He points and whispers, “There.”
I look up, and my hand rises to my chest. Over a dozen dazzlingly white horses dance in the spray of the sea. They run in and out of the waves, tossing their manes as they call to each other.
“They’re called Altiers, and they are native to the island,” Galinor informs me, obviously pleased with my reaction. “According to Dristan, there are none like them in the known kingdoms.”
If they weren’t so large, and obviously hornless, I would swear they were unicorns. Their perfection is unparalleled.
“Bran and Dristan’s horses looked just like these,” I whisper.
Galinor nods. “They are almost impossible to break. Only the royal family in Triblue may claim them, and they are captured as foals.”
“Do you think I could approach them?” I take a few steps forward, wondering if I dare.
“You’ve enchanted a glasseln, Anwen. I think you have a fair chance with a horse.”
I scowl at him. “I didn’t enchant Pika, Galinor. I’ve never enchanted anything.”
His mouth tips in a crooked smirk. “You’ve enchanted me.”
My heart slams in my chest even though I know he’s only teasing. I forget any desire I had to see the horses. I barely remember they exist. Now, in my mind, would be the perfect time for him to take me into his arms.
Oblivious that I’ve almost melted into a puddle in the sand, he steps toward the Altiers and motions me on. I brush past him, irritated.
But the horses are remarkable, and I quickly forget my frustration. They look up when I whistle at them. Though hesitant, they are curious. It doesn’t take long to coax them to me. I laugh, stroking a silky mane, and look at Galinor, delighted. He stands a fair distance away, not wanting to spook them. His eyes crinkle as he smiles.
The sun is already sinking, turning the clouds gold and the sky pink. I don’t want to leave yet, but we don’t have a choice. I believe Jacques truly will leave us if we’re late. I pull myself from the herd, wishing I had more time with them.
“Dristan and Bran would do well to keep you around,” Galinor says when I return to him. He motions to the horses. “They’re already besotted with you.”
I steal one last glance over my shoulder. “They’re beautiful, Galinor. Thank you for bringing me today.”
Feeling brave, I brush my hand next to his. I hold my breath, waiting to see if he will mistake it for an accident and not the invitation it is. I look at the ocean and bite back my grin when his fingers twine through mine.
He pauses and then turns toward me. “Anwen?”
“Yes?” I step forward. My heart races almost as quickly as the sun sets.
His eyes are on me, and he looks as if he’s struggling with something. Finally, his gaze drifts to the horizon. “We need to hurry or we won’t be back to the ship in time.”
I nod. “Right.”
He doesn’t move; neither do I.
The sunset, the golden ocean water—it feels like we’re in our own world, and though I know the ship is waiting on the other side of the cove, I can almost imagine this island is ours alone.
“Galinor,” I whisper.
The feelings churning in me are indescribable. He’s so perfect—and not just because he’s absurdly handsome. He’s kind and generous, and he’s come all this way. Just to help me.
But the sun has almost set.
I laugh, nervous. “I suppose we should go.”
What might be disappointment passes over his face, but he smiles. “Jacques will leave us if we’re not careful.”
I shiver. Despite Galinor’s reassurances, I still feel the captain’s warnings are a little ominous.
“How’s your leg?” He motions to the one that was shot.
“It aches a little, but it’s not horrible,” I admit. “I’m not used to walking in sand, I don’t think.”
He offers me his arm again. “I’ll help you.”
I accept his arm, and we hurry back around the island. The sky is on fire now, and the sun is just peeking out of the sea.
“We need to hurry,” Galinor urges.
I try to pick up my pace, but it’s still nearly impossible to keep up with Galinor’s much longer legs. My foot catches in the sand, and I stumble forward. I curse the beach under my breath, but before I can right myself, Galinor catches me in his arms.
Oh, this is nice.
I wrap my hands around his neck, and he continues down the beach, much faster now that he’s not waiting for me. We turn past the last tree-lined cove, and the dock is finally in sight. Directly above us the sky is velvet indigo, and the horizon is fading red.
