Chapter 10
Aday later, I made it to the village. I hadn’t seen those men again, thank the bloody skies. My pulse still spiked every time I thought of them, what they’d been about to do to my wings. I hadn’t known wings held such a value, but I couldn’t imagine having them cut from my back.
My feet throbbed, blisters covering my toes. The sun had burned my face, my entire body aching and tired. I hadn’t been able to catch any food and only had a few berries to sustain me. My stomach let out a loud grumble as if to remind me of how empty it was.
And I had no way to pay for shelter, food, clothes—nothing. I truly would have to beg for someone to show me mercy.
I limped through the silver gates into the village.
It swept upward, filled with narrow roads that zigzagged between domed buildings made of wood and glass. The smell of roasted meat wafted through the air, and my mouth watered.
I’d scavenge for food soon, but for now, I wanted to take it all in. A village. An actual village. I’d read about them, heard about them, but I’d never seen one in person. Sky elementals flew overhead, some landing on rooftops, others landing on the stone streets. The green and gold domed tops of the buildings gleamed under the sinking sun. Beyond the main street of the city, houses filled the rocky terrain of the mountain peak, all with huge open-aired rooms, no windows or doors, easily accessible for those with wings. I thought of my tower with that tiny little window that often scraped against my wings. I lost feathers each time I’d crawled through it.
But this place—it was magnificent.
My feet moved forward, one after the other, my aches and pains forgotten as I marveled at the shops and businesses I passed. A few passersby shot me strange looks, but I didn’t care. I peered inside a shop full of chocolates, little cakes, pastries. My stomach rumbled in response, so loud it could rival thunder. I clutched it, turning my gaze on another shop across the street full of flying gear, thick pants and vests to withstand high altitudes and wind.
The end of the sloping street opened up into a courtyard, a big monument in the middle of Spirit Sky. He stood tall, wings spread out behind him as he held a lightning bolt in his hand. I loved the lore surrounding the Seven Spirits. It had been told that one day Spirit Sky wanted a glorious weapon for himself, so he reached into the sky during a storm and pulled down a lightning bolt. He was rumored to use that bolt to punish anyone who dared defy him.
I moved toward the courtyard, wanting to get a better look at the statue, which was easily twice my height. The spirits must’ve been quite a sight to behold in the Old World. They also must’ve been fearsome. The thought that Spirit Sky could smite me with his bolt should I displease him sent shivers down my spine.
I was happy they were nothing but myth and lore now, something to admire from books and stories. Not reality. I approached the statue, peering at it when an eruption of squeals and chatter stole my attention.
My head snapped in the direction of the sound. A group of females surrounded something. Their wings practically vibrated in excitement as they clamored for whatever was causing this uproar.
I froze. Not whatever. Whoever.
There stood Prince Lochlan. The last rays of the sun highlighted his auburn curls, the streaks of gold in them. From here, I could see the glint in his dark blue eyes, that chiseled jaw, his straight nose.
He was here. In this village. Bloody skies. I tugged at the necklace around my neck.
“It’s Prince Lochlan,” one of the females shouted as she reached for him.
They were treating him like an animal in a cage, something to gawk at. It was so odd.
Lochlan’s gaze roved around the crowd of females, stopping suddenly as he tensed, cocked his head—and looked straight at me. His face went slack. I quickly ducked behind the statue and pressed my back against it.
He’d definitely seen me.
My stomach let out another loud grumble. “Yes, yes, I hear you. I’m working on the food situation.”
Along with the housing situation, the clothes situation, and oh, now the prince situation. I darted a glance around the statue, the crowd growing larger.
Skies above, what was with these women? Were there no eligible men here? Gran had told me of Prince Lochlan’s fame, but I hadn’t realized the extent of it. Leoni and Driscoll emerged from a tavern behind the commotion, both of them laughing and pointing at the frenzy surrounding their prince.
I bit the inside of my cheek, Lochlan’s offer to help find my gran surfacing in my mind. Maybe I’d been hasty in running away. I had no money, no knowledge of this world around me, no magic. Nothing. Lochlan was a prince of the water court, not a criminal or a thief. More than that, I hadn’t felt threatened by him. Not like with those men who’d stolen from me. He, Leoni, and Driscoll seemed nice enough. I didn’t have to trust them to accept their help.
