teens.
Keira was stirring. She cried, “I hurt so much.”
“Hey now, Erin,” he knelt down next to her ailing body.
“Cam? Is that you?”
“Who else would it be?”
“But how did —”
“Shhh don’t worry about it. I’m going to check you over, make sure you aren’t bleeding or anything. I have a first aid kit and a few other things to help you.”
“I don’t want you to see me like this,” she said softly.
Cameron rested his smooth hands on her forehead. It was warm to the touch. She had a fever.
“You don’t have a choice. Just stop talking and rest.”
Keira closed her eyes.
Looking over at Riley, Cameron made sure that the boy was still sleeping. The teen had turned over and was facing the edge of the cabin wall.
Grabbing a large backpack from a storage area underneath the mini-refrigerator, Cam unzipped the middle pocket and took out a first aid kit.
He left it open and then unzipped the smaller pocket, where he took out a small onyx bracelet. The black stones glistened in the cabin light. It was a simple trinket, with twenty small stones held together by a single strand of hemp and a sterling silver clasp.
Gently removing each blanket, Cameron looked over the exhausted and wounded princess.
Her clothes were blood stained; claw marks destroyed her vest and turtleneck. The corduroys were not much better off. The first aid kit was worthless for what she really needed. Leaning down, he clasped the bracelet around Keira’s left wrist.
She gasped, “Cam, what are you doing?”
“Just sleep. This will make you all better as long as you don’t take it off. I promise.”
He pressed his index finger against her cold soft lips.
Falling fast asleep, Keira didn’t feel him cover her with more blankets.
He looked over at Riley and his superficial facial cuts. Placing the first aid kid at the teen’s feet, he smirked and then got to work.
* * *
After several minutes, Cameron returned from the cabin. Luza held the wheel loosely.
“Did you hit anything?”
“No. This is easy.”
“So I guess that means you want to keep on driving huh?”
“Can I?”
“Yeah we still got a long ways to go.”
* * *
Minutes passed into hours when the boat reached the marina. A front had moved in, with clouds and cold air quick to follow. Luza had gone down below to check on the others, while Cameron negotiated the tricky buoy markers and large rocks in this section of Moosehead Lake. Calmly he swung the boat rental back into place, firmly against two bumpers and the village dock.
He didn’t tell Luza he was disembarking. The teen grabbed his guns and jumped off the boat. It wasn’t like he ran away or disappeared. He simply headed to his black Ford Mustang, popped the trunk and put the weapons snugly between the spare tire and a suitcase. Cam slung a stuffed duffle bag over his shoulder.
Returning to the dock, he called out, “Hey Luza! Come on ou
t for a second.”
She appeared on the deck and smiled. “We’re here?”
“Yes and no. Take this. I don’t care how you do it, but get them and yourself changed. I’ll be back in twenty. Then we’re off.”
“But they aren’t even awake.”
“So wake them!” he said with a raised tone. “We don’t have a lot of time. I have to make this call.”
Luza lowered her head. She grabbed the green duffle bag as best she could. The bag itself wasn’t heavy but it was awkward and more than half her height.
Stumbling back, she pulled the bag onto the boat.
Riley was the first to stir.
“What is going on? Where are we? Why do you have a duffle bag?”
“My prince so many questions. I’ll explain everything later.”
“We aren’t captured are we?” Riley sat up gingerly. He rubbed the bandage across his forehead.
“No. We had some help. You need to change.”
“Why is that?”
“Why so many questions? Look at your clothes Bucky? I’m not going out in public with you dressed like that ever again.”
“Hey now! Give me the duffle bag. Where do you expect me to change?”
Luza pointed to the kitty corner, out of the direct view of Keira or herself.
“Funny. I’m not your size.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Luza walked over to the boy and shoved her pointer finger directly in his line of sight.
He put his hands up playfully. “Fine, I’ll manage I guess. What about her? How is she?”
“Sleeping.”
He shrugged at the sight of the teen. “You know she almost got us killed.”
“Were you in the same place I was?”
“I’m serious Luza.”
“I don’t want to hear it. You wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for the princess. For that matter, neither would I.”
Riley unlatched the duffle bag and emptied it on the cushion next to him. Brown t-shirts, white undershorts, dark black socks, army boots, BDU pants and shirts of varying sizes went everywhere.
“We’ll talk about this later. Just know you’re wrong,” Riley stared uncomfortably at Luza. He took one of everything and then squeezed past the teen.
Luza wanted to dig her nails into his cuts after his comment. She was visibly upset. Giving him the cold shoulder, she slid onto the cushioned seat and looked to see if any sizes would fit.
The teen had to give Cam credit, he came prepared. There were larges, mediums, and smalls of everything.
Nevertheless, looking at the pants there was no getting those on without rolling them multiple times. Looking closer at the button up shirt, Luza grabbed the smallest one in the pile and it was still too big. Reluctantly, she slid the shirt on over her unscathed light pink long sleeve “Foxy” shirt. Leaving the camouflage shirt unbuttoned, it wore more like a long jacket.
“You done yet boy?” Luza snickered.
“I’d like to see you try to change in this small area.”
“Ehemmm.”
“At my size Princess, I’m struggling just to get my current clothes off.”
“Don’t worry I won’t peek like you did.”
“I did not peek.”
“Yes, you did Riley. I know you did.”
Luza jumped down from the seat and poked her head into the kitty corner where Riley was in the middle of taking off his shredded shirt.
“Just admit it.”
“Not now, give me some privacy.”
Luza stared into his doe colored eyes. He had some life back in them compared to earlier in the day.
Giving him a once over, Luza pointed. “I know what you did.”
