Page 19

CHAPTER 18

W ATER CASCADED DOWN PROTRUDING rocks and splashed into a teal pool. A lazy flow slithered away into a cave and continued downstream. Blas took off his tunic, threw it to the side, and dove in. Gonzalo and Milo raced behind him. The water seemed to welcome them after a morning of the sun beating on our foreheads. I wanted to join in, but I had not thought to bring my swimwear.

Blas popped his head out of the water. He pointed twelve feet high, up a ledge with a giant boulder on it. “I doubt Giddelian ladies would dare to jump from such heights.”

My hands balled into fists.

“Do you know how to swim?” Zichri took off his boots and tunic, tossing them on the back of the wagon.

“I’m from Giddel. We’re creatures of the sea.” I averted my eyes from Zichri so I wouldn’t stare at his sculpted chest. A flush crept up my neck. Should I sit out with Laude and skip out on the chance to show these Himzos a thing or two about the strength of Giddelian ladies? I removed my overdress, untied my boots, and placed them over the side of the wagon. Did my clothes cover my body properly? I glanced down. My white underclothes covered my skin from my neck to my wrists, and the loose skirt flowed all the way to my shins.

Jaime stayed back, patting his horse’s mane and speaking tenderly to it. Laude neared the water but plopped on the dirt with her arms crossed. The contrast between the whooping men and Laude stirred a need for me to breach the gap.

Zichri extended his hand, drawing my attention away from Laude. “One can never be too certain. I was looking forward to teaching you how to swim.”

A nervous laugh escaped my mouth. The idea of him being so close twisted in my stomach. To ease my jitters, I walked over to Laude and tugged on her arm. “Come in with us. When will we get another chance to do something like this again?”

She glared up at me. “If you would have heard what they said about you, then you wouldn’t be so willing to jump in after them.”

I groaned and sat on the ground. “Just say what you mean to say.”

“They said that every single lady in Giddel is silly. Then Blas mocked me. All of them laughed. They even made a strange gesture in your direction, laughing about how Zichri was making his move. So, you see,I’m not overreacting. These men are vile and don’t deserve our attention. We don’t need them anymore since we’re at the valley entrance.” She turned toward me, bracing my shoulders. “Why can’t we just do what we originally planned?”

“Shh!” I put my index finger to my mouth, certain Zichri overheard her rant. Unclasping her hands from my shoulders, I tipped my head back, considering her words. It stung to think Zichri used me. “Laude, you can either make the best of this moment or wallow in self-pity. We don’t think much better of Himzos either.”

She mumbled to herself.

“What did you say? Speakclearly. You know how I hate when you mumble.”

“Make the best of this moment, Your Highness.” She turned her body away and hugged her knees.

Laude was not going to be reasonable. That had never been her forte, so I shouldn’t have expected it. Zichri waited at the edge of the water. I strode toward him, packed dirt and pebbles poking my feet, and I took his hand. My frustration melted as his warmth seeped into my skin. The blue-green water lured us to dive into its depths, though the gap between the ground and the surface of the water appeared wider than I had thought from afar.

“Are you scared?” Zichri tugged on my hand.

“What makes you thinkthat?” I tried to shift my face into a neutral position, but there was no hiding from Zichri.

“You do this thing with your eyes.” He set his mouth in a crooked grin.

I lifted my chin. My need to prove him wrong held me in place, even though everything in me wanted to run back to the wagon in defeat. “Don’t worry about me.”

“If you’re sure, then. On the count of three, we jump in. Ready. One. Two—”

I jumped in the air, pulling Zichri with me. Cool water smacked my feet and swallowed my whole body. I swam toward daylight. The blue sky and tall tree branches hovered around the edges of my water-distorted eyesight. I broke through the surface and gasped. A chilly, humid air met my cheeks.

Zichri popped out of the water, coughing. “Why didn’t you wait for three? My mouth was open when I hit the water.”

I laughed. “I didn’t think I would have jumped if I waited any longer.”

He gave a low chortle in return and stroked toward the men who climbed up to the ledge and onto the boulder. “Come, let’s see how fearless you really are.”

Blas hung off the vines creeping up the side of the boulder. Milo dove from the top, breaking the water’s surface with a splash. Ease passed between the men like they had done this before.

Zichri climbed up the ledge to join them. Waves of tension rolled through my body. Running from home took every ounce of courage I could muster. Didn’t that prove my grit? Why did I now need to prove my fearlessness?

I looked over at Laude for an excuse to get out of this challenge. Instead, Jaime sat next to her, and she smiled. Nothing keeps Laude down for long. What could he have said to make her forget her anger?

Zichri waved me over. I told myself that I was unafraid as I stroked closer to him. I set my palms on the slippery rocks on the ledge and hoisted myself out of the water to the base of the giant rock. My fingers met slick roots and crevices, but I set my foot to climb, determined to cling for dear life. Zichri offered me his hand, and I smacked it away. Blas teased Zichri with a strange twiddling finger gesture. They will not think me weak . I lifted myself upward.

At the top, the jungle swayed, or maybe that was my vision. Blas jumped, and my arms and legs quivered. Seconds passed, then plop. Blas reemerged—all smiles. The men cheered and hooted.

“Cy-press, Cy-press, Cy-press,” the men chanted.

