Chapter 2 Oh Zyphel, Oh Zephel #2
I narrow my eyes at him. Not that he could see the expression very well in the low light.
“No, I can do it.” I start to descend the plant—which is surprisingly soft and yet not slippery—when the vine suddenly starts to grow in circumference.
It is now free standing, no longer needing the support of my railing, and starts to wrap around my middle like a harness and gently sinks itself back into the ground.
I wiggle a bit and glance at Sorin who looks hyper focused and on the verge of laughter.
Once my feet touch the soil, all that is left of the plant is a big green stump-like form that transforms itself into a pumpkin. I glare at him.
Sorin smiles wide and flutters take over my core. Walking towards me, he extends his arms for a hug. “I knew you could do it, but do you know the trouble we would have been in if you fell? I thought this would be much safer.”
I continue glaring at him and push at his arms. “Whatever. Where are we going?” His vines have caused my golden nightdress to be streaked with green. I wipe at the stain I know is forming and look at him impatiently.
“This way, my lady,” he says teasingly and points towards Sonny.
We walk over to my favorite mare. I mount her and watch as he mounts the other horse, I missed standing next to her, an obsidian Clydesdale named Nightshade.
Although mares usually are not one for male riding companions, Sonny and Nightshade, much like their riders, are unlikely friends.
The journey into the woods starts as a gentle walk.
I watch as Sorin seems to get more and more agitated as we continue on.
"Hey, are you—"
Sorin urges Nightshade into a trot then a gallop. I gasp, clutching onto Sonny for dear life. Sonny follows their lead increasing her own speed until she too is racing through the forest. After a couple minutes, we reach a little clearing.
“Slow down!” I shout towards Sorin. I am not dressed for riding so the saddle is chafing my thighs, making it hard to stay balanced. He comes to an abrupt halt, and I have to stop myself from falling forward as my horse follows suit. We both dismount. “Why the fuck were you going so—”
He rushes towards me, and I go to take a step back, but he catches me with a firm grip.
“Look Alaceandra, you can’t go through with this marriage.” He grips my shoulders, his tone desperate.
“Sorin…” I try to shy out of his grip, but he only holds me tighter.
“No, you don’t understand. He wants to kill you—” A bird starts to caw in the distance and Sorin chokes a little on his words. The sentence seemed to almost take the wind from him and he releases me abruptly before almost falling against a tree.
I startle at his sudden weakness and rush over to him, but my head spins at his unfinished warning.
“Who wants to kill me? The prince? Look he does seem to have prickish energy especially with the fact no one here apparently knows his name, but I do not think he is going to marry me just to…” My voice is nearly hysterical at this point and Sorin's head starts to droop as his skin turns even more pallid.
My heart races as fear churns low in my gut.
Throwing his warning out of my mind for the time being, I realize how idiotic I must look questioning him when he looks on the verge of passing out. “Hey, Sorin are you okay?”
He pulls a vile made of a black opaque glass from his pocket and gulps down the blue iridescent liquid inside.
Color returns to his cheeks and he shoves himself back upright.
The bird caws again. “I can’t tell you anymore, just please trust me on this.
” He gasps out, voice hoarse. “Alaceandra please I—fuck!” We hear the pounding of hooves coming towards us, Sorin stomps in frustration.
Grabbing my face, he places his forehead to mine.
“I can help you more if I’m not here when they find you, okay? I have to go—”
“What?”
“I know, I know, but there is no time—” The sound of hoof beats in the distance grows louder.
Sorin looks around. “You’ll be fine, I’ll find you later, okay?
It needs to be this way.” His eyes beg me to understand as he backs away from me.
Sorin mounts his horse and disappears behind the trees just as my father's Clydesdale, Trymisyus, comes pounding through the forest in the other direction. My father's face is scarlet with fury.
“Alaceandra, what are you doing?”
“I, uh…” I look around. Great, a nightgown this time. I really know how to dress for the weather.
“Back to your quarters—now!” I start to grab Sonny.
“No—you will be riding back with me. How dare you think to defy my orders. Do you think being at your majority means you have any power here? You are a stupid little girl. I will show you powerlessness.” He pulls his horse next to me.
I notice there is a small pumpkin in his hand and grit my teeth.
I guess we forgot to get rid of that. My father follows my gaze and shoots me a look of disgust. Reaching down, he captures my arm in a punishing grip and yanks me up harshly onto his horse.
Once I am seated, he throws the pumpkin to the forest floor causing it to break and coat the ground with pumpkin seeds.
“You will be moving in with the prince tomorrow morning. I don’t have the time to babysit you every day, but maybe your future husband will—no matter, just because the law won’t allow him to marry you immediately doesn’t mean I have to be stuck with your rebellion any longer, he can look after you until the wedding.
” He sneers at me once more before turning forward and urges the horse to walk.
“I will, of course, be checking on your behavior in the meantime, but that doesn’t mean I need to have your insolence under my roof.
” He then kicks the horse into a canter, ending the conversation.
I hold on for dear life and cringe. Fuck.