Chapter 8
“Timber, enough is enough!” I finally explode during dinner the next night. It’s just me and him. “I’m worried about my dad. He usually comes home or checks in every few days. Do you think he’s okay?”
Timber’s response is measured, but I see sympathy in his eyes. “I’m sure your dad is fine. He’s from the Darkland Kingdom, after all. He should know how to hold his own. Ash is still looking for him, but I assume your father hasn’t been back to your house because he knows you’re here, where you’re safe.”
I’m not satisfied with his answer, but I’ll just have to trust my father is fine because Ash didn’t tell me otherwise. Timber and I finish the rest of our meal in silence. As we finish our last bites, I bring up a new topic.
“Timber, have you ever been to another realm before?”
“No, it’s not wise for me to try and cross when I’m in charge of our army and the well-being of our people,” he answers simply.
Okay, that makes sense.Deciding to try again, I begin, “Well, imagine you did. Wouldn’t you be interested in seeing it and learning everything you could?”
He tilts his head and ponders his answer. “Yes, I suppose I would.”
“Exactly my point! Don’t you see? I feel trapped here, and it’s been several days of eat, sleep, and lessons. It’s a repeated cycle. The lessons have been great, but I want to explore and meet people. I used to run trails back home. Can I do that here? I need to get out of my room. It feels like a cage.”
The corner of his mouth goes down. “My father instructed us to keep you hidden.” He softens his tone at the end.
I roll my eyes. “Surely the staff here gossips,” I scoff. “I’m sure they’ve already learned tons of things about me.” I see him wavering, torn between pleasing me or obeying his father’s command.
I grab his arm, pleading, “Please, Timber. I’m begging you to let me go for a run. You can even come with me! Heck, bring the whole army, if you want! You can run and point out everything I’d already know if I’d grown up here. Please,” I beg, giving him my most sincere smile. “I can’t stay in this room another minute.” Deciding to show him how earnest I am, I raise the bottom of my dress to show off my tennis shoes.
“When did you get those?” he marvels, his brow creasing as he takes in my shoes. His eyes shoot to mine in accusation.
“Ash brought them back when he popped in to tell me he was looking for my dad. It was right before you walked into The Roots.” His nostrils flare, and I can tell he’s about to chastise me. “He came through a portal in The Roots room where Paul brought me because of the horn,” I add quickly.
“The horn was nothing more than a false alarm,” he adds. “So that’s why your heels were left down there.”
“Well, I kind of forgot them when you kicked me out and had me escorted back to my room,” I snipped. I wonder if my admission would get Ash and Paul in trouble. “Is Ash in trouble?”
Timber sighs heavily. “Yes and no.” I wait for him to go on, waving my hand for him to continue. “Yes, he’s in trouble for giving you those shoes. They shouldn’t be in this realm and he knows it. No, he’s not in trouble for coming back to visit you, because Paul told us he came to visit.”
Letting out a breath, I reach for my water. “Please don’t be mad at him,” I beseech. “He knows me better than anyone, and he knows I need to run to clear my head.” Grasping onto something Timber said earlier, I ask sweetly, “So, if the horn was a false alarm, that means there’s no danger, right?” Tentatively, he nods. “Does that mean we can go outside?” I stand, ready to get out of here.
He stands in a rush and grabs my hand. “Hold on now, Jewel. I can’t let you run in your shoes, but I can ask our designer to make you some that fit into our realm.” I look down at his feet, seeing that his shoes resemble work boots on Earth. I shudder as I think of all the blisters I’m going to get.
Timber sees my grimace and looks down at his boots. He lets out a low chuckle. “No, don’t worry. Not just like mine. I’m thinking of something like your shoes, but with brown leather to match mine. I’ll see what type of soft fabric can be wrapped around the outside, but you’ll need thicker soles for the terrain here.”
I reluctantly take off my comfortable tennis shoes and hand them to him with a smile, but he doesn’t budge. “What are you waiting for?”
Timber looks sheepish. “I’m pretty sure he’ll have to take them apart in order to reconstruct a new pair. Are you sure?”
I look down at the shoes in my hands; the only things I have from home besides my necklace. It’s just shoes, I chastise myself. Taking a deep breath, I concede, “I’m fine with it, as long as you stick to your word that I’ll be able to go running. Remember, flat shoes like mine and yours. No heels.”
“I’ll have him make them right away,” Timber promises.
“Oh, one other thing,” I add, thinking of how difficult it would be to run in my current attire. “Can he make me a pair of pants and a shirt like yours?”
His gaze travels down my body and back up, a smile forming as he meets my eyes. “Yes, I suppose a female running in a dress would look suspicious,” he finishes with a chuckle, and I laugh, too.
Score another point for me.