Flecks of Gold

by Buck, Alicia

  “That’s what we’ll have to do since the captain has insisted that he cannot turn around.” Breeohan scowled, jarring me from my thoughts.

  I had to think for a second to remember what my question had been. “You can’t blame him for wanting to keep his appointments,” I said, trying to look innocent. Breeohan glanced at me suspiciously. It was time to change the subject. “You wouldn’t know if there is any way of getting my backpack from the ship I was on when we get there, would you? They aren’t that far ahead. I bet they’ll still be in the next port when we arrive. The thing is, I don’t think I should be the one to get it.”

  Breeohan sighed wearily. He sat and invited me to do the same. Rafan looked intrigued as he too sunk to a chair. “I would love to hear what transpired to leave you floating on ice in the middle of the Kazik,” Rafan said, the edge of his mouth curling.

  “So would I,” Breeohan said. He didn’t look as amused.

  “I left the palace, got on the first boat out, was accused of being a dark mage, and got thrown overboard. Not much to it really,” I said quickly, realizing I had chosen the wrong subject with which to distract Breeohan and Rafan.

  “There is certainly much more to your story than you said.” Rafan grinned.

  “Don’t think you’re getting away with telling only that,” Breeohan said. “I know how you slipped past the guard at your door. Sentai told me. But how did you get past the wall?”

  “She told you? Just like that?” I felt betrayed. I guess she didn’t think of me as a friend after all.

  “It wasn’t hard to make her see how perilous things could be for you on your own in Iberloah. She was worried for you,” Breeohan said. I kept my eyes down, sad but not angry. Sentai had done what she felt was right.

  “So, the wall? How did you get through it?” Breeohan repeated.

  “You know, this and that,” I said. Yeah right, like I’m gonna tell him. He’d probably just narc on me to the king so they could keep a better lock on me the next time they decided to protect me for “my own good.” Breeohan glared, and I glared back.

  “What happened on the boat?” Rafan asked to get my attention. He cocked his head impishly.

  I leapt to answer the new question gratefully. “Captain Hior didn’t want passengers, so I got on as ship’s cook, only I found out there were stipulations to the job that I wasn’t willing to pay.” I scowled at the memory of Captain Hior’s greasy, smelly body close to mine.

  Breeohan’s body tensed, and Rafan’s smile had disappeared. “Did he ruin you?” Rafan asked in a rough growl.

  “Ruin me?” I suppressed a surge of annoyance. “Uh . . . if that means what I think you mean, then no, but he did try. I made the mistake of thinking that a warning was enough, but I guess his pride couldn’t take my refusal. He told the crew I was an evil magician planning to poison them, so they threw me overboard.” I shrugged.

  “That scoundrel. He won’t get away with this,” Rafan said.

  I looked at him quizzically. Something about his words seemed fake, like he was pretending to be affronted rather than really caring. Breeohan said nothing, but looking at his face, I felt suddenly afraid. I could tell he was angry at the captain not me, but it was unnerving to see his eyes dark with rage. It was a different kind of anger than when we had argued, deeper and definitely scarier.

  “I’m fine, Breeohan. Nothing happened. He couldn’t touch me. See?” I held out my arms. “He couldn’t even bruise me.” The flame in his eyes dimmed, but his jaw was still clenched tight. Rafan looked offended that I’d addressed Breeohan when Breeohan hadn’t even been the one to say anything. I sighed in frustration.

  Breeohan caught the sigh and the look on Rafan’s face. His lips curved up, and his jaw relaxed slowly. We shared a look like a private joke. It felt good, and I realized I didn’t like having Breeohan angry at me. Why did he have to act so funny lately, all tight and reproving?

  I looked away from him, sad. “So do you think you two could get my stuff back?” I asked the table. Glancing up I saw a slight frown on Breeohan’s face. Rafan looked confused.

  “I’m sure something could be arranged,” Breeohan said quietly.

  “Of course it can,” Rafan said loudly, with a renewed coquettish smile. I wasn’t sure if guys were really allowed to be classified as coquettish, but that was certainly the word Rafan made me think of at times.