The ship is nothing more than a silhouette far out at sea.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Isle Merrily
If you’re going to be stuck on an island, Galinor isn’t a bad person to be stranded with. Still, my heart beats in a frantic rhythm, and I go cold despite the warm air. Suddenly, the beautiful island is lonely, and the evening animal calls from the interior seem dark and foreboding.
“It’s fine,” Galinor says, reassuring me. “He’ll be back in the morning.”
He sets me on the ground. I rub my hands over the goosebumps that have sprouted on my skin. I glance at Galinor to see how concerned he is. I will gauge my reaction from his. If he seems alarmed, then I know we will be eaten by island animals by morning. If he is only a little uneasy, then there is only a chance we’ll be eaten.
Galinor notices I’m studying him. “What?”
I gape at him. He’s doesn’t look concerned at all. In fact, a small smile plays on his lips.
“Galinor?” I say. “You do realize the ship has left us, and we are all alone on an empty island, don’t you?”
He raises an eyebrow, and my cheeks get hot.
“We’re fine.” He chuckles and pulls me into a reassuring embrace.
I close my eyes and settle against him, more than happy to accept any comfort he will offer.
“We’ll scout for fresh water, build a fire, and see if we can’t find something to eat. I promise we will be completely safe until morning.”
I look up. “Do you really think Jacques will return?”
“I know he will.” He laughs and squeezes me tighter. “He won’t leave us stranded. Besides, Dristan knows we are here. If nothing else, he’ll track us down tomorrow.”
I nod, though I’m not convinced.
He pulls me toward the center of the island. “Let’s see if we can find water.”
I freeze, too nervous to move.
“What’s wrong?”
I motion to the dark jungle forest. “We don’t know what may live in there.”
Galinor gives me an incredulous look. “You befriended a glasseln. What could live in there that is more intimidating than that?”
“Dragons?”
“We’re too far south.”
“Manticore?” I bite my lip. “Harpy?”
Galinor’s eyes light up with amusement. I’m glad I can be entertaining.
“Anwen, listen, the wild horses wouldn’t thrive here if there were something large and scary living on the island.”
From the way he says it, I know he’s teasing, but his words do make me feel better. He takes my hand and pulls me into the trees. I may have been spooked for no reason. The only thing I hear is the scurrying of little rodents and the occasional call of a night bird.
Galinor twists and turns through the trees as if he knows exactly where we’re going. He stops a few times to listen, and then he gently tugs me along again.
I hear the sound of rushing water much later than Galinor, but I recognize it right away. “There’s a waterfall!”
By now I’m quite thirsty, and a cool drink would be welcome.
Galinor finds the waterfall with little trouble, and I am almost speechless when it comes into sight. The sky is dotted with rapidly multiplying stars, and they shine through the tree canopy above us. Water cascades down to a crystal pool, and even in
the dark, it’s clear enough I can see the pebbled bottom. Ferns grow along the edges. Flowering vines climb the rocks. Moonquartz shine like glowing lanterns after having soaked up the rays of the sun all day.
It’s not large as waterfalls go, but it’s lovely.
Wishing I had worn a different gown, I lean down for a drink. I forget about getting my skirts dirty when I dip my hand in the water. I expect it to be cold like a mountain stream, but it’s very warm. Though not all that pleasant for drinking, it would be nice to soak my feet in. I begin to pull off my boots but then stop.
I don’t know what’s native to these waters. Perhaps I should ask Galinor if he thinks it would be all right to risk. When I look over at him, my mouth goes dry and my question is forgotten. Galinor has taken off his tunic, and he is leaning over the pool, scrubbing water over his face and hair.
I squeak, and though the sound is quiet, it must be loud enough for Galinor to hear. He looks over and smirks. “Nothing is going to attack you.”
As if that’s the reason I’m gawking at him.
