Page 16

“M ISS, WHAT ARE YOU looking at?” The playful melody in Laude’s voice chafed even after a good night’s rest. “Zichri perhaps?” She waggled her eyebrows and perched on the edge of the small bed across from mine.

“No, Laude, I have other things on my mind besides a handsome face.” I held the floral print curtains to the side, letting in the morning light.

“So, you admit it. You favor Zichri! The way he stayed back with you to dine. He only had eyes for you when he said good night. Oh, it’s too good to be true!” Staring at nothing in particular, Laude clapped daintily while she most likely planned my wedding.

Shaking my head, I rolled my eyes. Zichri could be considered cute and perfect for a lowborn like Laude. I, on the other hand, could never dream of such a match. “It’s not that. Take a look at the horses and wagon across the way.” I pointed out the small window.

She hopped off the bed and pressed against the glass. “There’s Milo! He must be buying supplies at that shop.” She waved, almost smacking my face in the process.

“Please don’t tell me you favor Milo now?” I pushed her hands to the side.

Milo trudged from the wagon into the store without glancing up at us.

“You should have heard the clever stories he told. I think he said them to make me laugh.”

“Oh, Laude.” I had a mind to rebuke her. “At least you don’t like Jaime too.”

“I think Jaime is the most handsome of the bunch.”

I pressed a palm to my forehead. Even if I tried to point out the silliness of liking each of the Himzo merchants, she wouldn’t care.

My eyes wandered back to the horses and wagon in question when a raggedy man carrying a basket approached the horse. Anger rose in my throat. “Look! The one feeding the horse.” I pointed, jabbing my finger into the glass. When Laude gasped, I knew I hadn’t imagined it. One of the vile servants who left us stranded was here.

Laude backed away from the window. She clasped the ruffles on the neckline of her dress. “What do you think they will do if they see us?”

I didn’t know. It might suit them best to disappear. Perhaps they’d give away my identity, and our new guides would take us to the Himzo king and queen. But could the Himzos abduct us in a populated place and with a single horse? In some ways, I sensed they would never hurt us. Nevertheless, one in my position could never be too cautious. But I did need another dress besides the one on my back. “We should tell Zichri and his companions. They said they’d be in the room across the hall or downstairs dining.”

Laude stormed across our room, whipped our door open, and crossed the hall to the men’s room. “What are you waiting for?” She waved for me to hurry with a blaze of determination in her eyes. The moment I stepped beside her, she pounded on the door.

The door creaked open. Zichri appeared in a clean tunic, running his fingers through his wet hair. A fresh lavender scent rolled off his body, and instinctively, I inclined toward the aroma and inhaled.

“Whoa there.” He patted my shoulder. “They only have this scent of soap. It’s going to take some time before my usual forest smell comes back. What brings you two here? Is something amiss?”

I folded my arms, swallowing my bruised pride from having been caught smelling him. “We saw one of the men who abandoned us.”

Laude added, “He might have our trunks and supplies.”

A muscle in Zichri’s jaw flexed. “Where did you see him?”

“Across the way.” Laude pointed, furrowing her brows in a way that did not befit her jovial face. I suppressed a smile.

Zichri bolted between us, taking the stairs two at a time. Laude hurried behind him, allowing me a minute alone to gather my thoughts. Will we be found out?

I locked my door, closed Zichri’s, and trod down the creaky steps.

“Ai-yi-yi! Miss Cypress! Zichri and all the merchants went to confront the man. I’m scared they’ll get in a scuffle, and someone will get hurt. They said we should be safe here.” Laude pulled on my arm. “Do you think they’ll get your beautiful dresses back? I hope they show them a thing or two about double-crossing”—she leaned in—“the Princess of Giddel.”

“That’s enough,” I hissed. But a puff of pride remained in my chest after hearing the way she said my title. “Someone could hear you.” I glanced around the dining room. Empty tables covered the front of the sunlit space, and other guests at the far table near the foyer eyed us with curiosity. A long counter where servers picked up food and beverages lined the back of the room.