  “Thank you.” I smiled equally on all. After all, I was grateful. Breeohan looked up and smiled back, wearily.

  “So, where am I going to be sleeping for the night?” I asked.

  “I asked the captain, but there are no more cabins. You can take my bunk,” Breeohan jerked his head up indicating the top bed. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

  “You don’t have to do that. I slept on the wooden floor of the galley for the past two nights anyway. I’m used to it,” I said.

  Breeohan’s jaw tightened again. “Indulge me.”

  I noticed Rafan didn’t offer to sleep on the floor. I guessed he was hesitant to give up his creature comforts. “Okay,” I agreed. Then, feeling the desire to confuse Breeohan, I gave him a cocky grin. “You don’t have to twist my arm too hard.”

  Breeohan looked puzzled. “I fail to see how twisting your arm will be more convincing to you, but if that is what you want.” He shrugged, but there was an impish twinkle in his eye as his hand shot to my elbow and tugged hard. My bottom slid off the chair, but I managed to save myself from falling by grabbing the seat at the last second.

  “Unfair!” I laughed as I clung to the chair. “I can’t even retaliate.” Breeohan dropped my elbow, and I scooted back to the seat.

  Breeohan looked quite boyish as he laughed with me. “Are you convinced yet?” he asked, the devil still in his eyes. I tried to scoot the chair back but it was bolted to the floor. Breeohan made as if to catch my elbow again, but I jumped up out of the way, his hand brushing my thigh as I twisted away.

  “Ha,” I trumpeted, gloating in my successful evasion. Breeohan looked ready to pounce after me.

  “Breeohan, I am surprised at your obscene behavior toward Mary.” Rafan’s caustic tones wiped the smile from both our faces. Rafan looked angry enough to tear through iron. “If you weren’t the heir, I would challenge you to a duel for such mistreatment,” he continued.

  I suppressed a surge of irritation.

  “Is that all that’s stopping you, Rafan?” Breeohan said in a voice devoid of humor. “Because if it is, you needn’t concern yourself on that point. Or perhaps it’s something else that keeps you from engaging in anything more threatening than words. Or rather, a lack of something.” Rafan’s and Breeohan’s eyes locked tensely.

  “Hold up. Nobody’s fighting anyone. You two are not going to brawl over a stupid joke. Rafan, I’m sure Breeohan didn’t intend for his actions to seem obscene. He was just taking an expression from my country a little too literally.” I tried not to roll my eyes. “Breeohan, goading Rafan certainly doesn’t help solve anything. What is wrong with you two, anyway? I thought you came after me to help me, not snarl at each other like, like . . . I don’t even know. It doesn’t make sense. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going for some fresh air.”

  I turned my back on them and slammed the door behind me. On deck the crew was moving about in a leisurely manner. The sun was low on the horizon, and the breeze was almost cool on my face. The water slid by, reflecting the light like a murky mirror. I shivered when I saw a crocodile slide into the water from the far shore. I would never look at crocodiles quite the same way after today.

  Turning my eyes slightly, I saw a purple smudge of distant mountain peaks jutting close to the horizon. They seemed such a long way away, and the king was so far behind, traveling at a much slower rate. I remembered from my map that I could stick to boats for quite a while before the path diverged. How much more time would it add to the journey to go by horse the whole way? Would it make a difference to Mom’s life? It had been so long already. It might not make much d
ifference. My heart squeezed painfully at the thought. More time might not logically make much difference, but I couldn’t stop the feeling that I needed to get to her as fast as possible.

  It would be easy to get Rafan to go ahead with me, but Breeohan? How was I going to convince him to leave without the approval of King Verone? The sun sank as my thoughts churned on what to do. There was no way I was going ahead with only Rafan. I couldn’t figure the guy out, and the thought of traveling alone with him gave me the heebie-jeebies. I mean, who proposes so soon after meeting someone, especially someone he knows nothing about?