He threw his torn, bloodied shirt at the Arctic teen.
“It smells so bad. I can’t believe I carried you.” She wanted to hurl.
“Get out,” Riley laughed.
She threw the shirt down at his feet and retreated.
“Luza? What is going on?” Keira asked weakly.
In the commotion, Keira sat up and had removed the grey blankets around her. She stretched her arms.
“You’re up. Oh great we have to get you changed. Riley stay in there.”
“I’m not coming out anytime soon, trust me,” he yelled.
“Changed? Why? Oh my goodness I feel like I got run over by a train.”
“Let’s not be too dramatic Princess.”
“I’m sorry did you do anything this morning?”
“Ouch. Glad to see you have your sense of humor back. I did carry smelly over there down to the rocks.”
“I heard that. I’m not smelly. I’m all natural.”
“You are definitely natural. Don’t deer bathe?” Luza looked at Keira for an answer.
“We did just come from a battle if I remember right. I have no idea how we made it here, but I know there was a battle. Hand me one of those brown shirts.”
Luza held up three different size ones until Keira nodded. She took the shirt from the teen and rested it on her lap.
Wincing, she removed her dark green turtleneck and the red scarf wrapped around her neck.
“Why did you do this?”
“You didn’t see your neck like I did.”
“How does it look now?”
Surprised, Luza stared longer than expected.
“Come on tell me.”
“You were all scratched up. But now it’s like nothing happened. Granted there’s still light redness but no scratches, cuts, or anything. Look at your stomach and sides. Do you have super healing now too?”
Keira ran her fingers over the dried blood and was equally surprised. “I have no idea.”
As she slid the brown t-shirt on over her chest, she noticed the onyx bracelet.
“Where did this come from?”
“It wasn’t me.”
“Cam,” Keira mouthed.
“He’s a handsome one. Maybe huh?”
“Shut up Foxy. Give me the other top. By the way, you look like you ended up at a grunge festival.”
“A what?”
“Don’t worry about it. Just know you look ridiculous.”
“Not to rush you, but can you two hurry up. I really need a bigger space to change,” Riley whined.
“Don’t you dare come in here! Keira’s changing.” Luza handed Keira a camouflage top and the BDU pants. “He likes to peek.”
“Does he now? Is that what you two were fighting about earlier?”
“I do not.”
“Whatever my prince.” Luza mouthed “Peek” to Keira.
Both teens laughed. For the first time in a while, they had something in common to laugh about.
Chapter 17
Luza leaned over from the back seat of the black Mustang. “Why am I in the backseat? It doesn’t seem fair that you have a middle seat and I’m stuck back here with the smelly one.”
With Keira’s help, Luza managed to slide on a pair of BDU pants over her jeans. The extra layer of clothes, made it that she didn’t have to roll them down as much to actually give the appearance of fitting. As for boots, Luza was still rocking her Converse. It was one thing putting her petite feet into the boots, but walking was a whole other issue.
“Can you stop with the smelly comments?” Riley was annoyed by Luza’s continuing banter. Clad in a full army uniform, including the matching black boots, the teen crossed his arms and looked out from the passenger side window.
“Maybe if you hadn’t thrown your vile shirt on me, I wouldn’t be ranting about it. Why can’t you smell like Cam? At least Keira gets to sit next to someone who smells like flowers and must.”
“I do smell good. It’s nice when a woman appreciates a man that takes cares of himself. Thank you Princess. You give me hope.”
“You don’t need any hope with that head of hair and scent, does he now Keira?”
Keira had regained some of her strength. She blushed. “Stop it,” she said.
“I’m serious. If you
hadn’t taken on the entire forest today, I’m sure you’d be all over him.”
“Enough,” Riley grabbed Luza by the waist and dragged her back to the seat.
“You’re such a caveman. To think you grew up as part of the royal family in Perucica. Who grabs onto his woman and expects her to behave?”
“If memory serves you grew up in the woods and slept in a muddy hole,” Keira laughed.
“Must you bring up that hole? Don’t you say his name.”
Riley reached over and grasped his hands with Luza’s.
“Thank you,” he whispered, “I couldn’t have made it without you.”
Luza smiled at his comment. She squeezed onto his hand and placed her other on his thigh.
“His name?” Cam looked over at Keira.
She put up her hands and motioned that it wasn’t important. “She’s a bit sensitive on that topic.”
He didn’t push any further and instead focused on driving. Like the other three, Cameron had changed into an army uniform. All the passengers appeared to be decked out for a formal inspection; even their boots were shined with clear reflections on the tips.
No one had pressed Cam as to why they had to change, but none of them were stupid either. Clearly there was a plan in place, even if no one was ready to touch on the topic.
Frankly, they were fried. Keira was remarkably resilient and all of her wounds were superficial at this point. While that part of the recovery was major, she was mentally and physically exhausted. Even riding along in the car, was tiring. She kept nodding in and out of sleep.
Riley was in a similar state. He had never pushed and punished his body in such a manner and now it was revolting. As Luza held his hand, he closed his eyes and his head fell back onto the cushion of the leather seat.
* * *
Cam drove through back country roads well into the evening hours. The rain magnified the dreariness of the ride. He remained stoic and only briefly would he glance over to check on the passengers.
Luza would catch his eye and he would show off his pearly whites.
There was something about the way he looked at her, that didn’t sit right. She had no reason to think otherwise, but it was just his eyes that put her out of place. They looked familiar to her and not in a good way.
Still there were few options. Even Luza put aside her doubts, realizing they wouldn’t be anywhere right now, without the help of this guy. He did smell good, so that was one thing in his favor.
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