twisted and sucked in a breath.
He was gone.
Father ducked into the room. “What are you doing, child?”
“I . . . I . . .”
“You have company to entertain.” He caught her arm and guided her quickly away. “People are asking where you ran off to.”
She glanced back into the room, empty now. Oh how she longed for it not to be!
She spent the rest of the night in a daze, watching for him to reappear in the crowd. Instead, she endured until the evening mercifully ended.
Why had he come? What did he want with her? How had he snuck into her chamber? Would he return?
In bed, Alexia tossed and roused all night, positive she’d wake and find the blue-eyed mystery there. She stepped out to the balcony, left her windows uncovered, and watched for movement in the forest.
Eventually she gave up and drifted off.
Walking easily through the trees. Sunset. Darkness. Water—her face in the ripples. Running. White light! Breathlessness. Pressure on her back. A crystal droplet hits the ground, exploding to reveal a flower-like gem. Pressure. He reaches for her . . .
She roused in a chair, facing the open balcony. Morning light streamed through the curtains.
He would come if she went to the woods. He would come!
She bided her time until early afternoon when Father was occupied shooting targets with his friends before hurrying toward the trees. The burns remained, not as vivid—ash washed away. Broken branches dangled awkwardly from wide oaks, marking the path of a hasty retreat.
She took a deep breath. Go or stay? Find him, or remain and wonder?
Longing overwhelmed the sane voice at the back of her head. Cautiously, she darted forward over moss-blanketed stones, patches of light illuminating the leafed fingers of grayed bark far above her head.
A rifle fired.
She flinched but kept walking. Father and she were on bad terms. Not only had she sufficiently deterred every potential offer last night, but she’d managed to hide away until most of their guests departed today. Abby was right. At least fifteen men had asked her for her hand in marriage, another three offered theirs, and two even suggested running off together!
The trees thickened. Alexia progressed steadily on, never thinking to halt or terminate her hunt, fueled by the discomfort of last night’s memories. The sky disappeared behind a leafy awning as the afternoon waned. Stray beams of light broke about her, deepening in hue. Her stomach rumbled. How long had she been moving? An hour? Two? Three?
Sunset.
She stopped. This felt familiar, too familiar.
She shook it off. Father had certainly gone mad with worry by now and planned to quarantine her to the house with a constant nanny-watch. She would not find her blue-eyed enigma.
Turning back, she stepped into a puddle. Her reflection rippled.
Last night came back in a rush, hazy images of half-perception, rushing glades, panting as she moved in fear.
Something thrashed in the clearing and pulled her head up. A deer perhaps?
“Hello?” she called shakily.
Nothing.
The last streak of sunlight disappeared. Gnarled branches reached toward her. Odd shadows played over the swaying leaves, shifting in a demonic chorus. She inhaled a hint of fleshy decay and grimaced. The breeze ceased. Hairs on the back of her neck stood up, a chill tickling down her spine like the lurid touch of a devil spawn.
Alexia shook the impression away and focused. Her imagination was getting the best of her, personifying her deepest fears.
Still . . .
“Is someone there?” she breathed, little more than a whisper.
Wheezing gurgles met her ears. She spun.
Nothing.
What kind of creature made noise like that? Had she imagined it as well?
She swallowed. The swift thump of her heart echoed into her ears. “Hello?”
A snigger rippled in a circle about her. She twisted to follow it, catching snatches of something—something moving, fast.
A growl.
She dashed headlong the way she’d come.
Movement erupted behind her.
Her
He was gone.
Father ducked into the room. “What are you doing, child?”
“I . . . I . . .”
“You have company to entertain.” He caught her arm and guided her quickly away. “People are asking where you ran off to.”
She glanced back into the room, empty now. Oh how she longed for it not to be!
She spent the rest of the night in a daze, watching for him to reappear in the crowd. Instead, she endured until the evening mercifully ended.
Why had he come? What did he want with her? How had he snuck into her chamber? Would he return?
In bed, Alexia tossed and roused all night, positive she’d wake and find the blue-eyed mystery there. She stepped out to the balcony, left her windows uncovered, and watched for movement in the forest.
Eventually she gave up and drifted off.
Walking easily through the trees. Sunset. Darkness. Water—her face in the ripples. Running. White light! Breathlessness. Pressure on her back. A crystal droplet hits the ground, exploding to reveal a flower-like gem. Pressure. He reaches for her . . .
She roused in a chair, facing the open balcony. Morning light streamed through the curtains.
He would come if she went to the woods. He would come!
She bided her time until early afternoon when Father was occupied shooting targets with his friends before hurrying toward the trees. The burns remained, not as vivid—ash washed away. Broken branches dangled awkwardly from wide oaks, marking the path of a hasty retreat.
She took a deep breath. Go or stay? Find him, or remain and wonder?
Longing overwhelmed the sane voice at the back of her head. Cautiously, she darted forward over moss-blanketed stones, patches of light illuminating the leafed fingers of grayed bark far above her head.
A rifle fired.
She flinched but kept walking. Father and she were on bad terms. Not only had she sufficiently deterred every potential offer last night, but she’d managed to hide away until most of their guests departed today. Abby was right. At least fifteen men had asked her for her hand in marriage, another three offered theirs, and two even suggested running off together!
The trees thickened. Alexia progressed steadily on, never thinking to halt or terminate her hunt, fueled by the discomfort of last night’s memories. The sky disappeared behind a leafy awning as the afternoon waned. Stray beams of light broke about her, deepening in hue. Her stomach rumbled. How long had she been moving? An hour? Two? Three?
Sunset.
She stopped. This felt familiar, too familiar.
She shook it off. Father had certainly gone mad with worry by now and planned to quarantine her to the house with a constant nanny-watch. She would not find her blue-eyed enigma.
Turning back, she stepped into a puddle. Her reflection rippled.
Last night came back in a rush, hazy images of half-perception, rushing glades, panting as she moved in fear.
Something thrashed in the clearing and pulled her head up. A deer perhaps?
“Hello?” she called shakily.
Nothing.
The last streak of sunlight disappeared. Gnarled branches reached toward her. Odd shadows played over the swaying leaves, shifting in a demonic chorus. She inhaled a hint of fleshy decay and grimaced. The breeze ceased. Hairs on the back of her neck stood up, a chill tickling down her spine like the lurid touch of a devil spawn.
Alexia shook the impression away and focused. Her imagination was getting the best of her, personifying her deepest fears.
Still . . .
“Is someone there?” she breathed, little more than a whisper.
Wheezing gurgles met her ears. She spun.
Nothing.
What kind of creature made noise like that? Had she imagined it as well?
She swallowed. The swift thump of her heart echoed into her ears. “Hello?”
A snigger rippled in a circle about her. She twisted to follow it, catching snatches of something—something moving, fast.
A growl.
She dashed headlong the way she’d come.
Movement erupted behind her.
Her
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