Page 24 of Pippa of Lauramore (The Eldentimber #1)

T he water is deliciously cold. My toes sink deep into the grainy sand, and the water laps at my ankles.

There are only a few sandy stretches along the great lake’s shore.

The rest is bordered by thick, brown mud, giant tree roots, and areas of waterlogged grass.

Water snakes live in the grass, so I avoid those areas at all costs.

I think I would rather meet a dragon than a snake. At least you can reason with a dragon.

Marigold sighs from beside me. She lifts her face to the sky. “This is lovely.”

She’s right. It is lovely. The breeze travels across the water, and it’s cool before it meets us.

Thick forest surrounds the lake, and birds call to each other from the trees.

Before we decided to soak our feet, we watched the minnows dart around the rocks near the falls.

There were hundreds of them. Marigold told us what they were—largenberch.

I’m learning more about her. She likes to read and learn, and she actually enjoyed our time with Sir Kimble and his maps. She’s a wealth of knowledge when it comes to plants and animals.

I offered to show her a cave full of maid-of-the-shadows, which she’s never seen, but she adamantly refused. She likes caves like I like snakes.

Leonora soaked her feet, and she is now resting in the shade of a tree. We all ate too much, and we’re stuffed. I must remember to thank the kitchen maids for the bountiful fare. We had enough food for six.

I wade back and settle next to Leonora against a large, gnarled tree trunk. “We will have to return eventually.”

“Mmmm,” she agrees. Her eyes are closed.

Marigold sits in front of us. We haven’t spoken with her about the situation with Archer and Galinor, but she’s bright enough to have figured most of it out on her own. Still, we don’t mention it, and neither does she.

We speak of Primewood and Marigold’s library in their castle. We speak of Mother’s paintings and Master Draeger’s instruments. We speak of feasts and men and other tournaments long ago, but we do not speak of Archer or Galinor.

I feel drained. I ache over Archer. Through the day, I’ve pushed the gnawing, nagging pain away, but it returns when I’m still.

My head snaps up at someone’s approach. Fair hair, pale skin, light eyes—it’s the man Archer and I met last night. A quick glance verifies it’s the same men with him, as well. He gives me the same sweeping bow as before. “Good afternoon Princess.”

Out of instinct, I reach for my bow. The blood drains from my face.

It’s not here. It’s on the ground, just out of Marigold’s reach.

It wouldn’t matter if she could reach it.

She looks paralyzed with fear. The man speaking has a crossbow, and he’s pointing it at me.

The other two men are armed with knives.

There’s nothing I can do without my bow. How could I be so careless?

“What do you want?” I’m glad my voice doesn’t waver.

The man grins. “Ransom money. Don’t worry, Princess. We’ll take good care of you until the deals have been arranged.”

Now I recognize the accent. “You’re from Errinton.”

He sounds like Rigel.

“Who are her friends?” the man asks, turning to one of his comrades.

The man who answers is tall with brown hair and a muscular build. His voice is more cultured than the fair man’s. It’s easy to see him slaying dragons. I remember what Sir Kimble said, and I do not wonder what drove him to this life.

“The beautiful one is Princess Leonora, future queen of Lauramore, and the plain one is Lady Marigold of Primewood. She is King Windom’s ward.”

“Excellent,” the first man answers, his voice oozing with greed.

I glance at Marigold, wondering if she’ll take offense to the man’s assessment of her beauty. She doesn’t seem to notice but instead stares at him with the same look a rabbit has when trapped.

Leonora doesn’t look scared—she looks livid. I’m fiercely proud of her .

“Stay still, and you won’t be harmed. If you fight, you will find your time with us…uncomfortable.”

“What is your name?” I demand.

My question takes him by surprise, but he bows again and gives me a sneer. “You may call me Peg.”

I take a step forward. “I didn’t hear you. Pig, did you say? Or Peg? Like a girl?”

“Pippa,” Marigold squeaks.

Peg steps up to me, and the arrow presses into the material of my dress. “You are not worth as much to me, Princess. You’re the fourth heir to the throne, and a girl no less.”

I stand my ground.

“Word has it you’re a difficult female—unruly, wild, and tiresome.

It’s possible King Ewan would be glad to be free of you.

You are very beautiful though.” He runs his hand down my hair.

I grit my teeth, knowing to knock his hand away would likely mean an arrow in my heart. “Perhaps I should sell you elsewhere.”