That was me. I stepped closer to the ledge, regretting my quick decision.

Zichri said, “You don’t need to—”

I flung my body as far from the boulder as possible. During the fall, a rush of exhilaration tingled through my body, and air flapped my clothes. My feet smacked the water. Bubbles and water streamed up my body as the river slowed my fall. I paddled to the surface, ready to do it again.

By the time we were done enjoying our downtime, Gonzalo had prepared a campfire and food. I hadn’t seen him exit with all the jumping. All of us enjoyed fresh fish and zapotes—an orange-fleshed fruit found in the land around Giddel. Our plan to enter the valley developed while we ate, though they wouldn’t look in my direction.

Gonzalo would stay behind to tend to the horses. I suspected he didn’t want to do all the climbing and swimming required to make it into the valley. The men would carry packs with the hammocks and one set of clothes for each of us. We all would wear our boots because we’d need to hike when we got in. No one alive had seen the ruins, but the legends of old told of a city overlooking a waterfall.

Zichri, Blas, Jaime, and Milo dashed to gather all the supplies before I had a chance to agree or disagree with the plans.

“Are you nervous, miss?” Laude nibbled the last of a zapote.

Gonzalo sat across from us and bit into his pear, letting it dribble down his gruff chin and rough knuckles. He kept his gaze fixed to the ground as he made his way to the rest of the men beyond the wagon.

I shook my head. Why was he behaving so strangely? It must be a Himzo thing since the others acted awkward too. I turned my attention back to Laude. “Does it matter what I feel? We’re going to climb up and hope the whyzer really invited us.”

Laude flung the pit of the zapote into the forest and wiped her hands on her dress. “I remember that day the whyzer was supposed to give you your gift, and the boy came instead. Your uncle Uly said that the boy spoke the truth, so we should be all right. Right? You said he invited you in your head.”

She passed me an earnest look and continued, “Still, I think I might faint from fright. I’m sorry for mistreating you this morning. If I die, I want you to know that you are a sister to me.” She flung her arms around me, squeezing the air from my lungs, red curls tickling my face. For once, she wasn’t overexaggerating.

I hugged her in return. Did I really mean that much to her? She had always been a presence in my life, and I in hers. When had we stopped being playmates? When had I become so … I bit my lip. A day at the beach sifted to my memory when Lux pointed out how Laude stole Mamá’s affection from me. His words had driven deep.

What if I lost her? My stomach clenched. “We are going in andcoming out with the gift, both of us—alive.”

Could I make that promise?

“Are you ready to leave?” Zichri’s voice pulled Laude and me apart. He held out a stack of folded clothes to each of us. “Why don’t you change into these? You might be more comfortable climbing in pants and tunics. And Laude, Jaime lent these to you.”

Zichri kept his eyes trained on Laude. How odd. I wouldn’t say I was jealous, but something inside of me bristled. I hesitated to reach for Zichri’s spare clothes. This broke every rule I’d ever learned: using a man’s clothes—a Himzo soldier’s clothes for that matter. Laude ripped the garments from him, hugging them like a child’s special toy, rather than a worn-out tunic and pants.

Eyes cast down and anywhere but at me, he said, “You dounderstand that wearing a gown could mean your death, and those wet undergarments could be a … distraction.” He smashed his lips into a line as if he was uncomfortable.

For the first time since jumping in the water, I peered down, catching how the thin fabric clung to my skin and revealed more than any person, besides my future husband, should ever see. Heat rushed up my face. I crossed an arm over the front of my chest. Why didn’t anyone say anything? To think I’d climbed the boulder several times in these translucent garments. No wonder all the men wouldn’t meet my gaze.

“Thank you.” I swiped the clothes from Zichri’s arms and pulled Laude by the elbow, not bothering to look over at Zichri. Rushing to the trunks, I leaned my chin over Laude’s shoulder. “Why didn’t you say anything about my shirt being transparent?”

“Ai-yi-yi! I didn’t notice. My mind was elsewhere.”

A growl vibrated low in my throat. “Now, what could Jaime have said that distracted you so?”

Laude tittered with glee. “Miss, I never supposed you’d care for such things.”

“I don’t. It was a passing thought.” Now, why did I say that? Curiosity flooded over my frustration. I climbed up the back of the wagon.

She hopped up and opened a trunk. “Then, I’ll keep it to myself.”

“Don’t be silly. You know you want to share.” I set Zichri’s garments on a trunk. As I was about to rip off my damp undergarments, I noticed the men in clear view, staring up at the rocks and vines we were about to climb.

Laude followed my gaze and shouted, “Don’t you dare peek or else we’ll—we’ll …” She turned toward me, “What will we do to them?”

“I’ll use my gift on you, Zichri of Himzo,” I yelled with as much threat as a screeching kitten.

Zichri turned toward us, laughing with all his men. “That doesn’t encourage us to help you.”

“You will be gentlemen or …” I couldn’t think of a sly comeback, but I knew I had to say something. “I will send my brother after you, and he will levitate you to the moons.”

“You’re lucky I find you irresistible and that we are men of our word. We will not look. Just get to changing already.” Zichri turned his face to the falls again.

Though they said they were men of their word, Laude and I changed fast before the temptation to peek overtook them.