“I know,” I say fiercely, though of course I don’t really.
I’m about to rip my eyes from his dripping shoulders when I notice a strange scar on his side. It’s as long as my hand and red as if it’s still fresh.
I forget my embarrassment, wrestle with my skirts, and crawl the short distance to him. I motion to the raised skin. “What happened to you?”
“Poisoned dagger,” he answers, his voice dark.
“The tournament?”
He said Prince Lionel poisoned him to keep him out of the last competitions, but I had no idea it was this bad.
He nods, and my eyes meet his. I run my finger over the length of the scar, and his muscles tighten under my touch.
Tilting his head back, he studies me. “Have you ever swam under a waterfall?”
“Of course not.” I pull away my hand as I narrow my eyes. “Have you?”
He shakes his head. “The idea has never tempted me before.”
“You say that like you’re tempted now.”
Galinor laughs. “I might be.”
I stare at him, stunned, as he pulls his legs over the edge and then drops into the water, completely soaking his pants.
“You’re going to be wet and miserable all night.”
“We’ll dry by a fire later.”
“We’ll?” I shake my head. “I don’t think so.”
I’m still kneeling by the pool. I don’t even have the sense to move when he swims over to me.
“Anwen?”
I give him a wary look. “What?”
Without any warning, he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me in with him.
“Galinor!” I screech as I flail in his arms. “My gown!”
The fabric is wet and heavy, but the pool is shallow, so it doesn’t drag me down.
His answering laugh is loud and bright. “I’ll buy you another.”
I swipe at the water running down my face, blinking as it drips into my eyes, and then go still. Galinor’s arms are still wrapped around me.
He grins. “It feels good, doesn’t it?”
It does feel good, but I think he’s talking about the pool.
“I’m sorry,” he answers, his voice smug.
Finally, once my hair is out of my face and I’ve caught my breath, I crack a smile. “Liar.”
He laughs, checks to make sure I’m steady, and takes a step back.
I run my hands along the surface of the water. “It’s like a huge bathtub.”
The warmth soothes the muscles in my achy leg. Fighting with the gown, I find a submerged boulder by the edge of the pool and sit, resting my head back on the bank. I sigh, closing my eyes. “Let’s just stay here until morning.”
The glow from the moonquartz is comforting, and everywhere else on the island is dark. I would happily hide away here the whole night.
We’ve been in the pool for quite a while when Galinor finally says, “We’ll need to find something to eat eventually.”
I wish he hadn’t mentioned food because my stomach growls at the reminder.
“Hungry?” Galinor asks, noticing the look on my face.
I only nibbled at the lunch the queen sent to our rooms, and now I wish I had taken the time to eat more. I examine my fingers, which are wrinkly from our prolonged soak. It is probably time to get out.
Galinor pulls himself from the pool and holds his hand out to me. I grasp it and attempt to drag myself out of the water. My gown is saturated—and very heavy—and I stumble. Galinor’s hand is the only thing keeping me from splashing tail first back into the water.
Galinor laughs. “You’re hopeless.” He leans down, wraps both hands around my waist, and pulls me from the pool.
I peer down at the sad, soggy material that was once my beautiful gown. “I’m also soaked.”
Instead of sliding his tunic over his head, Galinor holds it out to me. “Here.”
I stare at the material for several moments before I snatch it away. It will be nice to be dry.
“Turn around,” I command, but I needn’t bother. He already is.
It takes a little work to untie my bodice’s wet laces, but soon I am free of it. I strip off my underskirts and quickly pull Galinor’s tunic over my head. It falls almost to my knees, and it’s so large it’s comical. I lace the neck up, and, since his back is turned anyway, I breathe in the scent of the fabric.
After I’m sure everything is in place, I glance down at my bare calves. There’s nothing I can do about them, and he already saw more skin when he removed the arrow anyway.
“All right,” I say, self-conscious.
