Page 29

CHAPTER 28

T HE SHADOWED FIGURE DREW nearer, boots clomping the dirt trail. The lush, dark jungles were far behind him—a burbling river flowed to my left and a sparse forest to the right. As my vision sharpened, Zichri’s smooth gait, broad shoulders, and muscular form became more distinct.

“Beatriz?” His voice pierced the air. “Did you get what you searched for?” Another question lingered in his eyes.

I swiped my palms on my pants as if wiping away the whyzer’s insults. Years of humiliation and inadequacy swirled in my heart. Could I share that with him? “Yes, I did.”

Zichri stopped an arm’s length away. “Let’s see. What can you do?” He smiled, but I detected none of the same excitement he had before doubts leeched into our relationship—before I knew who he was.

“Ehh … Why did you wait for me?” I bit my lip.

“I couldn’t leave you alone.”

A ball of emotion formed in my throat, and the whyzer’s words began sinking deep into my soul. Was I really that selfish? Unworthy? Like haughty Alexa? Even she received an ability beyond the regular touch of magic. And then there was Zichri.

“Was it not because you’d encounter the Chupalma?” I tried to curb the accusation in my tone.

His jaw hardened. My heart thudded in my ears. It would be nice to lace our fingers together and pretend everything was just like before. But I couldn’t.

I stepped around him. “Don’t worry. The whyzer offered protection for us to leave safely.”

He caught my shoulder. “Did you really get your gift?”

Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, and I blinked them back. Still, more hot tears sprung out, forming a steady stream down my cheeks. “No. I didn’t.” My voice quivered. “Please don’t ask.”

He wrapped his arms around me. I savored his strong embrace, feeling his hard chest against my head, warming my back, and steadying my erratic breaths. He pulled away with a sigh and showed me the wad of margus in his pocket. “We should make our way back.”

And we left. Blas needed the lifesaving antidote. I couldn’t wish him dead even if he was an enemy.

When we arrived at the cabin, purple and orange striped the sky. Zichri burst through the front door. Every muscle in my body ached as I climbed the last two steps into the candlelit room. My stomach had turned into a cauldron seething with every degrading insult I’d ever heard about myself, hollowing out my insides.

Zichri passed Uncle Uly the antidote, and he moved with the stealth and speed of a hummingbird, crushing the margus into a cup, adding boiling water from the kettle, stirring the mixture, and tipping the antidote into Blas’s mouth.

Once Blas had drunk all the antidote, Uncle Uly got to work setting up two cots. Zichri tried to help, but Uncle insisted we were his guests.

Blas laid limp on the couch, glistening with sweat. His eyelids lifted a fraction and shut. He moaned like if he tried to speak but stopped.

After the cabin was set for the night, we had only to wait and see if the antidote would work. Zichri paced the length of the living room, and I sat on a stool next to the hearth, staring at Blas’s chest rise and fall in a steady pattern.

“You should get some rest,” Uncle Uly said. “I know of an easier way for you to get out of the valley, but it’s another long trek.”

“Does it involve swimming?” Zichri asked the question perched on my tongue.

“No.” Uncle Uly crossed the room and entered the doorway at the end of the cabin. “We’ll talk more tomorrow.” He yawned again. “Goodnight.”

I laid my head to rest on Uncle Uly’s cot and sunk into a deep slumber.

The next morning, light peeked through the curtains onto the blood and dirt on my tunic. A dull headache throbbed. Yesterday clung like a stain. The little boy from the ruins did not visit my dreams, and I hoped he’d never come again. I rolled off the squat cot and tiptoed across the hardwood. Blas snored on the sofa, mouth hanging open, while Zichri slept on another cot across from him. I escaped the cabin and tapped the door shut behind me.

A thick fog draped over the trees, giving off a haunted appearance. I supposed that was fitting since a haze loomed over my future. A few stumps circled a fire pit, and I sat on the tallest one. The sun chased away the night and reminded me of the promise I made the Ancient One. Why didn’t the Ancient One intervene and force his whyzer to give me my gift? I did what I promised.

“Beatriz,” Uncle Uly rasped.

I startled and whipped around to see him coming from the forest. “I didn’t know you were awake. Good morning.”

He leaned heavily on his staff, making his way through the grass. “I heard about yesterday.”

I dipped my head.

“Don’t look so glum. A friend told me about your trip, and I also heard about what happened at the ruins.”

How embarrassing! I tugged at my collar.

He sat on a stump next to mine. “All the burdens you carry won’t matter.”

“You live alone in a valley. What would you know about my burdens?”

