Warrior (Princesses of Myth #2)

I wasn’t up for moving, or even talking, so I did.

Maslin returned and set the plate in my lap. I stared at it, although a watery film obscured the food. I would stop crying. Right now.

Tears dripped onto the pork and dribbled down the mound of potato. Letting Silas go was the only way. I just wish it didn’t have to hurt so much.

Where was he? Had he returned home?

A mumble of words came from far away, and Maslin took my plate from me. I blinked to bring him into focus. “Did you say something?”

“Yes. You’re obviously not going to eat, and you’re clearly not up for company. I’ll walk you to your tent.”

“You will?”

“Up.” He stood, pulling me to my feet. “You need to rest. It’s been a long day.”

“The longest ever.”

With a hand at the small of my back, he guided me through the maze of tents to Elizara’s. At the entrance, he dipped his head. “I’ll see you in the morning. Goldie requested I stay, and I will.”

He disappeared into the dark, and I raised the flap and trudged inside.

Bone weary, I fell over the pelts in the dark, right into the middle of them.

I lay where I fell, my chest heavy, as if a rock was wedged between my lungs, preventing me from drawing a decent breath.

Such a wretched burn.

For him.

I wanted Silas here.

That was impossible, now.

Argh, protectors. I hated them.





Chapter 7




“I cannot believe you loaned me such a skimpy string-bikini.” I fanned my exposed middle.

“It’s just us women. Come and help me with the lamps,” Elizara called from near the ladies bathing in the compound’s oasis. “Anyway, the bikini suits you.”

“Yeah, it’s lily-white, like I am.” The next evening had settled and at least the deep basin of water surrounded by palm trees kept out prying eyes, a definite bonus.

“I’ll come,” someone said. Four women helped her string a line around the perimeter of the spring. Young girls sat at the edge, dipping their toes in the water, and in the distance, a trail of lights bobbed as more women made the short trek from camp.

Several teens dropped their towels into a pile as I negotiated around them. One by one, they waded into the water and dove into the deepest center.

Oh, now that’s where I wanted to be.

My mouth watered at the thought of a swim.

“Don’t worry.” Elizara waved me away. “I know that look when the water calls. Go and enjoy yourself.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.”

I splashed in then dove. With arms outstretched, I kicked until I ran out of air and had to surface. Bliss, and I was almost in the center.

Silas would love this oasis. No fast-moving current here. I should tell him.

Ah no, I couldn’t.

Damn, why had I said we need never even speak?

Right. To give him the chance to move on.

Someone’s hands clasped my ankles from below, making me gasp. With a tug, I was towed under.

Oh, that someone moved fast, a blur of yellow swallowed within the dark beneath. Then another as well, no more than a wisp of red, and gone too.

Where was the culprit who’d sunk me? I swam, but found no one.

As I popped to the surface, a circle of older girls, all with sweetly innocent expressions, smiled at me.

“It wasn’t me,” Herianne said. I’d spoken to her on the walk out. She was eighteen, as I was.

Megein, beside her in a yellow swimsuit, grinned. “It was. I helped her.”

Herianne splashed her with a wide arc of water that came out of nowhere. All she’d done was lift her hand and the water had flown and smacked Megein in the face.

I laughed. “You have the water skill.”

Right, I’d get Herianne back. Slinking under the water, I grabbed her legs, only a slippery substance made it hard. I tried again, wrapping my arms right around. This time with more traction, I yanked and took her down, and darted away at the last moment.

She gave chase. Those with the water skill were faster, stronger and far sleeker in their movements within their element.

I was dunked more times than I could count as the older women joined us.

It was just what I needed.

Exhausted after so much play, I slogged to the water’s edge and crawled onto the sand and fell flat on my face. The younger ones giggled.

Elizara plopped down beside me. “I think I caught you five times,” she teased.

With one cheek in the sand, I eyed her. “It was more like fifty-five. I see you have the water skill too.” It hadn’t taken me long to work out who did. I’d even seen some disappear below the water for several minutes at a time. Far more than humanly possible, something Maslin had never done.

“How many minutes can you survive down there? Maslin can’t do that.” If he could, I would have quizzed him so I could document it.

A glimmer in her eye confirmed my thoughts. “My affinity for the water is strong. My parents were mated, and because of that, I carry the full strength of the skill. It runs strongly in the Sol line. Having it is paramount in the desert.”