Galinor turns back and grins wide, his dimples showing in the dim light. “Is it all right for now?”
“Yes, thank you.” I can’t quite meet his eyes. “But I hope my dress will be dry by morning. I don’t want to greet the captain like this.”
He frowns. “No, that wouldn’t do.”
We wander through the forest and back to the beach. I miss the moonquartz’s light, but I can see well enough now that my eyes have adjusted.
He unceremoniously discards my gown on the sand. “First, we’ll build a fire.”
“A fire would be nice.”
My hair is still dripping, and I am chilled. I sit on the beach and watch him gather driftwood and fallen timber from the edge of the forest. Soon I’m warming my bare feet by a crackling fire. He only kneels in front of it long enough to make sure it won’t go out, and then he wanders to the water’s edge and begins poking his sword in the sand.
“What are you doing?” I ask when my curiosity gets the best of me.
Galinor looks up. “I’m looking for clams.”
I join him and nudge the beach with my foot. “How do you know where to find them?”
Galinor shrugs. “I don’t, but you can find mussels in the lakes and streams in Glendon. Marigold said clams were similar and could be found on the beaches in Triblue.”
“You remember?” I ask.
I, too, vaguely remember Marigold’s lecture as we were nearing Triblue. She’d gone on and on about all kinds of seashore wildlife, but by the time she mentioned clams, I was only nodding and smiling.
He gives me a quick grin. “I only remember because I’ve dug for mussels.”
I push my foot through the wet sand. Within minutes, I find something. I drop to my knees and unearth a triangular shelled creature. Excited, I hold it up. “Is this one?”
Galinor crouches next to me. “It looks like it.”
Encouraged, we begin to dig with our hands. It isn’t long before we have more clams than we can eat.
I watch, fascinated, as Galinor arranges the shellfish over a hot rock near the fire’s flames. “How do you know how to do all this?”
Once he’s satisfied with the clam’s placement, he sits next to me, stretching his legs out. “I’m second born. If Glendon goes to war, I will be expected to lead our army. As such, Father beli
eved I needed to know how to feed and care for them as well. I can cook a few things and tend most wounds.”
I bump his shoulder. “That’s how you knew how to take care of the arrow.”
Galinor nods, and then the smile leaves his face. “With all the training I’ve done, the tournament should have been simple.”
“You did well in the archery competition,” I remind him. “And you were poisoned before the joust and hand-to-hand. Lionel wouldn’t have stooped that low if he didn’t believe you would best him.”
“I feel as if the failure defines me,” he says. “I was tested, and I measured short.”
“You don’t believe that. You can’t.”
“You didn’t see the look on Pippa’s face every time I failed, every time I let her down.”
Pippa again.
I turn his face toward mine. “She’s happy now, isn’t she? Isn’t that what matters? You made that happen.” I gather my courage. “And you haven’t let me down—not even once. I’ve asked so much from you. For whatever it matters, you coming has meant everything to me.”
He trails his fingers over my cheek, and I shiver.
“You’re making it a little too pleasant to be stranded here on this island,” he teases, his voice soft. “I’m not sure I want them to find us tomorrow.”
My spirits soar at his words. I scoot closer to him and lay my head against his shoulder. He wraps his arm around my back and together we watch the fire flicker.
***
A ship appears on the horizon, and my gown is still damp. There is no way I am going to let them catch me in Galinor’s tunic, so I wear the wet dress anyway.
Also, I can’t bear the sight of Galinor shirtless in the bright, morning sun any longer.
Galinor puts out the fire, and then we wait for the ship, side by side. Dristan jumps from the vessel before it even docks. His limp has become much less pronounced in the last month, and I’m happy to see him moving so well. He races towards us and gives me a questioning look when he notices my wet gown.
“It’s nothing,” I assure him.
“You’re all right?” he asks me, and then he turns to Galinor. “My apologies. I’ve spoken with Jacques. He’s terribly sorry.”
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