  Rafan couldn’t actually be in love with me. He was either deluding himself or up to something. I didn’t have any riches, and he knew I wasn’t a princess. Maybe he hoped the truth of my humble origins would never be discovered, giving him the chance to rise in the ranks of Iberloahan society. As if I was going to stick around!

  That thought jolted me as I remembered there might be no way to get back to Earth, even after I found Mom. More startling was the confusion that ensued when I thought of leaving. I felt a strange mixture of reluctance to go, juxtaposed by the desire to retreat back to my sometimes boring, but definitely safer and more comfortable existence. My stay in Iberloah certainly hadn’t been a cookies-and-milk experience, but the desert had wrapped around me as the cool green forest and cloudy skies of Oregon never had. Though the sun was often blistering hot, it was also comforting in its cheerful consistency. I could get sun in Arizona, but this desert was different. I had discovered and been taught the wonders of magic here. There was still so much potential to uncover.

  And as hard as I tried not to dwell on it, the possibility that either Verone or Sogran could be my father was never far from my mind. I wanted to find out the truth, but I was afraid of what that discovery would reveal. My thoughts veered away as they always did when I contemplated the troubling mystery of my parentage.

  I heard steps behind me but didn’t look over as a figure leaned against the rail beside me. A warmth spread through my middle as I thought of another reason I didn’t want to leave Iberloah, but I slapped the feeling away, remembering that Breeohan wouldn’t have much time for odd alien friends when he was king and married to the queen of all evil, Avana. She would make sure of that.

  The two of us stared at the dark water for several minutes before Breeohan spoke. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

  “For which thing?” I asked, trying not to smile.

  “For my crude behavior.”

  “What, the arm pulling? Do you really think that was crude? I don’t think I’ll ever understand this country of yours.” I sighed.

  Breeohan smiled at the water. “No, that’s not what I meant. I was referring to when I yelled at you . . . and for making things more difficult between you and Rafan.” Breeohan’s smile dropped away, and his face became brooding.

  Me and Rafan? What was he talking about? “He’s your friend. I was just trying to avoid getting thrown off this boat, but thanks for apologizing. I’m sorry I yelled at you too, and I am grateful you pulled me out of the water.” The last part came out reluctantly.

  Breeohan glanced over, smirking. “With such sincere and lavish gratitude to be had, I don’t know why I haven’t been rescuing beautiful young maidens more often.”

  My breath caught on the word beautiful. Did he really think I was beautiful, or was he just being funny? He looked over quickly when he heard me gasp. “You didn’t rescue me.” I tried to say it as a retort, but it came out as a wimpy, rather breathy whisper.

  Breeohan’s eyes, locked with mine, seemed suddenly intense. “I know,” he said.

  Chapter 17

  It was awkward getting settled in the room with Rafan in the bunk below me and Breeohan on the floor. But a relatively soft bed, combined with my interrupted sleep from the night before and my Nature Channel moment with the crocodiles, brought sleep swiftly. When I woke again, a single candle showed that Rafan and Breeohan were gone. Lack of sunlight made it hard to judge the time. I got up and performed the cleaning lacing on myself, then walked up to the deck where the day’s brightness blinded me till my eyes adjusted. Looking around I saw Breeohan and Rafan talking quietly but venomously to each other. I was too far away to hear what they were saying but decided I’d better go break it up. They noticed me as I neared, and both their mouths snapped shut.

  “You look lovely this morning, my lady, as usual,” Rafan said, stepping forward and kissing my hand. Breeohan said nothing, just stared stormily as Rafan tucked my hand under his elbow. I tried to pull it out again, but I felt Rafan’s hand tighten around mine, locking me in place.

  “So what are you two arguing about?” I asked as I studied my bound hand and tried to devise a way to free it.

  “Shipping. Breeohan thinks that certain families have too much power on the river, while I think that they have earned their right to higher prices,” Rafan said.

  I looked at Breeohan for confirmation and could tell from the quickly covered look on his face that shipping was not what they had been arguing about. But I let it drop. “Did I miss breakfast? I was thinking of heading down for some food.” I gave another tug on my arm, but it was held fast.

