Page 28 of The Great Pursuit
“I meant no offense. I’m certain she’s being watched carefully.”
Wyneth muttered to Vixie, “I thought you’d told him.”
“Told him what, exactly?” Vixie muttered back with apparent annoyance. “Seeing as how I do not know anything about this trip abroad.”
Wyneth turned to her completely. “I assumed you would figure out the truth. Did she not write you, Vix? Where do you imagine she’s going?”
Vixie stared at her, thinking.
“Whoa, wait a moment.” Tiern held up his hands. “She’snot in Ascomanni? But a maid told me—”
“Nay,” Vixie said. “That’s the story Father made up to keep the staff and people from panicking. Aerity has . . . run off. Taken time to herself.” She tilted her head toward Wyneth. The two stared at each other, Wyneth waiting expectantly, until Vixie’s eyes went big. By now, Tiern was utterly confused and bloody curious.
Vixie began to sputter “Did she— Has she gone to . . . his brother?” She pointed to Tiern, and his heart sped up. Wyneth nodded.
“She’s gone to find Pax?” he asked.
The girls turned to him now.
“Aye,” Wyneth whispered.
Deep blue seas.His heart suddenly hurt, a massive longing for his brother’s presence overwhelming him. He had an urge to run for his horse to join them, but it had been at least five days since she left. He couldn’t believe the oldest princess would take such a dangerous risk. How many times had he himself thought of trying to find Pax? But his parents and duties to his town and kingdom had kept him planted in place.
“Is she alone?” he asked.
“Seas no,” Wyneth whispered. “Harrison accompanied her.”
“Did he?” Vixie asked with interest.
“Aye. But Uncle Charles believes Harrison went to find her and bring her back. So, as far as I know, he hasn’t sentanyone else out, though I think that might change now that a bit of time has passed. He’s getting impatient and worried. He’d have the military after her if he wasn’t so preoccupied.”
“Tell me everything, Wyn,” Vixie demanded. “I can’t even believe you’d keep me in the dark like everyone else.”
“I truly believed you’d figured the truth of it by now. And, besides, can you honestly say you wouldn’t have insisted on joining her?”
Vixie crossed her arms, scowling. She knew Wyneth was right. Vixie would have gone. “Just tell me how she did it?”
Tiern sat riveted at the tale of Princess Aerity’s transformation, and while Wyneth talked he felt himself warming at the thought of Aerity searching for his brother. She wouldn’t have done it if she didn’t love him. Their future queen loved his brother and was putting herself in danger to find him. And to think his brother could have killed the beast and married Aerity . . . if only he had not chosen to heal Tiern instead.
A flood of sour guilt made him woozy. He stood abruptly, his palms flat on the table as his head spun. Vixie’s large round eyes peered up at him in worry.
“Are you all right?”
“Aye . . . I just need a moment.”
Tiern walked from the dining area, trying to breathe away the tightness in his chest. But sea winds seemed to be blowing in the wrong direction for him at that moment because he ran into the last person he wanted to see. Lord Alvi was exitingthe king’s office, a grim look on his face as he came to Tiern’s side.
“Let’s walk,” the coldlands man said.
Tiern exhaled and stayed at the man’s side as they walked down the halls and exited the castle. Several soldiers rushed out from behind them, and the hunters moved to the side to let them pass.
“They’re sending more troops to quell the restlessness in the kingdom.” Lord Alvi led them to the side of the cobbled road overlooking the sea to the west.
“Another killing?” Tiern asked.
Lord Alvi stared darkly out at the sea and gave a single nod. “They’ve scarcely any soldiers to spare. They’re all out searching for the Lashed woman and her henchmen, or henchwomen, as it may be.”
A sharp gust of wind hit them, and Tiern felt a lock of his hair come dislodged from its binding. He shoved it back behind his ear, muttering, “This is madness.” The king had to consider some sort of compromise.