A sharp chill travels down my spine.

“Yes—maybe I won’t try to get a ransom out of any of you,” Peg muses, cocking his head to the side. “It might be more profitable to leave now and not tarry with Ewan’s knights.”

I steal a glance at Leonora. She looks like she may pass out. Her mouth is working, but no words come out. The sight of the arrow at my chest is too much for her—and understandably so.

The arrow at my chest is almost too much for me.

It’s Marigold who finally squeaks. Her eyes are wide and focused on something behind me.

Before I can turn to see what it is, there’s a cloth over my nose and mouth.

The smell reminds me of musty caves and dark tunnels.

The world spins in front of my eyes, and little black dots blur my vision and pull me to unconsciousness.

From somewhere distant, I hear Leonora scream.

It’s evening. There are birds in the trees, and they are singing the last of their daylight songs.

Crickets hum from the flower gardens. I’m surrounded by people, and when I look up, I see Archer.

I try to push my way to him, but the throng of people is too thick.

He’s waiting for something, and when he sees it, his eyes light up.

I strain against the crowd and stand on my tiptoes to see over their heads. It’s useless. I can’t make out anything.

My parents are behind Archer, both beaming at him.

He smiles, and it’s a radiant thing that takes my breath away.

I can now just make out what he’s looking at.

Coming alongside the crowd is a woman dressed in pale green.

Her gown is flowing and gauzy, and she looks resplendent.

Her hair is red, like mine, and tipped in gold…

like mine. She turns toward the crowd, smiling.

It’s me.

I blink furiously. What’s going on?

The girl who looks like me, but can’t be me, joins Archer, and he clasps her hands. A man in white and gold joins them, and he says words I barely hear or understand. The crowd roars, and then Archer kisses the girl .

“No!” I scream. Over and over I yell it, but no one hears me.

Then, before my eyes, the girl who looks like me changes. It’s not me—it’s Marigold.

He kisses her again, pulling her close. “I love you, Marigold.”

Those words I hear.

My world fades, and I grab for something to keep my balance. I flail, and a man finally notices me. He reaches out, but his hand passes through mine, and I fall.

I startle awake. It’s now dark.

The wedding is over.

Rough hands pull me from the courtyard floor, shaking me into consciousness.

“Pippa! What is wrong with you?” Lionel demands. His face is red with anger, and he looks terrifying.

“What’s going on?” I blink to clear my eyes and mind.

“You are my wife.” His face scrunches with fury. “You will behave!”

There’s no one around. I shrink from him, but he pulls me back, his hand clenched hard on my arm.

“You haven’t won the tournament,” I protest. “We’re not married!”

He holds his hand like he’s going to hit me, but he pulls back when he hears a scream from the palace.

“The baby!” Leonora shrieks. “They’ve drugged me and killed the baby!”

She falls on the courtyard in front of us. Her clothes are rags, her eyes are vacant, and her face is sickly pale.

I scream, and I keep on screaming.

“Pippa, wake up,” Leonora’s soft voice says. “Please wake up.”

My eyes snap open, and I hear the echo of an earsplitting shriek. It’s mine.

I grab Leonora’s face and examine her. In the dim, almost nonexistent light, she looks fine. My heart is racing, and I’m shaking. I’m clammy like I’ve been sweating, and I’m almost certain I’m going to be sick.

“Lay back down,” she says. “The nausea will pass in a moment.”

I can’t remember where I am or why I’m here. I feel like I’ve swallowed sand. “Where are we?”

“A cave somewhere. They took us through the woods, and I lost my landmarks.”

Who are they?

Then it trickles back, first images and then the entire memory.

“They drugged me!” The nausea has indeed passed, and now all I feel is rage.

“Shhh.” Leonora leans forward, motioning in the dark. “They drank themselves into a stupor, but I think one may still be awake.”

I doubt that, considering I was just screaming for all I’m worth, and no one seems disturbed. “Where’s Marigold?”

I find her on the other side of Leonora. She whimpers softly, and she thrashes madly in her sleep. Leonora checks her brow. “She’s quieter in her hallucinations than you. ”

I look around.

We’re in a cave. Wind rustles through leaves not far from us, so we must be near the mouth.

I can make out sleeping figures across the cavern.

I think the exit is just past them. Do we dare sneak over them?

I’m not sure how to take out a full-grown man without a weapon.

Should we make our way through the tunnels and see if we can find an exit?