  “First meal was served two portions ago, but I know they will find you something if I ask. Let me escort you there,” Rafan said.

  “No really, I’ll get it myself. It’s no problem.” I gave a no-nonsense yank to free myself.

  Rafan just grabbed me again. “It is no problem at all. My discussion with Breeohan was getting dull anyway.”

  Breeohan’s fists clenched, but he remained silent, so I let Rafan lead me to the galley. There Rafan made a few sharp and, I thought, somewhat rude commands to get me a bowl of lumpy stew.

  Rafan sat to watch me eat, but I was hungry so I tried to ignore him and the taste of the food. Despite stuffing my face as fast as possible, I was still left with a sourness in my mouth and an irrational desire to scratch Rafan’s eyes out so I could rest from his single-minded attention. I knew most girls dreamed of someone as good-looking as Rafan mooning over their every move, but my experiences with Kelson and Joe were still too fresh in my mind. Mom and I seemed to have a talent for attracting bad apples.

  As I set my empty bowl down, Rafan’s eyes caught mine. I furiously tried to come up with ways to ditch him on a small boat. My prospects were not looking good.

  “You know, that is the first time I have seen you finish your food,” Rafan said with a flirtatious grin.

  What do you say to that? Apparently nothing, as Rafan continued.

  “Can I assume this means your nervousness caused by my presence has receded a little?” My eyes went wide in surprise. “You don’t have to worry, Mary. I know you are a shy person. I won’t press this point any longer. Just know that I’m glad you’re losing some of that reserve.” Rafan suddenly scooted closer to me on the bench and moved his face to within an inch of mine. “Though I hope you won’t lose all those flutters.”

  Too flustered to speak and afraid he might kiss me, I turned my face away quickly.

  Rafan chuckled. “Still shy, I see. I can wait.”

  As I studied the wood grain of the table, Rafan quietly left. The good news was that I was free of Rafan breathing down my neck, and I hadn’t even had to try. The bad news . . . my insides were broiling in confusion.

  I climbed topside slowly, unsure if I would be left alone long, and undecided about if I wanted to be. It was moments like these that made me miss Mom the most. Talking with her had always seemed to make my confused thoughts click into place.

  Breeohan stood by the rail, looking across the river, and I found myself heading to him before my brain remembered I’d craved solitude.

  “Hey.” I leaned against the rail and looked to where Breeohan’s eyes were fixed. A crocodile’s head poked above the murky water. I shivered. “So what were you and Rafan really arguing about earlier?” I asked.

  “You, of course,” he said simply.

 
“Me, of course? You make me sound like a force of destruction. ‘There was an argument? Well, of course it had to be about Mary, the source of all conflict, don’t ya know.’ ”

  Breeohan’s mouth quirked, but his eyes were still troubled.

  “You were arguing about letting me go with you to find my mother weren’t you?” I asked, my light mood vanishing.

  “Yes and no.”

  “What does that mean? Look, I don’t know exactly why the king decided to leave me behind before, but I’m here now. It would be silly to send me back now.”

  “It would be for your own protection.”

  “Don’t I have a right to decide what’s best for me?”

  “Not when you’re ignorant of so much.”

  “Of what, the culture? I’m just as ignorant there as here, and my ignorance there was making my stay even more dangerous than traveling to find my mother.”

  “More dangerous than superstitious sailors throwing you overboard and crocodiles snapping at your limbs?”

  “Okay, just as dangerous. But I would rather be doing something constructive than sitting on my behind since I seem to be in trouble no matter where I am anyway.”

  “That’s certainly true.” Breeohan smiled wryly.

  “Then we’re agreed,” I said triumphantly.

  “No.”

  “What? Come on, be reasonable.”

  “I am being reasonable. It’s you who can’t see the whole picture. You’ll just be a liability if you come along with the search party,” he said.

  That was the last straw. “Well, at least now I know what you think of me.” Ice dripped from my voice. I turned to leave, but Breeohan grabbed my arm before I could step away. “Let go,” I said, violently shrugging off his hand.