I began gathering up my things. He frowned as he watched my progress, then came around to my side of the desk and placed his hand atop the book I was closing.
“Please don’t go.”
I looked up at him, my breath catching. His hair was slicked back, and he looked to have gotten a haircut. The curls didn’t brush his shoulders like they used to and instead coiled just behind his ears. I had to stop myself from reaching up and running a hand through it.
“Mid,” I began, but he stopped me before I could continue.
“If I promise not to try anything, will you please stay?”
I thought about this for a moment, not sure if I could trust him.
“I might be able to help you.” He gestured toward the Ethirical.
This was tempting. I was struggling, and if anyone might be able to solve the puzzle it was him.
“Hands to yourself,” I said pointedly, and he nodded, raising his hands in mock surrender.
“I promise.”
I sat back down, and he pulled another chair up to the table. I watched him carefully, keeping my eyes trained on him as I opened the book again.
“What are you looking for?”
“I found something.” I showed him the amulet around my neck. “This was my mother's, and I think it might be one of the artifacts of the five kings.” His eyes widened for just a moment before he quickly recovered and cleared his throat.
“Well, the book is broken up into five sections.” He opened to the first page and began showing me the different parts that I hadn’t even noticed were there before.
“It starts with Linsulong, Yamdolor, Oxtwenel, Ennsleon, and finally Wesoltinece.” He flipped to the middle of the book and gestured to a paragraph on the lower half of the page. “Yamdolor is the only king I can think of that would own such an object. He loved jewelry. He found the treasures of the realm to be very fascinating. It says here he owned an entire room of gold and silver that he’d taxed from his people.”
“I think it might have magic. Does it say anything about a magic amulet?” I asked, as he flipped through a couple more pages. It wasn’t long before his brow furrowed, and he looked up with a look of defeat.
“I don’t think so, but I’m sure with a little experimenting you could figure out what it does. Do you mind if I ask how you found it?” He was looking at the necklace with curious admiration.
“My mother, she had these visions. . .”
“Visions?” he questioned.
I nodded. “Yes, from what I know she saw the curse coming. She wore this amulet around her neck before she died. She wanted me to find it and use it. I think she wants me to help stop the curse.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in curses,” he said, giving me one of his heart-stopping smiles.
I laughed uneasily. “Well, a lot of things have changed since we met,” I replied, and I watched his smile falter a little.
“Yes, yes, they have.”
For a moment there was nothing but an awkward silence between us.
“Well, any other knowledge you can impart about the Ethirical?” I asked, desperate to change the subject.
“I have my theories, but I don’t know if they’re right,” he admitted, not alluding to anything more. I instantly became curious.
“What theories?” I pressed.
He hesitated before continuing. “The other tokens–I believe I know what two of them might be.” He flipped to another page. “Linsulong, he ruled the entire sea. His gift allowed him to have a perfect sense of direction. He never got lost. He overtook island after island. He had a compass. The book talks about how it helped harness his power. I believe this is one of the tokens.”
“And the other?”
“Wesoltinece, he caused the most contention between all the kings. He had vast armies that he led into battle. He loved bloodshed; his Stone-Hearted ability was strategy. War strategy, in particular, and he never lost a fight. When he traveled into battle, he took a war hammer. It was said to be able to break up the earth, split it into two.”
I remember reading about the wars and earthquakes, but it never crossed my mind that the hammer held by the king was a token.
“You have studied this considerably,” I said admirably, wishing I could be as dedicated to my studies as he seemed to be.
“I was raised to believe in the warnings of the Ethirical. It's an ancient book about our realm’s history. Also, I quite like learning, and I guess I feel I have a princely duty to understand the curse.” He stared thoughtfully down at the pages.
I couldn’t relate to his reasoning, since all I wanted was to be free of any royal obligations. I did, after all, do absolutely everything to avoid them.
“The only way to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself is to learn from it,” he said, looking up from the book and meeting my eyes.
“But here we are, repeating it,” I stated sadly, knowing that with Obscurum on the warpath it wouldn’t be long.
“If that amulet is Yamdolor’s token. . .” He shook his head almost as if he couldn't believe it was real. “Well, all I can say is it gives me hope.”
I was just about to ask another question when I saw the time. The clock by the far wall said it was nearly midnight.
“Oh no, I have to go.” I quickly stood from my chair and began cleaning up.
“Where are you going?” he asked, standing and sliding his chair beneath the table.
“I told Oli I’d be in my chambers by twelve.” With all the recent events and my kidnapping, Oli had been determined to keep tabs on me. I didn’t usually obey a curfew, but I knew it gave him peace of mind. And after the incident, I didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily.
“Wait. . .”
I was just about to step out from behind the privacy of the bookshelves when I felt his hand tug me back, causing me to stumble toward him. It was almost instinctive for our bodies to come together and his hands to find their way to my waist. Our faces came inches apart, his emerald-scarlet eyes meeting mine. The only thing keeping us from touching completely was the book I held in my hands, creating a small wedge between us.
