“Your father would hate me if I asked you to leave again.”
“He won’t hate you. I’m not sure anyone could.”
Her cheeks pinkened the way they did any time anyone complimented her. Gill was fond of throwing them at her so often it cheapened them, in my opinion.
Ray stared out at the sea. Tross was perched on the beam that stretched across the ship, holding out a dark purple sail that was filled with the famed southerly wind. I’d never been more thankful for such simple things, and so ashamed of myself at the same time. Soon, I would have to face my father, but worse than that, I would have to face the families of the sailors whose deaths I was responsible for.
“You’re worried,” she hinted softly, limping toward me. With the pad of her thumb, she smoothed the skin between my brows. “Everyone is going to celebrate, Trevor. They’ll be glad you came home, that their Prince survived.”
“Not all of them. There are mothers who won’t get to hug their sons, fathers who have no heirs, brothers and sisters who are now missing part of who they were, children who lost their fathers or grandfathers. How do I begin to tell them how sorry I am? I deserve their anger. I deserve every bad thing they throw my way, and I will accept it,” he intoned grimly.
“I understand the enormity of the situation, Trevor, but I also understand that hearts have a way of healing in time, and people find a way to forgive. I was angry with my mother for a very long time. I was so self-centered and focused on me, all I could think about was that she sent me away and left me all alone. Then the gravity of the situation sank in; the knowledge that no one was coming for me. I was all alone. In that moment I hated her, but time passed, and one day I realized what she’d sacrificed for me to be safe. The plague wasn’t her fault, any more than the storm was yours. Accidents and bad things happen in life, and we have to do the best we can under the circumstances. The fact that you washed up on my beach, and then survived and pulled through, was a miracle for both of us, Trevor. I just hope you see that one day.”
She walked stiffly away, called out to Cap, and spent the rest of the voyage walking the deck with him.
I was ashamed for a new reason, for not knowing how much my survival was intertwined with hers, and how much it meant to Raya.
Chapter fourteen
RAYA
I’d been talking with Cap for a long time. He told me the story of how he decided the sea life was for him, and how long and hard he worked to earn the title of Captain. These men, this ship, meant a lot to him. They were his family, and this was his home as much as the sea itself. When a sailor called out a sighting of the shore, Cap excused himself and began ordering his men about.
Gulls circled the sails as the warm yellow sunset fell upon the boat and everyone on deck. There was an infectious, jubilant energy among the crew, with smiles all around. I smiled with them, exchanging my worry for happiness. As always, Gill was nearby, and Trevor, who was talking with Cap, watched Gill and I with the same intentness Tross used to watch fish in the water.
Gill acknowledged in a rush, “I know I’m irritating him, and I truly don’t mean to, Raya, it’s just... I remember you.”
“Remember me?”
“I’m not from Paruth. I grew up on the sea, but I’ve been on a boat since I was old enough to walk. I visited your kingdom many times in my childhood. We’re the same age, you know. My father always pointed you out when we made port and headed to market. You and your mother used to walk through it, buying things for the castle. It made everyone happy to see the Queen and Princess out and about with their people.”
The memory fluttered vaguely through my mind. I dimly remembered spending half a day each week strolling and buying what we could. Mother claimed it helped our people and us as well. She would point out the fine quality of spun wool or fabrics, the perfect cuts of meat, and have me smell the fresh herbs brought in from the south. We tasted fresh honey and bought pots for the castle kitchens.
“I assumed you had succumbed to the plague, so when I saw you climb onto the boat and heard your name, it was a surreal experience. I’m so happy you’re here and alive,” he asserted honestly. “I just wanted to make your trip as comfortable as I could. I meant no harm.”
“Thank you, Gill.” There was a knot in my throat the size of a cannon ball, and I laughed as much to dispel my awkwardness as to break the tension of the moment. “Trevor thought you were flirting with me.”
“Oh,” he blurted, his face turning red. “To be honest, I was, Princess.”
He watched my reaction. My lips parted, but I couldn’t think of anything to say in response.
“You don’t have to say anything. I see how you look at him, and how he looks at you.”
My face caught fire. “What do you mean?”
He chuckled. “Prince Trevor. Like now, look at his fists. They’re balled up and he won’t stop looking between Cap and the pair of us. He smiles and replies to their conversation, but it falls away when he glances in our direction. He’s worried you might start to appreciate my expert-level flirting skills.”
“Expert?”
“Yeah,” he laughed, scratching the back of his head. “Although I guess that’s a bit of an overstatement if you couldn’t tell I was doing it, but still. Watch him.”
I did, and Gill was right. Trevor would flash a smile and laugh with Cap, but when he turned to eyeball us, it fell away. “He’s just being protective. He’s worried about what will happen once we arrive.”
“What’s supposed to happen?”
“I’m not sure, exactly. For one, I’ll meet his father. Two, they’ll have to welcome a stranger into their home for an undetermined length of time. And in the end, I’m not sure I’ll fit in there.”
“Sounds like you’re the one who’s worried, Princess.”
“I am.”
From the crow’s nest, a man shouted, “PORT!”
