Page 21

21

NEO

S unlight beat down hot and humid, the sound of a waterfall promising relief. Neo mopped his face with his sleeve and glanced at Zula, who sat astride the horse in front of him. Trepidation made him feel hotter as he tugged on the reins, slowing his mount to a stop just before the broad palm leaves shaded the path. Not that shade would do much good against the relentless heat of the jungle. Neo’s pulse quickened as he swung off the horse, wondering if Zula had noticed his nervousness. Would the plan work?

“We’re here.” He gestured to the thick foliage before them. “Do you know the way from here? ”

Zula held onto the pommel of the saddle with one hand, using the other to squint against the sunlight. Because she insisted on riding astride, her skirts rode up her thighs and his gaze lingered on her smooth brown skin. Worst of all, their moments together had only cemented his desire. He wanted her, and before, when he was chasing her, he thought he’d be able to bear it if she was sent away, and he never saw her again. Now, the very idea of it was too painful to imagine.

“I know my way from here,” Zula confirmed, a frown marring her face. “It’s all jungle, though. I doubt the path has been widened enough for a horse to make it through.”

“I guessed as much.” Neo swung one of the saddlebags over his shoulder. The other bag he opened, and held up the ukulele.

Zula cried out, both hands outstretched as though it were her greatest treasure. “You fixed it!”

Neo handed it to her. “I had it repaired the day we arrived at the palace.”

The way she was looking at him with such rapt attention made his heart hurt. He was the one who’d initially broken the ukulele, the one who’d caught her, and the one responsible for the mess she was in. What was the lesser of two evils? Prevent a war, save his family, lose the woman he was falling in love with? Or start a war, run with his family, and still lose her?

“Thank you.” She strummed a few notes.

Neo pulled a bandage from the saddlebag and moved around to Zula’s sprained ankle. “I’m sorry your ankle isn’t any better. I should have brought more salve. I’ll wrap it tight, and you have a crutch. When the going gets tough I’ll carry you on my back.”

A soft laugh left her throat. “I’d like to blame you for my woes, but you’re right. I’ve made bad choices. My ankle is yet another sign of poor decisions. Don’t worry, I’ll manage it.” She glanced behind them, eyeing the empty road. “Where are your guards?”

“Nearby,” he said, offering as little information as possible as he re-bandaged her ankle. “As you know, I prefer my space when I travel.”

“Isn’t that dangerous for you? ”

Neo knew she meant for him as a prince, not a sheriff. “It is risky, but I like the adventure of it. It makes me feel alive, free, in a sense. Freer than I feel at home. Then, when I return home, I appreciate the comforts, the security, and the sameness of it. I crave the peace, but out here I prefer the chaos.”

“We are more alike than I first realized,” Zula admitted.

Neo helped her down and sent the horse off to find its way home, although he rather hoped it would be waiting for their return. If return was possible. The secrets he was keeping from Zula weighed upon him as they entered the dense jungle.

As he suspected, they barely spent any time on the road before plunging into the thick of it. Zula took her time, pausing to examine landmarks, the vines twining around her crutch, attempting to trip her up. Despite the difficulty, Neo noticed that she didn’t let go of the ukulele.

A mosquito bit his neck, and a parrot flew across the path, squawking at them. Monkeys hooted in the trees and slowly, Neo relaxed, taking in the sights and sounds, awed by the bright colors, the scenery. Was this Zula’s life? Where she grew up, traversing the paths, knowing every inch of the forest as though it were her own?

Suddenly, the air shifted with an odd whistling sound that set his teeth on edge. He ducked half a beat too late as something struck the back of his head. A stone? Blood rushed. Zula screamed as he fell, and it took him a moment to understand her words.

“Stop! I said not to hurt him.”

She knew ?

And the hope he’d had burrowed deep, the pain of disappointment, of utter betrayal, almost canceled out the ringing in his skull. Spots danced before his eyes and he felt her hand on his cheek. “I’m sorry, Neo. I have to save my father. I have to do this my way.”

“ I will personally deliver her head on a platter,” Diana snapped, standing over Neo. “Look at how much blood you lost. Which way did she go? ”

Neo sat up with a groan, took the wet cloth, and pressed it to the back of his head. He was slightly impressed with how quickly Diana and the rest of the royal entourage had caught up. Regardless, they were never far. “Don’t take off her head,” he protested.

“She did this to you!”

“It was the ruffians she hired,” he started, but when Diana’s steely eyes flashed, he added, “But yes, she is responsible. Give me a moment. I assume she’s returning to steal the trolls’ treasure, but I want to make sure I’m not missing anything.”

“I told you she’d be tricky,” Diana fumed. “Thieves don’t change, no matter what.”

“I felt the betrayal,” he admitted. “Almost too late. She was angry they hit me.”

“So am I!” Diana held up her hand. “Don’t say another word. I see you’re about to make excuses for her and I won’t hear it. You’re compromised, emotionally caught in this. I will continue from here.”

“You need me. I’m the only one who knows how to track her. ”

“True. Because of the weight of this venture, I will allow you to join me, but I’m taking the lead from now on. Agreed?”

Neo started to nod, then winced at the pain in his head. Instead, he held out his hand and Diana took it, grumbling as he stood.