“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he murmured quietly, and I became befuddled by his sudden closeness. He smelled of his usual pinewood, and his eyes were searching my face with a smoldering intensity that was hard for my emotions to disregard. It was like he needed me to admit I was thinking about him too.
“Well, stop it,” I whispered with a hiss.
He chuckled, his perfect white teeth stretching into a heart-stopping smile. “I just said I can’t.”
I narrowed my eyes at him and gripped the book tighter in my hands.
“Well find a way because no matter how hard you try, nothing is going to change the way I feel.” I wrenched myself from his grasp roughly. I could see his eyes harden with determination at my obvious aversion. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe the more I fought against him, the more he pushed back.
“Is that a challenge?” he imposed, and I quickly rolled my eyes.
“No, it's not a challenge, Midennen. It was a hopeful disincentive,” I spat, irritation itching inside of me. “Now I really have to go, or Oli will start to worry.” I quickly turned on my heel, needing to escape from the vexing conversation. I could feel his eyes on me the whole way out of the library. I hadn’t disincentivized his feelings. If anything, I gave him an incentive to keep trying harder.
TWENTY
“A hunt?” I asked skeptically, pulling on a pair of pantyhose. The material was awfully tight, and in order to keep my balance, it required me to be on my back, on the floor, awkwardly tugging the fabric while rolling into an uncomfortable ball.
“Your father thinks it a good way to bond and show his acceptance with the Knadian family,” Oli explained, sitting on the edge of my bed watching me struggle as I tried to pull on my tights. Once again I found myself wishing for the freedom of trousers.
“Since when does my father go hunting?” I
mumbled suspiciously. I had the skirt of my dress set snug in the corner of my lips so I could see what I was doing.
Oli didn’t find my unladylike dressing behaviors abnormal in any sense and continued our conversation. “He used to go on annual Aveladon hunts for the Twal boar before your mother died. Be grateful he’s finally getting back to his normal self,” he said, giving me an expectant look. Finally situated with the tights, I released the skirt from my mouth and stood from the ground with a loud groan.
“Fine, go on a wild boar hunt. What does this have to do with me again?” I asked, confused slightly why he was bringing it up. Oli had approached the subject earlier that morning but hadn’t given me all the details. The Knadians were very into hunting, and unexpectedly an old Aveladon tradition had sparked my father’s interest. The idea wasn’t bad, and the more I thought about it, the more I began to realize it would be an excellent time to get away from a certain individual.
“Because, we discussed it, and just for precaution, we want all the women to come along,” Oli said hesitantly, obviously unsure how I would react. I turned to look at him, my eyes widening.
“Me? Go on the hunt?” He couldn't be serious. The last thing I needed was more time in close proximity to Mid. Not to mention I had other things on my mind.
“I can’t lose you again Little Bear.” His voice was slightly pained and that’s when I realized my kidnapping had been harder on him than I had expected.
“I wanted to study more of the Ethirical. I need to figure out what the Amulet does,” I tried to reason, wishing I had a better excuse.
“Bring it along. There will be plenty of time for study,” he urged, a pleading look in his peridot eyes.
“Fine, I’ll come along. But under one condition,” I interjected. Oli quickly took the bait. “Go on?”
“I get my own tent.”
THE HUNT WAS A TWO-DAY EVENT. The first day would be spent reaching the nether parts of the Glamasede Mountains, then the second day they would hunt. It wasn’t far but tracking the boar would take time. The castle was nestled in a lush part of the forest that stretched on for miles over the mountain range. I’d traveled the same woods since I was a child. The boars were just a couple miles up the mountain from where I usually spent time. They lived in a rockier terrain on the mountain, and I had always been cautious not to travel near them.
The caravans for the hunt were erected early the next morning in front of the castle gates. Winter had successfully penetrated the sky, and I had put on as many layers as my body would permit. Jasper was the first person to greet me as I found the stretch of horses and guards waiting to depart.
“Ready for this, Bear?” Jasper asked, looking stunning in her posh winter attire—her bright violet eyes glittering in the morning sunlight.
“I think so. Are we riding together?” I asked her, but before Jasper could reply, footsteps crunched from behind us.
“Actually, there will be two separate caravans. For safety, we don’t want everyone traveling the same path to the boar caves. Don’t worry, at the end of the hunt, we will all meet back up again,” Oli explained as he came down the castle walk. He was dressed in his red cloak and a furry hunting hat.
“We are traveling separately?” I questioned, feeling a sudden wave of relief despite not getting to be with Jasper. Maybe I wouldn’t have to be in a camp with Mid after all.
“You’ll be riding with me,” Oli said, walking over to his horse Sovereign. His steed was standing beside the sweet mare I rode during our game of Arches. He began packing his items into the saddle bag, fiddling with the ropes and reins.
“Who will Jasper be riding with?” I asked.
“I'll be riding with most of the Knadian family. Father thinks it the best way for me to start getting acquainted,” Jasper said, giving me a nervous half smile.
“Most?” I asked puzzled, all relief suddenly leaving me.
“Good morning, ladies!” the voice chirped from beside us, and sure enough Mid came walking down the roadway—Shar quietly beside him.