A cheer erupted from the sailors, Gill included. “You’re going to be fine, Princess Raya. Change is always hard, but people are built for adapting to it.”
He let out an oof and awkwardly patted my back when I hugged him tightly. “Thank you for your kindness, Gill, and thank you for remembering me.”
“There’ll be plenty of others,” he answered graciously. “Not only will Galder celebrate the return of their Prince, they’ll be celebrating your miraculous rescue as well.”
I swallowed and pulled away from him, watching as the shore of Galder became clearer and closer. Cap yelled for Gill, and he ran off to do what his captain asked. Cap walked toward the bow.
Trevor joined me and tipped his head toward Gill, who was climbing the nearest mast. “You two looked awfully cozy.”
“Are you jealous?” I quipped.
He rocked back on his heels. “No, just observant.”
“Then observe away.” I wasn’t playing games with him. If he wanted to be friends, we would be friends. If he wanted more than that, he needed to let me know. Otherwise, he could stay out of my personal affairs.
The coastline was sandy, with enormous boulders dotting the land. The trees were much closer to the shore than they were in Paruth. I walked to the rail and Trevor followed.
“It’s beautiful,” I murmured.
He braced his forearms on the railing. “That it is. I thought I’d never see it again.”
“But you are. We’ve both been given a second chance, and we should make the most of it.”
“You don’t sound afraid anymore,” he remarked, glancing at me and then back to Galder’s shore.
“I am, but maybe that’s okay.”
He nodded in response, glancing at Gill again.
“I bet you’re ready to get off this boat, get clean, and eat an enormous meal,” I joked.
He chuckled. “One I’ll be able to keep down, hopefully.” We watched as the ship inched closer and the gulls swarmed the sails. “I’ll see that you have the same; fresh clothes, a warm bed...”
“Shhh,” I quieted him. “I
want to focus on the part about the warm bed.”
Trevor laughed and draped his arm around my shoulders. Goosebumps spread across my flesh from his touch and I couldn’t keep my shoulders from tensing. He must not have noticed, because he kissed my temple and began telling me about Galder. The castle would be a short walk from the beach, uphill, from the port. He would ask someone to run ahead of us to announce our arrival. Preparations would be underway before we crested the hill.
When Cap steered the ship into port and fitted it expertly against one of the wooden docks, the sailors tied the boat down and then a wide, sturdy plank was laid between the dock and ship. Trevor smiled and offered his arm gallantly. I took it; not because of my knee, but because I was a mixture of honored and terrified. Honored to be at his side, and that he’d offered at all. Here, he was the Prince of Galder, second in line to the throne. He wouldn’t be sneaking around, finding hiding places and jumping out to scare me. He wouldn’t be giving my albatross kisses. By the way…where was Tross?
He’d followed us the whole way, resting on the boat when he needed to, but otherwise sailing alongside or in front of us. I looked to the sky, but no longer saw him circling above. He wasn’t perched on any of the beams, either.
“What’s wrong?” Trevor asked.
“I was just looking for Tross.”
“He’s waiting for you at the head of the dock.”
Sure enough, there he was, pacing in the sand. “He wants kisses,” Trevor whispered. Spying a boy and his father walking away from their smaller boat, Trevor called out, “Can your boy run an errand for me?”
The man’s eyes widened. He hurriedly removed his hat, placed it over his chest, and inclined his head. “Of course, Sire.”
“Run ahead of us and tell the castle guard that we’ve arrived.”
“We, Sire?”
“Prince Trevor and Princess Raya of Paruth.”
The boy’s eyes widened as he slowly took in my features. He gulped and looked at his father, and then took off running at his nod.
We chatted with the boy’s father until he returned. I wasn’t sure whose legs were weaker, Trevor’s from lack of nutrition the last nine days, or mine from fear. We held each other up as two guards came for us.
As they escorted us to the castle, I wanted to ask why it was necessary. Father and Mother had always roamed freely; they never needed protection in our kingdom. But I thought it would be more prudent to observe and keep quiet. I decided that would be my new survival strategy. Look. Listen. Speak only when necessary. See if I liked it here, and if I didn’t, determine my next step.
Trevor’s face lit up as we came to a clearing near the hilltop. “Ray, welcome home.”
I followed his glance to see a palace of glittering stone boasting tall turrets that proudly jutted into the sky, dignified purple and gold pennants gently waving in the wind. The trees lining the road were covered in blossoms—white, pink, and every shade and variation in between the two colors. There were yellow and red tulips, purple and orange lilies, and flora I’d never seen before with broad, green leaves that basked in the last rays of the sun.
A commotion came from the castle and a flurry of people spilled out. One man ran down the cobbled pathway ahead of the others. “Trevor?” he yelled.
“Father!”
Instead of letting me go, Trevor tugged me along with him, releasing my hand just before the two men collided in a hug that contained tears and thankfulness, sorrow and joy. My eyes began to water at the sight of their reunion.
I noted that Trevor looked like his father, with a few exceptions. His eyes were kinder, softer than the King’s. When his Father’s eyes fastened on me, he pulled away from his son.
“Princess Raya?”
I bowed. “Yes, Highness.”
He took hold of my hands. “Look at me, child.”