They were going to be my best shot at finding Gran. My heart sank. But I’d run away from them, scorned their attempts to help me. I had nothing to offer them in return for their help. At this point, they might’ve already changed their minds. Maybe they wanted nothing to do with me.
“Ladies, please,” Prince Lochlan said. “I really must be going. I think I saw something, and?—”
But they didn’t let up.
“It’s the playboy prince,” I overhead a woman say as she and her friend passed me by. “Here. In the sky court. Oh, do you think he’s finally looking for a wife?”
Her friend grabbed her elbow. “A friend’s cousin’s sister’s acquaintance said he was the best kiss of her life.”
They both squealed and ran toward him.
I peeked around the statue again, the women refusing to budge as they touched him, pulled at his shirt, whispered in his ear. He just let them. He tensed under all the attention. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he didn’t like it. An idea hit me.
The prince had tried to rescue me. Maybe now it was my turn to rescue him, and in the process, beg for his forgiveness—and his help.
Mind made up, I straightened and marched from the statue toward the amassing crowd.
“Excuse me.” I pushed my way through the woman as they scoffed and shot me dirty looks. Some of them refused to move, and I had to use a little more force, elbowing and shoving them aside until I finally stood in front of the prince.
Those blue eyes of his widened.
I jabbed him in the chest. “How dare you!”
The crowd quieted at that, my voice ringing through the courtyard.
His gaze shifted from side to side. “I—uh, what?”
“Oh, don’t act like you have no idea what I’m talking about.” I raised my brows, hoping he’d get the hint to play along.
“Erm...” He scratched his head through that mass of short curls.
“You lied to me!”
At that, a few gasps sounded behind me.
He cocked a brow. “I did?”
“You said you’re Prince Lochlan, and I’ll admit, you look a lot like him. But you’re clearly not him. Your nose is slightly off center.”
He touched his nose, forehead wrinkling.
“Your hair doesn’t have the same shine.”
He scoffed while murmurs rippled through the crowd.
“And the real reason I know you’re not him? You’re a terrible kisser.”
His lips twitched, amusement now dancing in his eyes.
“Besides, I just got word that Prince Lochlan is home in the water court, not all the way up here in some random village.” I spun. “Sorry ladies. He’s not the real deal. Trust me: it was the worst kiss of my life. I still taste the onion.”
“I knew it was too good to be true,” one of the women mumbled as she turned to go.
Prince Lochlan’s brows drew together. “Er... you caught me. Sorry, ladies.”
The women around us grumbled, the crowd slowly dissipating.
One woman stayed behind. She trailed a finger down the prince’s arm. “You may not be Prince Lochlan, but I’ll still take you for a ride if you want.”
It was my turn for my mouth to drop open. Had she just... propositioned him?
The prince coughed into his fist, then pounded his chest. “Uh, thank you for that kind offer, but I have enough to deal with right now.” He gestured to me.
The woman shrugged and flapped her wings, flying off into the evening sky.
Prince Lochlan rounded on me. “Onion?” he said. “Really? You couldn’t think of any other way to convince them than to say my breath smells like onion?”
I crossed my arms. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“That was masterful,” Driscoll said as he approached.
Leoni did a slow clap. “Well done.”
“Thank you,” the prince grumbled. “I guess.”
I gestured to a nearby bench that sat in front of the statue. “Can we talk?”
The trio looked at each other before Prince Lochlan finally nodded.
He and I settled on the bench, while Leoni and Driscoll stood before us. They all stared at me expectantly.
“I’m sorry I ran away.” My hands twisted together in my lap. “I was shocked that it was your shadow who took Gran, shocked that you didn’t have your shadow. I don’t trust easily, and it seemed like you’d withheld information from me.”
“I didn’t,” Lochlan said.
“I know.” I tugged on my braid. “You couldn’t have known. I realized that after I’d calmed down enough to think clearly.”
