walk away? Disappear?"
James turned, his silver eyes capturing hers. "That is one decision I do not regret."
Tabitha's breath caught. She was intensely aware of his proximity, the remote setting, the power he wielded. "Even though you ended as a garden statue?" She flushed in embarrassment as her voice broke.
"Because I ended as a statue."
Tabitha's heart beat loudly in her ears, reminding her to breathe. She tore her gaze away, staring hard at the ground.
James regarded her a moment longer, then his gaze wandered as he continued. "I had twenty-eight years to consider what I'd become and who I wanted to be. I wasn't always in the garden. Until shortly after Melanie was born I was in the courtyard. I listened and watched as your father reunited his kingdom, arranged a marriage with a stranger, had children. I heard people talking about their respect for him, your parents' love for each other, your father's skill at choosing honorable men to serve under him. It's humbling to admit that the enemy you've despised is living the life you desire. It took a long time for me to figure out what exactly I wanted and what it would take to acquire it, and nearly as long again to find the courage to try." Immediately he stood, saying, "It's time to head back."
During their silent return to the cabin, Tabitha wished she could ask again why he had kidnapped her. His story sounded sincere, except for that one huge discrepancy. Instead she focused on keeping her weary feet moving forward. She also paid careful attention to the path and realized something she hadn't on the way out. There wasn't a single turning or branch in the path. Nor was there any sign of other habitation. More questions she hadn't the heart to ask plagued her: Where did the servants live? Where had James gone to reclaim his property? How deep into which forest were they?
NINE
Agreement
The next morning Tabitha woke to find James seated on the edge of her bed.
"Good morning," he said.
She nodded, surprised. She was feeling braver and more optimistic than yesterday, but not enough to try to eject him from his seat. She would have liked to pull the covers up to her chin, but couldn't with him sitting on them.
"We need to talk."
"Here? Now?"
"Yes. This way I have your full attention and you don't have time to scheme." He was smiling slightly, evidently amused by her discomfort. Tabitha wanted to argue, but didn't see the point. He never let her win.
"For the next three days," he continued, "you will be my guest. We will talk and act as if we were friends. On the fourth day, you may go home."
"Kind of like when I gave you my parole? No, thanks."
"This isn't a suggestion. I don't actually need you to agree." His casual smile irritated her. He was definitely taunting her.
Tabitha glared at him a moment, then thought of something. "I can go home in four days?"
"You may." His smile broadened. Maybe she had misjudged him. He was beginning to remind her of her brother when he was telling her and Melanie about a surprise their parents had planned.
"Whether or not I choose to play along?" she clarified.
"Since I'm prepared to guarantee that you will 'play along', your choosing is irrelevant to me."
Hmmm, Tabitha thought. She could have done without the threat. Aloud, she asked, "So the only thing I'm choosing is whether I spend the next three days as me or as a puppet?"
"Yes."
"Okay." She smiled hesitantly, afraid to believe what she'd just heard.
James' smile tightened. He nodded and left the room.
###
Breakfast was awkward. After several days of acting decidedly unfriendly, and her conspicuous defeat yesterday afternoon, Tabitha found it difficult to display the amount of courtesy she would have shown a true host, but she made an effort. Although she didn't really trust that James would release her, she didn't think he would leave a preference spell on her for three days either. The way he used them, it seemed they were as distasteful to him as to
James turned, his silver eyes capturing hers. "That is one decision I do not regret."
Tabitha's breath caught. She was intensely aware of his proximity, the remote setting, the power he wielded. "Even though you ended as a garden statue?" She flushed in embarrassment as her voice broke.
"Because I ended as a statue."
Tabitha's heart beat loudly in her ears, reminding her to breathe. She tore her gaze away, staring hard at the ground.
James regarded her a moment longer, then his gaze wandered as he continued. "I had twenty-eight years to consider what I'd become and who I wanted to be. I wasn't always in the garden. Until shortly after Melanie was born I was in the courtyard. I listened and watched as your father reunited his kingdom, arranged a marriage with a stranger, had children. I heard people talking about their respect for him, your parents' love for each other, your father's skill at choosing honorable men to serve under him. It's humbling to admit that the enemy you've despised is living the life you desire. It took a long time for me to figure out what exactly I wanted and what it would take to acquire it, and nearly as long again to find the courage to try." Immediately he stood, saying, "It's time to head back."
During their silent return to the cabin, Tabitha wished she could ask again why he had kidnapped her. His story sounded sincere, except for that one huge discrepancy. Instead she focused on keeping her weary feet moving forward. She also paid careful attention to the path and realized something she hadn't on the way out. There wasn't a single turning or branch in the path. Nor was there any sign of other habitation. More questions she hadn't the heart to ask plagued her: Where did the servants live? Where had James gone to reclaim his property? How deep into which forest were they?
NINE
Agreement
The next morning Tabitha woke to find James seated on the edge of her bed.
"Good morning," he said.
She nodded, surprised. She was feeling braver and more optimistic than yesterday, but not enough to try to eject him from his seat. She would have liked to pull the covers up to her chin, but couldn't with him sitting on them.
"We need to talk."
"Here? Now?"
"Yes. This way I have your full attention and you don't have time to scheme." He was smiling slightly, evidently amused by her discomfort. Tabitha wanted to argue, but didn't see the point. He never let her win.
"For the next three days," he continued, "you will be my guest. We will talk and act as if we were friends. On the fourth day, you may go home."
"Kind of like when I gave you my parole? No, thanks."
"This isn't a suggestion. I don't actually need you to agree." His casual smile irritated her. He was definitely taunting her.
Tabitha glared at him a moment, then thought of something. "I can go home in four days?"
"You may." His smile broadened. Maybe she had misjudged him. He was beginning to remind her of her brother when he was telling her and Melanie about a surprise their parents had planned.
"Whether or not I choose to play along?" she clarified.
"Since I'm prepared to guarantee that you will 'play along', your choosing is irrelevant to me."
Hmmm, Tabitha thought. She could have done without the threat. Aloud, she asked, "So the only thing I'm choosing is whether I spend the next three days as me or as a puppet?"
"Yes."
"Okay." She smiled hesitantly, afraid to believe what she'd just heard.
James' smile tightened. He nodded and left the room.
###
Breakfast was awkward. After several days of acting decidedly unfriendly, and her conspicuous defeat yesterday afternoon, Tabitha found it difficult to display the amount of courtesy she would have shown a true host, but she made an effort. Although she didn't really trust that James would release her, she didn't think he would leave a preference spell on her for three days either. The way he used them, it seemed they were as distasteful to him as to
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