With wide eyes, he searched my face. “Everyone assumed you were dead. How did you survive?”
Trevor interjected, thankfully. “We will explain everything, but for now, can we please bathe and eat?”
“You look terrible,” King Yurak admonished Trevor.
Trevor chuckled. “I feel terrible. Apparently, the sea and my stomach no longer see eye to eye.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” I teased, quickly shutting my mouth. We weren’t on the island any longer. I had no right to be so informal with Trevor here.
When Yurak opened his mouth, I was sure he would put me in my place. The look on his face was one of shock. But then he began to laugh.
The two men chuckled all the way to the castle, the father clapping his son on the shoulders. He couldn’t stop looking at him. I knew it was because he couldn’t believe his son was really there; alive and mostly well, even if he did look awful. Trevor’s ship may have succumbed to the storm, but not his will. It brought him to me, and returned us both to the Seven Kingdoms.
That night, I sketched the King’s look of awe and Trevor’s look of pure joy during their reunion.
Chapter fifteen
TREVOR
It was late when I knocked on her chamber door, which I’d arranged to be right beside mine. Father warned that rumors would swirl we were lovers if I kept her so close, but I looked him in the eye and told him I didn’t care. What mattered was that we were alive, safe, and we’d come home. He bristled a little, but suggested I ask Raya if she cared. It was her reputation that would be ruined if rumors started.
When she opened her door, so many emotions hit at once, I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak. She stood there, barefoot, her toes wiggling nervously as they peeked out of her long, silken robe. It fit her. Well.
Her hair was still damp, but had been combed down the length of her back. “Come in,” she entreated, taking a step to the side to give me room.
I cleared my throat. “That’s what I wanted to talk with you about. But perhaps it should be done in private.” I walked into her chamber. Fresh, plush bedclothes the color of our flag had been turned down for her. I imagined her laying in them, her pale hair spread out on the pillow.
She closed the door. “Are you okay? You’re acting strange.”
“I’m fine,” I responded, trying not to show her how flustered I was. “I just wanted to see if you have everything you need.”
“That and much more,” she laughed. “It’s a very beautiful room. Thank you.”
“It’s next to mine. Father said I shouldn’t have moved you so close because it may lead to rumors about us, so I came to ask if you’d like to move to another wing to... protect yourself and your reputation.”
The easy smile melted from her face. “Ah. I forgot about the joys of being at court. I’m sure it would seem scandalous.” She chewed her thumbnail, wrapping an arm around her middle. “That would be bad for you. Maybe I should take another room.”
“Bad for me?” I questioned.
“You’re still searching for a wife,” she explained. “My closeness to you might make it more difficult for you to find one.”
I couldn’t help but stiffen at the word ‘wife’.
“Come on, Trevor. We knew our friendship would change when we left the island. Custom and expectations would demand it, at the very least. We can’t be as close as we were anymore. Not if you want to find someone to truly love you. And that’s what you need and want, even if you pretend that anyone will do. It’s what all of us need,” she trailed off softly.
“I don’t want to lose you. You’re my closest friend,” I refuted.
“I will always be your closest friend, Trevor, but we’ll have to distance ourselves if you want to continue your search. If you ever need me, I’ll be here for you. All you have to do is ask.”
I nodded, feeling a crushing weight on my chest. It was the same feeling I got when I realized I’d lost Ella once and for all. I lost her, and now I was losing Raya. They were different, but the pain was very much the same… No, it was different, too. This was sharper, more violent. I could scarcely breathe.
<
br /> “I’ll ask to be moved in the morning,” she offered. “It’ll protect us both.”
I wanted to reach for her, pull her in close, and hold her against my chest. My fingers flexed, aching to do just that, but I couldn’t. If she wanted to put distance between us, I had to respect her decision. “I just want you to be happy,” I mumbled.
“I want the same for you,” she agreed quietly, staring at the floor. “You should probably go.”
“Will you break your fast with me and my father in the morning? As our guest?”
She inclined her head. “Of course. Thank you for the invitation.”
The silk cascading over her body swished as she padded to the door and opened it, waiting until I was outside before closing it again.
I stared at the carved wood for a long moment, unable to convince my feet to move away. I’d been so excited to come home, but now that I was here, I wasn’t sure it was for the best.
RAYA
I locked the door behind him, the tears already falling, carving paths down my skin and splashing onto the fine silk robe I wore. A silk that his father provided. It was the right thing to do. Moving my room to another part of the castle would protect him. It would protect my virtue—not that I was concerned about that. I was pure, and didn’t care about the opinions of others. I was Princess to a kingdom that died ten years ago. I had no expectations of my own, and no parents to please.
It was different for Trevor because he had all those things; pressures I wasn’t sure my ten year-old self could wrap her head around before I left, and wasn’t sure I wanted to know about now that I was older. I knew this was coming. I knew I’d have to let him go.
We will always be friends, I told myself.
His footsteps finally moved away from my door, trailing down the hall. Another door opened and closed again.
I cried.
I felt more alone here than when I was on the island.
Having him there was a blessing, but having him torn away was a curse.
Unlocked Page 10