Page 42 of Goldilocks
Sam couldn’t refute the flat statement, especially not after what he’d admitted to Goldilocks about it last night. But he didn’t have it in him to justagreeeither. “It’s not that I dislike it…I find it hard. But I want to attend.” It felt and sounded like a lie, and Goldilocks’s expression said so too. “I want to graduate and earn my degree,” Sam corrected. That much was true, at least.
“You can stay here. You do not need any of that.” Goldilocks’s top lip twitched. “You do not need to provide. I will do so.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. Did a hook-up in this world equal a commitment? Sam wasn’t sure that exchanging handjobs suddenly meant Goldilocks should be providing for him. “I want to graduate,” Sam reaffirmed. “And Ineedto go home and check on my dad.”
Goldilocks’s brow tensed, lines forming. “You are displeasing me,” he finally said.
“Be displeased then,” Sam replied firmly. “You don’t get to control my life just because of” – he gestured vaguely between them – “this.”
At that, Goldilocks’s top lipdidcurl back. He didn’t hiss or snarl, though Sam was sure it was building in his throat.
“You do not understand,” Goldilocks said.
“I’m sure I don’t. But you don’t understand me either,” Sam pointed out. “My dad matters to me more than anything. I’m never going to take off and leave him to starve in the house. Or…” Sam pulled his feet from the water, walking away from Goldilocks to retrieve his clothes. “Leave him for other people to take care of.” He slipped the robe on. “They don’t treat him well. I know it’s not on purpose a lot of the time, but they get impatient with him. It’s not fair on him. He isn’t being difficult on purpose. He just…” Sam trailed off, shoulders slumping. “It’s just better if I do it.”
Goldilocks stepped out of the water behind him as Sam stooped to pick up his boxers. He wasn’t going to wear them, since they were stiff from being dunked in ocean water, but he didn’t trust the robe not to become sheer in daylight. He’d be giving everyone an eyeful on the walk to the boat.
“I have clothes prepared for you,” Goldilocks said. “Leave it for the servants to clean. Come.”
Sam hesitated, twisting to peer at Goldilocks as he finished putting on his shirt. His expression was blank, but Sam could feel his irritation. Sam followed him through a door connected to the baths. A large bed dominated the floor space. It looked big enough for Goldilocks to fit on, even if his tail was out. And that, Sam guessed, was the entire point of it.
Goldilocks retrieved a pile of neatly folded clothes from a dark wood dresser opposite the bed. Sam accepted the bundle from Goldilocks and went to the bed. He turned his back on Goldilocks, leaving the robe on until after he pulled on the underwear – which were white and sheer. He tugged on a billowing white long-sleeved shirt with golden embroidery on the hem and neckline and a pair of brown soft-leather trousers. The outfit fit perfectly. Sam felt ridiculous.
Sam turned to the window, looking out at the ocean. White sails dotted the horizon line. Open oceans. Blue skies that had deepened in colour since Sam had come here. “What time is it?” he asked.
“Evening,” Goldilocks answered. “The time will change when we return.”
“They said breakfast when we ate. We haven’t been here that long?”
“Breakfast was served for you,” Goldilocks explained. “There is time to rest,” he added.
Sam sighed. “I’m going back.” He glanced down and saw his boat against the dock. Jasper, the tailed guard, was still inspecting it. He hoped Goldilocks was right about nothing being taken. “I can go myself.”
“I will lead you. Come.” Goldilocks walked Sam to the same door they’d entered from. At the dock, Jasper inclined his head toward them both as they approached, then kept it bowed until they were both on board.
At a quick glance, everything appeared to be in its rightful place. Sam entered the cabin and powered on his equipment, more out of curiosity than necessity. As he waited for everything to power up, he watched the compass spin endlessly. Connor had shown Sam this before; anytime they got close to The Tear, all the equipment began to malfunction. The radio crackled into static. The GPS fizzed out. The compass spun endlessly. Anything that could run independent of a signal seemed to be fine, however.
“Crap,” Sam said.
Goldilocks stood at the cabin door. “There is a problem?” he asked, eyes sweeping over the equipment.
Sam rubbed the back of his neck, brushing his hand over the bite mark by accident. “I’m low on fuel.”
“I will pull.”
Sam huffed. “I can’t even imagine howstrongyou are to be able to pull this across the ocean. And for miles?”
“Do not imagine. You will see,” Goldilocks said. “You may rest.” He paused, then continued with a slightly hesitant note. “If you wish more comfort for your nest, there are blankets here. A gift. I am not criticising,” he added quickly.
Sam stepped out to see quite the collection on board. The fabrics were deep blues and greens, clearly dyed pelts of some sort, though Sam couldn’t hazard a guess as to the type of animal they could have come from. “Thank you,” he said.
Relief relaxed Goldilocks’s face. “Rest. Sleep. I will wake you once we have returned.”
Before Sam could tell Goldilocks he wasn’t tired, he turned his back to Sam, quickly stripping and jumping overboard. His legs became a tail before he disappeared beneath the water. Sam turned to the dock to untie, but Jasper had already done so and was neatly securing the rope into its proper place. He nimbly hopped off the boat after a final tug, and the boat didn’t even dip under his graceful movements.
There was a click at the bow. Sam turned to see that Goldilocks had taken up the slack of the anchor and was tugging. The water rose up either side of the boat, and Sam caught the nearest railing as the decking suddenly lifted from the back. He turned in confusion, the wave rising out of nowhere in the well-sheltered cove and from the wrong direction. But his eyes didn’t provide any answers; he could only observe and watch as a wave that surroundedonlySam’s boat lifted it from the water and propelled it forward.
The wave kept Sam’s boat in its grip as they passed through the gap in the rocks and out onto the open sea. They reached the same speed Sam could achieve when pushing the engine at full throttle. Sam looked on in amazement as they travelled. Waves disturbed the surrounding waters, but all died and dispersed as they got close, not affecting the swell that had Sam’s boat in its grip.