Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
BIANCA
“ Y ou bothered informing me about the water imps but not the Orc?” I ask.
“Joe is harmless to us,” Brandon says. “I didn't need your gift to hide us from him.”
I look back at the shoreline of Isla Tierra, where Joe is standing with crossed arms. His disapproving scowl is firmly in place.
“Is he really able to keep the imps away?” I ask, peeking at the water.
“I don’t see any trying to climb on board. Do you?”
He huffs out a long breath. He’s been paddling for the past ten minutes and I’m fighting the urge to ask him if he needs help. I lose the fight, but before I can say anything, he raises his hand to my lips.
“Don’t even think about it,” he says.
“But you’re breathing hard.”
“Fifth!”
I refrain from responding when I spot Jesse and Alejandra at the border of the castle's shoreline .
“Ready to be back?” Brandon asks me as the edge of the boat hits the sand and sinks in.
“Do I have a choice?” I ask, knowing how things have to be.
He takes my hand in his and squeezes it tightly.
Jesse reaches us and takes a hold of the edge of the boat, helping pull it into the sand. “Better late than never, I guess.”
Brandon lets go of my hand, and I instantly feel the absence of his warmth.
“You couldn't find your way back the same day?” Jesse asks.
Alejandra reaches us too and her step has an edge to it. “You’re lucky the Pillard family is more preoccupied with your grandfather than you.”
“That’s because they do not think they will have to deal with me just yet.” Brandon looks around. “How come there are no guards on shore?”
“We had to tell the guards that you took a boat trip to clear your mind with a guard,” Jesse says.
“I told them my team would take over security of the shore while you were out here. They seem to be glad for the break,” Alejandra adds.
“The story would be more believable if you let her paddle.” Jesse looks between us.
“I tried,” I say.
“I might be the crown prince, but I am foremost a gentleman.” Brandon throws the paddle at his brother's head. Jesse is quick to catch it, and swings back, but Brandon is already running.
I watch the brothers run. When I turn back to Alejandra, she is staring at me.
“Get inside and rest. You’ll have the late night shift until further notice.”
“Okay,” I say .
I climb out of the boat and start heading inside. I can’t shake the feeling that I have been punished for something.
“ W hat are you doing?” I say, clutching my fists to my chest.
I didn’t expect anyone to be in Brandon’s suite this late at night. That’s what I get for not being more alert while doing rounds. I look back at the open suite door that leads to the wing hallway. The hallways are empty, but I still check for fear my voice carries away. I haven’t seen a soul walk past all night, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one lingering around, waiting for the moment I’m not paying attention.
“I can’t sleep.” Brandon takes a seat in the couch area.
I look around the closed doors, but everyone inside the rooms seems asleep. We returned from the island two days ago. So far, I’ve been in charge of the night watch. I walk perimeters, ensuring nothing gets past me into Brandon’s suite. Unlike the last stop, we have an entire wing to our group. Alejandra and I are still rooming together, but close to the rest of the group. A few guards have rooms down the hall, too.
Brandon has been attending events all day while I’m off, and asleep while I’m on guard. We have exchanged a few words since we returned, but nothing else. He often looks at me like he wants to say more, but rushes to his next event. Stolen glances are all I have left.
I look at the lines under his eyes. He looks tired. I thought the change in my schedule had me beaten, but I’m not the only one.
I rub my eyes. “I know the feeling.”
“You can’t sleep?”
His concern makes my heart skip a beat. Why can we go days hardly speaking a word, but at the smallest sign that he cares, my heart can’t control itself?
I need to distract myself. I promised myself I would stop trying to romanticize Brandon in my head. We never talked about what happened on the island. The last thing I want is to appear like a love-sick puppy following him. How absurd to have the thief fall in love with the future king.
“I keep thinking of the divers.” I shiver at the memory.
One night’s entertainment was going outside by the cliff’s edge and watching divers perform. By performing, I mean they dove into rock-infested waters. The worst part was there was no magic used in the act. They could die if any of their movements went wrong. I later learned that people in this part of the world have been practicing cliff diving for centuries. When common humans lived here, they too joined in the activity.
“You wouldn’t try it?” His teasing smile tells me he knows the answer to that.
“Did you forget I’m not the best swimmer?” I remind him, then instantly regret it. Bringing up the island feels forbidden somehow.
His chuckle is like music in weeks of silence. “I couldn’t forget a thing about you if I tried.” The statement is light, but it quiets the night—if that is even possible. “And I have tried.”
“Brandon…” I trail off because what can I say to that revelation?
“Come here,” he says, holding out his hand.
I don’t wait long before I’m up and walking toward him. Brandon Oscuro is a dangerous man, but not for the reasons I first thought. I sit next to him on the couch, my heartbeat erratic. At first, I think he is going to kiss me like he did on the island. Instead, his lips gently settle on my forehead.
“Let me try something,” he says.
He settles back into the couch and moves over for me. I snuggle between the cushions and him. His face burrows deep in my hair. His arm hugs me from the side while his other goes under the cushions we use as a pillow.
Before I can ask any questions, I can hear his breathing deepening. He fell asleep. I move slightly to look over his shoulder, but his arm tightens on me. A smile tugs at my lips and I relax into his hold, closing my eyes too.
I ’m jarred from sleep as the door opens, and Alejandra walks into the room. Her eyes dart between Brandon and me, back and forth. Her gaze swipes around the room before she promptly turns around and opens the door.
“Shift change is happening in fifteen minutes.”
Her statement echoes in the silent room as she shuts the door behind her. I shove Brandon’s shoulder to wake him, but it only makes him grunt and snuggle closer to me.
“Alejandra was just here.”
I expect my statement to have some reaction from him, and it does. Not exactly what I expected. He opens one eye, then he shrugs. I look at my watch and see I’m already behind schedule. Alejandra was supposed to start her shift five minutes ago. She probably came here wondering why I took so long to return to our room. That’s usually where we do shift change. It’s not like Brandon needs constant supervision; he’s not a child.
Being dismissed with a shrug really wakes me up. I throw all my weight to the side, taking Brandon sideways with me. I grab onto the couch before I go off the side like he does.
The landing of his body hitting the floor is louder than I expected. The future king lets out a huff and an “ ouch” immediately. Huh, I guess he wasn’t faking sleep. He didn’t even try to break his fall with his arms. I’m sure it’s only a matter of seconds before someone comes running in to check what is happening.
“I said: someone saw us.” I stretch out every word.
“Everything is fine.” Brandon rubs the mess of curls on his head with sleepy eyes. “I’m still tired. Let’s go to my bed, I don’t trust you not to throw me off the couch again.”
I grab a pillow and aim straight at his head. He moves fast, but not before it smacks the side of his head. I get up and head back to my room. It seems he will not help me deal with this.
“We’re leaving today,” I remind him as I exit the room. “Alejandra,” I call.
She doesn’t answer me. I walk into my room tentatively, unsure what will happen next. Her eyes are glued to her mirror while her hands are setting the collar of her shirt. Her hands tremble a bit; she looks more flustered than anything.
“Alejandra,” I say again.
Finally, her eyes meet mine in the mirror. What I see there makes me step back.
“I don’t know what you two are up to, and I don’t want to know. But let me say two things. You are playing with fire and the dragon. You will get burned while he walks away in the smoke.” She clears her throat. “And don’t fall asleep on duty again.”
I nod.