He turned toward me, his knee brushing against mine. That small touch made my pulse jump. I wasn’t used to physical contact with people. Anyone, really. Gran hadn’t exactly been the touchy-feely type.
He gave me a lopsided grin. “So I’m not Prince Lochlan, huh? That’s what you told all those women.”
My face flushed. “I thought maybe it was my turn to rescue you.”
Driscoll laughed. “You should’ve seen their faces. The disappointment. The horror that they’d been clawing over an imposter.”
“It was clever.” Leoni smirked. “I’d even say you did a better job rescuing the prince than he did you.”
Lochlan rolled his eyes. “It’s not a competition. But if it were, I’d remind you that she was locked in an impenetrable tower. That’s like comparing the sea to the river.”
“At least I didn’t yank you out a window and then try to kiss you,” I said.
Leoni turned her horrified face toward the prince. “You did not.”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Oh, he did,” Driscoll said.
The prince shrugged, not an ounce of shame in his expression. “I’d just survived almost falling to my death. I was high on adrenaline.”
“And something else,” Driscoll muttered, which made me smile.
Leoni tutted. “Please forgive him. He’s used to women throwing themselves at him.” She cupped a hand over her mouth so that the prince couldn’t see and whispered, “Gives him an inflated sense of self.”
“I heard that.” Prince Lochlan glared at her, then asked me, “So is that what all of this was about? Returning a favor?”
All gazes once again turned on me. I picked at a thread on my dress. “Not exactly. I rethought your offer, and I want to accept.”
“Actually—” Leoni started, but the prince cut her off, and I wondered what she’d been about to say.
“Okay,” Prince Lochlan said simply.
Too simply.
My eyes bugged. “Okay? That’s it? You really will help me? Why?”
“Yes, why?” Leoni’s voice had an edge to it. She clearly wasn’t happy about the prince agreeing to help me, but I wasn’t sure why.
“You already have your answer.” His gaze was so intense it made me want to squirm. “I spent months dreaming of you, hearing your screams, your pleas for help. I can’t get your voice out of my head. I don’t think the dreams will stop until I’ve helped you complete this mission.”
That made more sense. He was helping me, and in turn, I could help him. But it didn’t feel like enough. “I can cook and build fires. I can clean our clothes.”
“Perfect,” Driscoll said.
Prince Lochlan elbowed him. “No, she’s not here to be our servant.”
“I’m helping,” I insisted.
“Yes, she’s helping.” Driscoll threw up his arms. “Good spirits, man, don’t turn it down. Anyone would be a better cook than Leoni.”
“Hey,” Leoni said.
Prince Lochlan ignored them both. “I need to help you. I need to do this so I can get a sense of...” He searched for the word. “Closure.”
That made me feel better, actually. Much better than him just doing this out of the kindness of his heart. “I have to warn you, I have no gold.” I gestured to my clothes. “No spare clothes. No supplies.” I thought of my satchel that had been stolen.
“That’s okay.” Prince Lochlan’s lips quirked. “Turns out I’m rich.” And the arrogant playboy was back. “I can get you anything you need.” His gaze slid down my body. “Including more appropriate clothing for the weather. You’ve been trapped in a tower your entire life, but you’re free now, and you need to fit in a little better.”
A defensiveness rose up in me at his word choice. Trapped. Even if it was true. Gran had trapped me. I’d thought that very thing countless times in my twenty-two years. Yet hearing it from someone else, someone who didn’t know Gran, stung.
“Poppy?” Leoni’s hand touched my shoulder, and I jumped.
“Right. New clothes. Yes.” I shook my head. “Thank you.”
The prince gestured to a tall domed building across the courtyard, the round glass dome reflecting the brilliant dusky sky. “We have a few rooms reserved for tonight if you don’t mind bunking with Leoni?”
“She snores,” Driscoll warned.
Leoni elbowed him. “I do not.”
“Like a horse,” he mouthed, and once again, a smile came to my face. I hadn’t smiled in months. It felt good. This felt good. For the first time since Gran disappeared, maybe I was finally one small step closer to finding her.