Chapter Six
It took too much convincing for Father to hold off on celebrating until the next day. He’d called my two sisters to come, despite my saying it wouldn’t go over well with Nilsorn. They would arrive in the morning and help prepare me for the day.
I bid Father goodnight and headed for my room, waiting to hear the click of his door closing before I flew around in a frenzy. I had little time to gather my things and find suitable clothing for what I had planned.
Aleixo was still in the shop below, as Father had offered to put him up for the night so we could break the binding.
“He can’t be the human the Realm Guard is seeking, Java,” he’d insisted. “He’s got too much gumption to be from a foreign land.”
My father was a strange man and was convinced he could read a person in an instant, though no one had the heart to tell him how truly terrible he was at it. His judge of character had landed him in more trouble than I could count on both hands. Dearest, darling Father.
I had to get Aleixo and myself out of here, no matter what. It wasn’t safe for either of us. As I shoved the remaining items I’d need into a bag, I quietly snuck downstairs and headed for the counter. I opened the cupboards to take out food and drink before heading for the couch Aleixo rested on.
He slept so quietly, so still. Perhaps he’d been exhausted, but I was surprised he’d remained with us.
“Aleixo,” I whispered, but he didn’t move. “Aleixo, we must depart.”
His eyes fluttered open as he looked up at me. “Calista?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”
“We must run.”
He sat up in a flash, his eyes filled with alarm. “What is it? What has occurred?”
“The Realm Guard will return, and there will be dire consequences when he finds you to be not of this realm.”
“But he’ll break our binding, or whatever your father called it.”
“You are in danger. And I truly do not wish to be bound to him.”
“So you’d rather be bound to me?” A charming smile fell on his features, and I rolled my eyes. “Am I that irresistible?”
“We will find our own way to break it and return you to your realm.”
“Will he follow?”
I hesitated, suddenly avoiding his gaze as I moved to the front door.
“Calista?” he repeated.
“He will follow when he becomes aware of the situation.”
He stood slowly, as though thinking through each motion. “And you would enjoy being hunted down?”
“Would you rather wait here and not have a chance of missing the Realm Guard?”
“He will fix this. Why are you so unwilling to break our engagement?”
“Because there will be harm!” My voice rose, and I quickly looked to the door leading upstairs, hoping Father hadn’t heard me. I turned to him, panic in my eyes. “I can’t bear it.”
“Are you so caring to everyone you come across? Strange humans you’ve never met, who are in places where they don’t belong? Ones you accidentally become engaged to the day you meet them?”
He was annoying me with every word he spoke. I didn’t have time to stand here with him and waste words when we could have been halfway down the road by now.
“Are you truly going to flatter yourself because I enjoy watching someone live more than I enjoy watching someone die?”
His face was still as he observed me, and I fought the urge to squirm under his gaze.
I needed to stand firm. He could either come with me or deal with the consequences of the land being occupied.
I turned away from him and turned the knob as silently as I could.
There was no more time to be wasted. He didn’t believe that he would die; it was more likely that he thought this was all a dream in his mind.
Perhaps he would only truly grasp it later.
“Wait.” His voice was soft behind me, as I heard the rustling of clothing and steps moving closer.
I could feel him stop and the warmth of his breath on the back of my neck.
“It is hard for me to trust in a land where I know no one, but you are the only one I know, and likely my only option of finding my way back.”
“Well, when you put it that way, now I'm the one who’s flattered.” I took a step forward through the door, and he followed closely behind me.
“Where to?” he questioned as we walked down the main path to the road.
I stopped before passing through the open gate before looking up at him, a wicked grin on my face. “Tell me, Aleixo, do you fear death?”