Page 16 of Beacon

It was the best explanation I could offer to satisfy his puzzlement; even with words, it’d be difficult to explain the lighthouse’s transporting magic. My nod earned me another wide grin.

“I’m glad you live so close to the palace. I thought I’d never see you again, but now I’ll be able to see you as much as I want.”

He seemed rather pleased by the prospect, his look warm and friendly, just as it’d been during our last interaction. My cheeks heated and I hastily looked away. But my shyness was no deterrent for his determination to continue the conversation.

“I’ve never seen you on the royal beach before. Was there a reason you came today?”

My heart wrenched as I glanced across the vast ocean whose waters were still empty of any boats, a reminder Father was still missing.

Prince Owen studied my expression as if trying to uncover my silent secrets. “You look troubled.”

His concern penetrated the barriers I’d erected to guard my devastation. Tears burned my eyes. I hastily tried to wipe them away, but with the way his breath caught, he’d already seen them. He took a hasty step forward.

“What happened?”

I cupped my hand in the shape of a boat and arranged my arm parallel to the ground, swaying it up and down like the waves of the ocean. I moved my cupped hand across my arm before breaking the shape apart, a poor representation of the boat being wrecked.

Though I usually viewed my signs as a fun game of communication, in this instance reenacting the scene of losing Father made it impossible to suppress my sorrow. I buried my face in my hands and allowed my tears to flow. Like everything else, my sobs were silent, my shaking shoulders the only outward sign of my emotions. Ever since learning of Father, I’d struggled to lock my sadness away, afraid that feeling it would make his disappearance more real. But the prince’s kindness had acted as a key, and with it, my devastation could no longer be contained.

Throughout my tears, he remained by my side, only stirring to give my back a few brief, uncertain pats. Eventually, my swell of emotion subsided, allowing me to bury the remnants that remained. Once they were secure, I finally looked up to meet the prince’s gaze. He looked very grave.

“Are you alright? I mean, of course you’re not, but…” He hesitated, as if unsure how much he should pry. “I just remembered the palace recently received a request to appoint a new lighthouse keeper—the brother of the previous keeper. Since your lighthouse was so far away, I never imagined it’d be related to you, but a shipwreck…was it the old keeper?”

A single tear escaped, my answer. His expression crumpled.

“I see. I’m so sorry, Marisa.”

Though he couldn’t do anything to change my circumstances, I found comfort in his presence as he remained at my side. For the first time since Father hadn’t come home, I didn’t feel quite so alone.

“Was the lighthouse keeper…a brother? Your father?”

His gravity deepened at my nod for his latter guess. He withdrew a handkerchief, which he awkwardly handed me. “I wish there was more I could offer.”

I rested my hand over my heart in an effort to convey my gratitude. If only I could do more to express how much what he offered meant to me. While no words could restore Father, in this moment, his were enough.

He followed my gaze when it returned to searching the horizon. “Are you looking for a ship? Does that mean there’s a chance your father is still alive?”

I could only shrug.

“If you’re uncertain, then there’s reason to hope. If there’s any chance he’s still alive, I want to help.” He considered the matter before his eyes brightened. “I have an idea.”

He tilted his head in a motion to follow him and began leading the way towards the palace. Rather than follow, I stared at his retreating form as he walked away. It didn’t take him long to realize I wasn’t accompanying him. He paused and glanced over his shoulder.

“Aren’t you coming?”

I was in no state to visit somewhere as grand as the palace, especially in my state of common dress. I gestured to my clothes and sand-coated bare feet.

His expression gentled. “There’s no need to be embarrassed. No one would dare turn away a royal guest, no matter their attire.”

I frowned, not entirely convinced. He approached and extended his arm with an encouraging look for me to accept it. I continued to hesitate, but though I remained apprehensive, something compelled me to reach for him. I wasn’t quite ready to part ways, especially when doing so would leave me alone with nothing but my heartache.

He said he wanted to help me. Was there any possibility he could? I glanced towards the lighthouse. Night was still several hours away, but once it settled, the beacon’s light would penetrate even the thickest darkness, similar to what the prince was offering now. I was desperate to cling to this hope, no matter how small.

This thought, along with the prince’s warm gaze, finally gave me the courage to accept his arm and allow him to lead me towards the palace.

With how little time I’d spent at this lighthouse, I’d had little opportunity to see the palace. It was one thing to admire such a grand structure from afar and quite another to approach it; the closer we drew, the more magnificent it became. The white marble structure glistened in the sunlight, creating a regal presence that rose above the ocean on an elevated cliff that overlooked the capital below. I couldn’t help but gape.

Prince Owen glanced sideways at me, seeming both pleased and a bit embarrassed by my overt wonder. “It’s quite grand, isn’t it?” Then as if to cover every potential reason for my reaction, he hastily added, “I know it likely seems rather intimidating, but in the end it’s just a building—one which contains something I hope will help you.”

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