He nodded his head. “Yes, I live here, but I’m not alone. You, my dear, think you need the gift and that people need to see you as some grand princess. Enough. Let yourself be at peace. You need nothing special to form a betrothal. You don’t need this gift to earn people’s good favor.”

“I don’t have a betrothal nor anyone’s good favor.” I rubbed my arms, loathing the day I was born.

“Those two things are easy to change. Find a man who will love you no matter what and marry him. Perhaps that part’s already done.” He cleared his throat at my sharp glare.

“Zichri is a Himzo prince.” I enunciated each word then bit my lip.

“Why does his origin matter to you?” His eyes fixed on mine, so much like Papá’s.

“Giddel and Himzo are on the brink of war.”

“Do you prefer to choose a suitor from a line of men at a ball instead?”

I jerked my head back. “How do you know about that?”

A smile spread under his mustache. “Like I said, I have friends who gather information for me. Don’t dodge the question. Is Zichri better or worse than those who lined up to dance with you?”

“That isn’t a fair question.” I glanced over my shoulder to the cabin, where Zichri and Blas slept. What would it be like to choose him?

Uncle Uly clicked his tongue, drawing my attention back to our conversation. “Regardless, your father gives you a choice. Not every young lady can say that. As for favor, consider others before yourself. It really is simple, but not easy.” He tapped his staff on the ground.

“The problem is that I can neither choose Zichri nor change who I am. If you spoke with the whyzer, you’d understand I’m a lost cause.”

“Is it because you still want to marry that Prince Lux?”

I stilled. “How—how do you know?”

A bird swooped down and perched on Uly’s shoulder. It tweeted a sweet melody. Uncle Uly whispered back to the tiny creature. The bird chirped in response. “You’ll go back through the caves.” Uncle Uly turned toward me. “I promise you will get the answers for which you search.”

Did the bird speak to him?

From several paces behind us, I heard the cabin door creak open. Zichri appeared in the doorway and rubbed his bleary eyes. Why did he have to be so handsome? And why a Himzo prince?

“He’s not so unpleasant. And doesn’t the Ancient One call us to love our enemy?” Uncle Uly winked. “This might be your chance to not be such a lost cause.”

I tucked stray hairs behind my ear, suddenly aware of how I must look and what my breath must smell like. Zichri’s boots brushed the grass as he joined Uncle Uly and me around the fire pit.

I rolled my shoulders back. “Thank you for heading on this journey with me.”

“It is my pleasure.” Zichri bowed his head like a gentleman at court.

How I wish I could have seen Zichri that day at the ball. He must have been breathtaking, dressed in noble attire. I had been so caught up in how everyone saw me that I didn’t bother to pay attention to anyone else.

Uncle Uly leaned heavily on his staff as he got to his feet. “Forgive me, but I need to check on Blas.” He walked around Zichri, and when he reached the cabin door, he fixed a knowing gaze on me. The playful way he wagged his overgrown brows reminded me of Laude. Heat rushed up my neck. He tapped a hand over his heart before disappearing into the cabin.

“Uly supposes much.” Zichri took a seat on the stump next to mine. “I’m sure you need to get back home to your family.”

“I do.”

“We can escort you, but I must speak to my superiors first.”

“How? Messenger hawk?”

He laughed. “No. I’m not that gifted. We have friends”—he cleared his throat— “waiting for us just beyond the Himzo border.”

My brows furrowed. Was he lying?

“It shouldn’t take too long.” His sad smile cocked to the side.

“Don’t worry about it.” I stilled at his knee brushing against my leg. Trying to refocus, I pulled away from him. “Tell us the way, and I’m sure Laude and I can manage with the wagon and horses.” Would my words come back to haunt me?

He reached for my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. “I’m sorry for not telling you the truth.”

My heartbeat quickened. “I’m sorry too. I reallyshould not have been so hard on you. I lied, and I didn’t consider you and your friends. I wish I could make it up to you, but that’s quiteimpossible.” Aware that I sounded like Laude when she was nervous, I filled my lungs and exhaled before continuing. “You may have been right in thinking I wouldn’t have talked to you if I would have known about you being a Himzo prince. Let’s enjoy the rest of the trip.” I ran my fingers across his rough knuckles.

Zichri massaged the now faded markings on my hand. I needed to think of anything besides Zichri, but I allowed this intimate moment, enjoying his warm touch. There was no chance of us meeting again in any cordial fashion since we were on the verge of war. Even if Papá met to discuss trade, Papá would never allow Zichri to court me. We couldn’t sit in the woods holding hands and bantering the days away. This wouldn’t last. But I wished it could.