Chapter 29 Prince and Maid
Every powerful person of legend has a squire…
But I am not going to be a knight. I’ll be a dragon slayer, and they don’t have squires. They hardly have lives of their own. That is my future.
Your future is far more grand than you’ll ever imagine.
Irritated, I slap the side of my head to try and silence the voice within.
“Are you alright, Anara?” Calder asks.
“Oh, yeah, just a headache.”
“I’ve got something for that. My momma gets headaches too, so I pick this special herb whenever I see it for her tea. Momma needs me to make her tea or she can’t take care of my baby brother. With dad gone, I’m all she’s got. That’s why I took this job, really, besides wanting to. I’ll get paid two years' wages if I make it back down the mountain.”
Calder is beaming at me as he passes me a small leather satchel. My heart squeezes for him. I realize he’s one of the people living outside the city walls. He must have known nothing but struggle for his entire existence, and yet he stands here smiling and helpful.
Maybe I should keep him.
“Everyone line up! We’re headed out!” Thorne booms from the entrance of the cave. “The winds are less today, but the snow has not stopped. Brace yourselves, keep focused, and we should arrive at the fortress before midday!”
Alric is standing next to him, talking quietly as he observes everyone. It seems I won’t be walking with him today. Sylvain is near Alric, first in line. She looks scared and excited, but more scared. She tightens her coat and looks back at me, offering a nervous smile. Malachi is next behind her, alone, brooding, full of disdain for everyone he lays eyes on. Oberon, seeing the hatred in Malachi’s eyes, puts himself between him and me.
I can sense Zaries behind me, last in line and bringing up the rear. By the way, he’s glaring at Oberon, I know he’s behind me so he can watch him. I try not to look at him, but he’s staying so close to me that it’s hard to ignore him. Finally, he steps up and glowers down at me until I meet his gaze.
“You let him sleep next to you?” he whispers angrily.
“I thought I slept alone,” I lie, looking over at Silas. “Sounds like I slept between the both of you.”
“I told you to stay away from him!” Zaries hisses between clenched teeth. He grabs my elbow and pulls me closer, his brown eyes almost seeming red in anger.
“I can’t control what he does when I’m asleep!” I whisper back, yanking my arm out of his grip.
“Clearly, I need to keep a better eye on you. He could have—”
“Could have what, Zaries? What could he have done?” I’m getting more than irritated. I’m getting pissed.
“Would you so willingly give your maiden head to him?” Zaries asks, his voice is hushed.
For some reason, the anger seems to have evaporated. His eyes search mine as if trying to find my truth buried within them.
My mouth drops open in shock before I force it closed and narrow my eyes at him. The last thing I was thinking about was sleeping with either of the men in any sense other than huddling up for warmth. “What do you care about who I chose to sleep with? You’re a prince, and I’m a maid. My honor is bound to my job, not who I choose to love. Besides, we’re about to be dragon slayers. Chances are we won't live long enough to choose someone to mate with!”
Zaries bristles under my glare, but he doesn’t say anything else. In front of us, the procession of prospective dragon slayers has started to leave the cave. Calder turns to me and smiles brilliantly, waving for us to follow.
“That kid is far too excited to face this deadly path again,” Zaries grumbles.
“I wish I had half his blind optimism,” I agree, tightening my pack and following them out of the cave with the heavy weight of destiny on my shoulders, heavier than the bag itself.