Page 37 of Kingdom of Dance

An image flashed before his mind, of the princess flitting through shadows in the seediest part of town, late the night before. She clearly knew how to evade notice. He wouldn’t be in the least surprised to discover that she was able to ditch her guards if she really wanted to.

Him, she wouldn’t find so easy to lose.

He allowed himself to fall behind, loosely joining a group of servants who were also exiting the castle. From within their midst, he watched the princess and her guards pass through the city gate, making for the very cliffs he’d climbed across by moonlight.

This path wasn’t well traveled, and it would be harder to avoid being seen by Princess Zinnia. Once he passed through the gate himself, Obsidian looped around, stepping off the narrow path and making for the point where he’d climbed across the cliff the night before. Moving quickly, he lowered himself down until he found an indent, not quite big enough to call a cave, but wide enough he could crouch in it for the moment. The sea was still today, its constant music a dull roar. Not far away, he could hear the sounds of the princess’s descent.

Her steps stopped abruptly.

“I have a sudden need to relieve myself,” she said, her voice carrying clearly to Obsidian’s hiding place, along with a bitter taste that made him want to spit his mouth clear. “I’ll go into that cave over there. You stay here.”

“But, Your Highness!” The guard sounded horrified, whether by Princess Zinnia’s frankness, or by her proposal to leave his protection, Obsidian couldn’t tell. “The castle isn’t far.”

“I won’t be long,” said the princess curtly, giving no response to his words. A moment later, a shuffling sound told Obsidian that she was inching along the rocks, away from the path.

He hovered, undecided. How far along was she coming? What would happen if she detected him? But he couldn’t just retreat, not when she was up to something. Because she certainly hadn’t been telling the truth with her story of needing to relieve herself. If she had…well, he would have been back up the cliff in the blink of an eye. The idea of being caught spying on the princess at such a moment didn’t bear thinking about.

Thankfully, the princess’s movements stopped short of his hiding place. She was clearly very familiar with the cliffs, if she’d known exactly where to find a cave. Obsidian waited, squatting in his hiding place, but he could neither hear nor see any sign of her. Had she disappeared somehow? Was it possible there was some tunnel in the cave?

Unbending from his crouch, he reached silently for a handhold, pulling himself along in the direction he’d last heard her. He extended his head, peering around the corner, and froze as two tear-filled brown eyes stared back at him.

For a horrible moment, Obsidian was frozen in place, dangling precariously from the rock. Whatever he’d expected to find, it hadn’t been to see the princess huddled in a ball, weeping as brokenly as silence would allow.

“Well,” she said, pulling herself together with impressive speed. “If you’re going to join me, why don’t you make yourself comfortable?”

Chapter Eight

Obsidian only hesitated for a moment. There was no undoing the nightmarish situation now. Feeling as ridiculous as he ever had in his life, Obsidian inched the rest of the way along, emerging into Princess Zinnia’s cave. He pretended not to notice how she took those few moments to wipe surreptitiously at her eyes.

Awkwardly, he lowered himself beside her, not even trying to find the right words. He strongly suspected they didn’t exist.

His companion surprised him by speaking first, her tone not quite natural. “Basil told you to follow me, didn’t he?” She sighed, grasping the fabric of her skirt and wiping her streaming nose on it, apparently unconcerned about her dignity. “Poor thing, he’s trying so hard to help.”

Obsidian stared, thrown by her reaction. She met his eyes, her own puffy and red. When he didn’t speak, she gave a barely audible sniffle, once again dabbing at her eyes.

“I wish youcouldhelp me, Lieutenant Obsidian,” she said quietly. “I truly do.”

The truth of her words swirled through the air between them, leaving Obsidian more confused than ever. Accidentally forcing himself into the princess’s company while she indulged in a fit of tears made for possibly the most uncomfortable moment of his life. But underneath the awkwardness, he felt other things, too. His heart stirred with sympathy. It was distressing in a way he wouldn’t have predicted to see her curled in on herself, giving in to whatever grief was plaguing her. Perhaps the most heart-wrenching aspect of it was how hard she’d tried to hide herself away, where no one would witness her tears.

There was another reaction within him, he realized. Admiration. Any last doubt was gone—it was now abundantly clear that her carefree demeanor was a facade, intentionally cultivated. And her current breakdown only highlighted the strength required to show a brave face the rest of the time.

“Are you sure I can’t help you?” he said quietly.

She stilled, studying him seriously. “I’m pretty sure,” she told him. “How strong is your magic?”

He hesitated. “I don’t actually know,” he admitted. “I’ve never plumbed its depths. But I’m afraid it might be very strong.”

“You’re afraid?” she asked.

“I suspect,” he corrected himself hastily.

“Who do you get your magic from?” the princess asked curiously. “Your mother, or your father?”

“Neither,” Obsidian said curtly.

Princess Zinnia frowned in confusion, but she didn’t press. “Why wouldn’t you want it to be strong?” she asked instead.

Obsidian stared out to sea, wondering how he’d fallen into this conversation in this most bizarre of settings. “I don’t want it at all.”

---