Page 16 of Pippa of Lauramore
She turns to leave, but I grab her wrist. “Leonora—thank you.”
She smiles. “If you get caught, don’t mention my involvement, all right?”
I nod, and she disappears into the crowds.
Archer notices me right away.Our eyes lock, and his eyebrows shoot up. Then he scowls. I stare at him, daring him to run to my father again. Instead, he wrenches an arrow out of a target and hands it to the boy next to him. Finally looking away, he stands back and tells the men to take aim.
I wait, barely breathing.
He doesn’t look at me again.
“Sit down, would you? You’re blocking the view,” says an impatient woman behind me.
I’m startled by her tone, but I bite my tongue before I respond. I don’t want to sit in front of her, so I move a little farther down. I’m not in the shade, but it’s nice to be in the sun anyway.
Archer hands out the winner’s purse, and a few of the men in the arena congratulate the man who won. I take out my embroidery and stab the needle in the fabric.
It’s not like I want him to come over. I can’t say what I need to say in front of all these people. I might as well scream, “I’m the princess!”
That doesn’t seem wise.
I take a deep breath and let it back out. I work a few more stitches into the fabric and then smack it all down on my lap.
How dare he look at me like I shouldn’t be here! I’m in this mess because of his loose tongue.
“You don’t seem like the kind of girl who brings needlework to an archery tournament,” a deep voice says from behind me.
Galinor.
“You came,” I say, setting my embroidery aside and turning my knees toward him.
He must have been sparring with the knights, because he wears chain mail over his tunic. His dark hair glistens in the sun like he just washed up. He smiles at me, showing the dimples in his cheeks. His eyes are even bluer today in the bright light.
“Of course, I came,” he says. “How did you find a way to slip out?”
“I don’t let much separate me from what I want.”
His smile widens. “And what do you want?”
My cheeks get hot, but I just shake my head.
He leans forward. “I didn’t think I’d see you for days.”
“I might not see you again until after the scavenger hunt.” My enthusiasm wilts at the thought. I’m going to miss everything.
The prince nods, watching the new round of men prepare for their turn. I watch too, but my eyes find Archer leaning against a post, speaking with one of my father’s knights. He glances over, and our eyes meet again. He gives me a small smile, but I look away, refusing to acknowledge him.
“Come with me,” Galinor says, standing.
“Where are we going?”
He offers me his hand. I take it and step down from the stands.
“I don’t know if we should,” I say when I see he’s leading me to the tents. “What if someone recognizes me?”
“We’ll go around the back.”
We duck around several tents, avoid a few knights, and then finally enter a red and yellow tent with his family flag over it. Once we’re safe inside, I pull off the straw hat and toss it in the corner. I unwind the scarf and shake my hair free.