I tipped my head to the side. “Let’s take a seat so as not to make more of a scene.”

I kept my chin high, and my pace measured. Laude followed. We slid into the seats near the window, staring at the Himzos. The inn across the road sat between a store and a bakery, and many people either stood in windows or off to the side with shocked expressions. Zichri held a gruff man by the collar while Gonzalo, Blas, and Jaime stood behind like soldiers waiting to attack. Another man launched a punch at Blas, but Blas ducked in time.

I turned my gaze to the clerk behind the front counter just outside the dining area. A frown drooped on his face as he looked out the front door. He met my stare, not a hint of kindness touched his features, and he returned to observing the scene outside.

A fresh heatwave simmered on my skin, and I fanned my face.

Milo exited the store with his arms full of supplies when he noticed the others. Blas approached Milo and patted his shoulder. They spoke for some time. Blas’s hands flew in every direction, and his face contorted with wide-eyed outrage to pinched anger. With a cock of his head and pursed lips pointing toward our inn, Blas seemed to send Milo toward us. Milo shoved the supplies into Blas’s arms, walked across the road, through the front door of the inn, and past the clerk. He stopped for a second, scanning the dining room before he stalked toward us. “Are you ladies all right?”

“What’s going on over there?” Laude blurted.

“Zichri confronted the man to get information about the trunks, but that man insists he and his associates don’t know what Zichri speaks of.” Milo set his bag in a seat and sat across from me. He tugged the curls at the top of his head, more frustrated than I would have expected.

Did the fight cause more problems for the Himzos than they let on? I leaned in toward Milo. “Is something the matter?”

Milo lifted his dark eyes. “The mountain people don’t take to strangers causing trouble.”

Laude smacked the table and pushed her chair back. “That’s it!” She marched out of the dining area, stomped through the foyer, flung the front doors open, and headed across the street to the other inn. Moments later, she pulled Cata, one of the thieving servants, out of the doorway by the ear.

How did Laude see her from here? I smoothed out my skirt with my clammy palms, noticing the tiny pink flower pattern that reminded me of the gardens at home. Why couldn’t Papá and Mamá have sanctioned this trip? We would have had guards and reliable servants.

This is no time for what could have been.

But I couldn’t stop the surge of apprehension sinking in my belly. Cata had always unsettled me, and those other servants were unscrupulous. What if this fight turned for the worse? Part of me expected one of those villainous men to pull out a dagger.

A loud pounding noise resonated through the dining room, bringing me back from my thoughts. Our clerk slammed his fist on the front counter again, shaking his head. His face reddened the more he continued to watch the events outside.

I stared out the window. Laude pushed Blas away while she wagged a finger at Cata. Her mouth opened wide, and we heard a squeaky scream—from this distance, her words were difficult to decipher.

Zichri surely knows who we are. Would the king demand riches, unfair treaties, or even worse … Papá to abdicate his throne? I drew a slow breath. Settle your thoughts. After all Zichri’s chivalrous talk, he might not hand us over.

A creak from the floor startled me, and I whipped my gaze back into the room. The clerk’s girth bumped our table. He wiped his brow and bald head with a handkerchief. “Soldier,” he addressed Milo. “We don’t take to Himzo enforcement in these parts. We allow you passage, but that’s all.”

My eyes snapped wide. Soldier? The Himzos are soldiers? That could not be a good sign for Giddel or for us. And Zichri with all his kindness and attentions. Him, a soldier? A plummeting sensation sank to my toes. I didn’t want Zichri or Milo or any of the men to be my enemies.

Oh, Ancient One, help! How did Zichri and all the men get past the wards? The wards should have held soldiers back unless … another ward disappeared. Maybe, a ward would not prevent men dressed like merchants from passing into our city even if they were Himzo soldiers. I should have paid more attention to my brother’s friend at the ball. All I had thought about was how Cosme pulled me away from Lux.

Milo got to his feet, and I saw the warrior in him. The stern expression, his muscular form, the way he carried himself. All of it screamed soldier. How daft of me for not noticing before. The clerk trembled under Milo’s cold stare. I might shake too if I was the recipient.

