Conquering Fate
Page 25
“Tabitha, seventeen years old, niece of Kar and Maya, not yet married or engaged.” Tabitha jerked her hand free. Uncertain what to say, Darmik focused on the top of the cliff. The jump was difficult. Why, he wondered, would anyone attempt it? Several trees lined the riverbank, and it appeared there was only a five-foot section of the cliff from which to jump safely. The water flowed smoothly, indicating no rocks hidden below the surface. Still, it was too dangerous to attempt. He looked back to the woman. Little drops of water ran down her face.
“Is there something I can do for you?” she asked, no longer amused.
Darmik tore his eyes away from her and scanned the surrounding area. “No. I was out hunting when I saw you disappear over the cliff.” He wasn’t used to explaining himself. “Can I escort you somewhere?” He was reluctant to leave her alone in a forest full of wild animals. At least, that was what he told himself. He didn’t want to acknowledge it was something else—that she was unlike anyone he had ever met before.
Tabitha rose abruptly, her dress plastered around her legs and her hair muddy from lying on the riverbank. Darmik stood and offered her his hand for support. Instead, she crossed her arms. The woman was taller than he had realized, coming up to his chin.
“I can take care of myself.” Her face, although beautiful, was pinched with worry, and her eyes were glassy and red. He’d been so overwhelmed with how blue her eyes were that he’d failed to notice she’d been crying. “I don’t need a man.” Her hands balled into fists.
“Prince Darmik!” A shout rang from above. Before he left, he’d told Lennek’s guards to leave him alone. The only way they would be in the forest was if they were accompanying Lennek. And there was no way his brother could see this woman.
Staring at him fiercely, she asked, “Prince? That makes the king your father.” He nodded. “Are you the commander of the King’s Army?” It sounded more like an accusation than a question, and she didn’t kneel as protocol demanded. Her eyes focused on his neck, probably trying to see his royal tattoos—but they were covered by the tunic.
He felt like a hunter who’d come upon a new animal, and he didn’t know what to do with her. Friend or foe? Would she attack or run away?
“Yes, and my older brother, Prince Lennek, draws near,” he warned. “I strongly suggest you leave—now.”
She studied him for a moment, like she was trying to decide if she could trust him. “The Crown Prince?”
He nodded. There was a flicker of fear across her face, and she took a step back from him. Then, she flashed him a bright smile and took off running, although a little slower this time, hindered by her heavy, wet dress.
Jennifer Anne Davis graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. She is currently a full-time writer and mother of three highly energetic children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids' creativity. She is the recipient of the San Diego Book Awards Best Published Young Adult Novel (2013), a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards (2014), and a finalist in the USA Best Book Awards (2014).
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