It’s dangerous to wander unknown caves. Not only are there wild animals, but there are also toxic gasses and underground rivers.

Sweat still clings to my skin, and I shiver. My head throbs, and I rub my temples as I ask, “What did they do to me?”

“The cloth was covered with maid-of-the-shadows dust,” Leonora says.

A growl escapes me. “We’re lucky it didn’t kill us.”

Leonora glances at Marigold, and she looks worried. Bits and pieces of my hallucination are coming back to me. I look at Leonora sharply.

“Are you with child?” I ask, and as I say it, I know it’s true.

With those words, her composure crumbles. She gasps and begins to rock back and forth, tears streaming from her eyes. “Percival told me not to go.”

I grasp her by the shoulder, and she turns into me. She shakes in my arms, and her tears soak my dress.

“Leonora, did they drug you?” I remember that part of my hallucination well.

She shakes her head. “I begged them not to. I swore I would be good. ”

I’m so relieved. Tears finally spill down my cheeks, and for several moments I allow myself to cry with her.

Then I’m done. Because we’re leaving.

“They drugged Marigold because she became hysterical when we reached the cave.” Leonora is gaining control of her tears now. She breathes deep to slow her sobs. I’ve never given her enough credit. She’s strong.

“We must wake her up,” I say, looking at Marigold.

“I don’t know how. I tried everything with you. Nothing worked.”

I shake her, poke her, try to pull her to her feet—but Leonora’s right. Nothing works. All we can do is sit and watch her whimper. I catch stray words here and there. She cries for her brothers and her sisters and her parents. She occasionally screams at dragons, but most often she just sobs.

It’s awful.

Hours later, she finally stills.

“Marigold,” Leonora says, her voice gentle. “Marigold.” She gives her a light shake.

Marigold’s eyes fly open, and she shrieks. Both Leonora and I cover our ears, cringing away from the sound. Marigold gasps when the scream ebbs. Then she’s sick. The poor girl retches while she sobs, and Leonora holds her hair back.

I listen for footsteps, but I hear nothing. It must have been good, whatever kind of alcohol the bandits stole.

“We’re going now,” I whisper as soon as Marigold has finished. There can’t be anything left in her stomach. I pull her up, and she stumbles with me. We’re going to walk right over them and be gone .

I hear a cough and then a mumbled curse toward the mouth of the cave.

Maybe not.

I turn around, dragging Marigold with me. She’s heavier than she looks.

“Where are you going?” Leonora whispers.

In the last few hours, I’ve had time to study this cavern. I glance around the rock walls one last time. “We’re going to follow the tunnels.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Leonora argues. Desperation and worry crease her face.

“Not if you know where you’re going.”

She nods, trusting me, and we turn into the darkness. Soon, just like I expect, we see the dim glow of maid-of-the-shadows. They don’t seem as pretty once you’ve been drugged with their poison.

It’s not long before Marigold can walk on her own, but she’s trembling like the poison is still coursing through her body.

“Almost there,” I coax, careful to keep her from the flower-covered walls.

The pool of water has mostly evaporated. It was much larger when I brought Galinor, but the stars still shine on the little water that’s left.

“How do we get out?” Leonora sounds better now, less anxious. She must have guessed where we’re at.

I study the cavern. I knew it was large, but now that I’m thinking of scaling the walls, it seems gargantuan. There’s a ledge to the far side that looks easy to climb. After that, there’s a series of smaller ledges that follow the wall like stairs. We can use those .

I worry my lip, looking for another step.

There’s no way around it. We’ll have to jump to the next ledge. It’s not too far, but I don’t know if Leonora or Marigold can do it. I don’t think I want Leonora to even try when she’s carrying my future niece or nephew.

“What is it, Pippa?” Leonora asks.

I click my tongue, thinking. “That ledge there. The only way to get across it is to jump.”

“All right.”

I look at her, surprised. “All right?”

She nods, and she looks determined. “If it’s the only way, then we jump.”

Marigold whimpers. She’s crouched on the ground, crying into her knees.

I scan the ceiling. From that ledge, I can boost the girls to the opening. As long as the rock doesn’t crumble under our hands, we’ll be free.

“Come on Marigold, let’s leave this place.” I hold my hand out.

She shakes her head. “I can’t.”

Leonora is about to say something, but I shush her. There are faint yells coming from down the tunnel.

The bandits are awake, and they’re after us.