Standing to break the tension, I said in my daintiest voice, “Good sir! The men only mean to retrieve what was stolen from us ladies.”

The clerk didn’t break eye contact with Milo. “Miss, we’re an independent village. We take care of our own and allow visitors to pass through as long as they stick to themselves.”

“What of justice for someone like me?” I lifted my chin.

“Justice is a funny thing. Everyone seeks it for themselves and twists it for their cause. We are no different here.” The clerk dared to look away from Milo and met my gaze. “You have a pretty face. I can see why the Himzos took to you and your friend, but I wouldn’t trust them. They travel outside their borders, and I ’spect they’re looking to stir trouble abroad.”

“That’s enough, old man.” Milo grimaced. “You presume much.”

Milo insisted I gather our things upstairs. I hesitated but obeyed him even though my heart pounded as I scampered to our rooms. I collected the little Zichri left behind and my small satchel while begging the Ancient One for the clerk to be wrong. The weight of the old clerk’s words stiffened my shoulders. I raced down the stairs and halted before reaching the last step.

The clerk laid on the floor, cheek swollen and shouting at Milo, leaving me no doubt about what had transpired.

Blas plowed into the dining room. Upon seeing the clerk, his face enlivened with a smirk. I didn’t blame him for it either. The clerk reminded me of a beetle stuck on his back, trying to get to his feet. He spat foul words in Blas’s direction while flipping over to his knees.

“We didn’t want to stay in your dirty old inn anyway,” Blas said.

“I mean it!” The clerk pushed up and stuck his rear in the air, attempting to stand. “You can never come back to this village.” The foul edge to his words lost their bite as he was still bent over.

We exited the inn and were met by Gonzalo, who was readying the horses and wagon. Zichri held a dagger to one of the men’s throats. Behind them, Jaime carried our stolen trunk. Laude barked orders at Cata and Mattha, who had been hiding by the doorway. They carried the other trunk and heaved it onto the wagon bed.

Laude, smiling from ear to ear, hopped on the wagon, impervious to the anger seething from the other servants. She waved me over to join her. My throat tightened, and I stepped onto the road and back onto the sidewalk. What if the clerk was right?

Zichri threw the vile man to the ground, kicking dirt at him. Cata tugged the man by his elbow while Mattha scrambled to Cata’s side. The other despicable man rubbed his swollen jaw and backed into Mattha. The sight of the wicked servants getting what they deserved spurred confidence into my step, and I crossed the road.

I lifted my chin and strode near our four previous guides, cocking a satisfied grin on my lips.

Zichri, Milo, and Jaime climbed on the wagon bed behind me, whooping in victory. Gonzalo clicked his tongue while tugging on the reins. The wagon jerked and rolled out of the town. Blas rode the Himzo horse behind us. Pride for Laude’s loyalty overtook any other emotions welling up inside of me. She leaned over the side of the wagon, the breeze tousling her curly hair from her pins. I joined her.

The men and Laude sang the whole ride until there was almost no sunlight left. Laude improved in her ability to follow the lyrics. The words began sounding familiar since the men broke into song rather often. Gonzalo pulled over to a grassy area. Without an order, the Himzos jumped out the wagon, working together like a well-trained team.

Though everyone still exuded the joy of victory, the word “soldier” bounced through my skull, pumping fury in my blood. It stole my relief at getting our things back.

The men continued their songs while kindling a fire and readying a campsite. Laude opened a trunk and gasped at the sight. Complaining about grimy hands undoing her hard work, she plucked out dresses and refolded them.

Zichri, finally, sauntered over while the other men gathered wood. His self-satisfied manner struck a nerve. He might have saved us and our things, but he also lied to me.

I crossed my arms and held my chin high, relishing in my rather high position on the wagon. “When were you going to tell us you all are soldiers?”

His smiling eyes rounded into moons at my question. I assumed he had hoped for a thank you. He should know the adage: when one discovers a lie, etiquette ceases to be an obligation.