“It seems we aren't allowed to camp together, Your Highness.” Mid dramatized a regrettable expression while grasping Jasper’s hand. He pressed a soft kiss to her mitten-covered knuckles, not even trying to hold back his irrefutable charm.
“I fear my father is a very traditional man,” Jasper explained, blushing at his touch.
“Wouldn't want to risk being alone together,” he winked, and then turned to look at me, nearly taking my breath away.
He wore similar hunting clothes as Oli—a black shirt and pants, his coco brown cloak, and a fluffy winter hat. The same bow that he had used to create chaos in the Severesi camp was slung over his left shoulder, adding to the overall look. He appeared confident, even leader-like. He was the definition and image of what a royal prince needed to be. It was merely fortuity that royal blood ran through his veins.
He looked at me, a shiny gratification in his eyes. It was the same amused expression he always had on his face when he was reveling in my discomfort.
“Looks like we will be joining you on the hunt,” Mid said, as he and Shar passed by. The two of them were headed to a pair of horses waiting on the path, already saddled for the journey.
When they got out of ear shot, I tugged Oli over to me, whispering frantically. “Why didn’t you warn me about this?” I hissed.
Oli’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Because it is an overnight hunt. It wouldn’t be appropriate for the betrothed prince and princess to be staying near each other. Don’t you know this?” he asked, and I mentally berated myself for not seeing this coming. How ironic they were protecting Jasper from some temptation that might taint her virtue. When it was really me who was being tempted beyond ability to resist—by the relentless, aggravating, handsomely devilish prince.
“Fine but remember. Separate. Tents.” I pointed my finger at him, and he looked more confused than ever at my little temper tantrum.
Grumbling under my breath, I headed to my mare and mounted. From up on my horse, I could see Jasper walking away, her Palomino in tow as she joined the other hunting group. King and Queen Knadian were in the other caravan along with Sunn and Embrosine. The Knadian family greeted Jasper happily and I observed with slight disdain as Queen Ruby embraced Jasper, as if she were already their daughter.
I was watching this cordial establishment of the hunting parties from my saddle, when Mid pulled up beside me on his horse.
“Ever been hunting, Princess Sabeara?” Mid asked.
I gritted my teeth, staring straight ahead, determined not to play his game.
“No, never actually,” I said bluntly, and I could see his grin from the corner of my eye.
“Really? Well, some exciting things can happen on hunting trips,” he teased, and I quickly shot him a menacing glare.
“If you’re implying something is going to happen between us on this hunt, Midennen, I’m afraid you are going to be sorely disappointed,” I replied snappily.
“I was implying no such thing. But I’m flattered that something of a sort has been going through your mind.” The smirk didn’t leave his face.
“I was not thinking about you,” I stated firmly.
“You're going to have to do a lot better than that to convince me, Little Bear.” His eyes bore into mine as he said this, and I couldn't look away for a moment. His emerald-scarlet eyes had so many things to say—they were teasing me, taunting me, admiring me all at once—and only I could read the language they spoke.
It was terrifying to be the only person that could see his affections so blatantly being displayed. I felt like a helpless animal, with no way out, cornered and trapped. It was then that I had the shivering thought that maybe the Twal boar wasn’t going to be the only thing hunted over the next two days.
TWENTY-ONE
The morning was spent getting to our camp. Our caravan included Mid, Shar, Oli, and my father—with a group of castle guards who trailed behind us at all times. The Knadian family
and Jasper went down another path and were instructed to meet us back at the castle at the end of the hunt.
The first couple hours were silent. I wasn’t in the mood to chit chat and any question directed at me I quickly shut down with an irritable dismissiveness. Everyone quickly realized I wasn’t up for conversation.
The forest scenery was enough to keep me company, and I found myself feeling at home in the familiar trees. I could mentally see the path in my head where I would’ve changed directions, turning at a large juniper tree to get to my tree house. I had memorized the excessive wear in the dirt path, along with the rocks and roots that stuck out from the ground. I knew these woods like the back of my hand.
When the sun set over the mountains, the path shifted, and we were suddenly going into a thicker, rockier terrain that was nearly untouched. Oli and the other guards made way for a path, shoving aside large tree branches and stumbling rocks so we could pass through. I could feel the unfamiliarity and allowed my mare to get a little closer to the others. I had been purposely dragging behind to avoid conversation.
As I neared I began to hear the contents of their chattering. They were discussing different hunting techniques and ways they were going to catch the boar.
“I think night will be the best time to strike,” Oli said, and I watched the others in the group nod their heads.
“We’ve only seen a couple tracks. When we set up camp, we need to get closer to the ground. We will see more if we check by foot.” My father's interjection caused another round of murmuring agreements.
“It would be best to go slowly, take our time. They can get anxious if they think someone is tracking them,” Mid added.
I felt his gaze on my face and I looked up, our eyes meeting for the briefest of seconds.
“You know, you could all leave the poor creature alone. I think this entire thing is barbarous.” I was unable to hold back my opinion with Mid baiting me. Somehow I just knew he wasn’t talking about the Twal boar.
Granted (Granted Series Book 1) Page 16
