Sara Larson - Defy

“I’d rather not ask the servants. I would also appreciate it if you didn’t mention the bloodroot to anyone else, either. Including Rylan.”

“Why?”

He remained silent, looking at me.

“Fine, I can get the bloodroot, too.” I finally agreed, confused by his odd request. Bloodroot wasn’t common, but I was sure I’d be able to find it for him. The question was why he would want it — and why the secrecy. As far as I knew, its only use was to be crushed up into a poultice to help slow bleeding.

“Thank you.” Damian let out a sigh, then stood up. “I should go, then, and let you get some rest before you leave.”

I glanced up at the darkening skylight above us. The moon had traveled out of sight and soon the sky would lighten with the coming dawn. I realized that if I made this journey, I wouldn’t be here for Tanoori’s hanging. Maybe it was better that way. There was nothing I could do to stop it, and I couldn’t bear to watch her die.

“And don’t worry about Captain D’agnen,” Damian added. “I will speak to him after you go.”

I nodded and rose as well, so that we faced each other. Damian lifted his hand, holding it in the air between us. I hesitated to put my hand in his, strangely nervous to touch him when my emotions were in such an upheaval. But when he silently lifted an eyebrow at me in question, I quickly reached up to shake it firmly. A wave of warmth flowed up my arm and into my belly from the feel of his strong hand clasped around mine. I cleared my throat and tightened my grip. Act like a boy, act like a boy .

“Good night, Alex. I hope you can get some rest.” He let go and stepped back.

“Thank you. Good night … Damian.”

He smiled at me, a brief, sad smile, and then turned and went back into his room, shutting the door silently.

I stared after him for a long while, my heart beating unevenly in my chest. He’d proven my theory wrong. His interior might be more in line with his exterior than I thought. I almost wished I could go back to when I’d thought he was a blindingly attractive man with a rotten heart. Then I’d done my duty out of necessity, because I’d worked hard to get where I was, and my safety, virtue, and even life depended on it.

Yesterday, I had been in danger of actually letting myself care about him, but tonight, I was in danger of far worse.

THE JUNGLE SEETHED with life — the whisper of leaves moving in the breeze, the buzz of insects, the call of birds singing and chatting above us in the trees. I suppressed a shudder. Though I’d lived my whole life near the rain forest, I didn’t trust it. The dense foliage hid too many dangers. My bow and arrows were strapped to my back, my sword secured around my waist, but I still felt vulnerable. I knew there were creatures hidden in the heart of the jungle that were too sly and too fast for me to have any hope of stopping should one decide to stalk us and turn us into dinner.

The screech of a monkey overhead made me jump, knocking into Rylan, who was walking next to me.

“You’re on edge,” he commented, glancing up at the trees above us. My hands were slick with sweat as we moved forward, pushing ferns and vines out of our way, consulting the map and compass Damian had provided for me.

“I’d rather not talk about it,” I said.

Rylan gave me a look but didn’t comment any further.

“We should be there soon. According to the map, there will be a river up ahead, and if we follow that for about a mile, we should reach the Heart of the Rivers.”

Rylan nodded and we lapsed back into silence. The sun had risen hours ago, and I’d spent most of the morning trying not to think about Tanoori and the hanging I’d missed. Yet another person I hadn’t been able to help — another failure to add to my list.

Would they burn her body or just throw it outside the wall for scavenging animals to drag off and desecrate?

“I know I’m not supposed to ask questions, but don’t you find it odd that Prince Damian sent us to do this?”

“You know the prince,” I said, forcing myself to stop thinking about Tanoori. “He’s always coming up with some sort of crazy demand.”

“Yes, but this is taking it to a whole new level. Making us wander through the jungle to try and find a secret group to deliver a message?” Rylan glanced sideways at me and I shrugged, keeping my face impassive.

“You’re right, this is beyond crazy, even for him.” Even though I knew more about our job than Rylan, I still agreed with him. I didn’t understand what Prince Damian expected to accomplish by having us deliver a message from him. These people wanted him dead. What made him think they’d listen to anything he had to say? I only hoped that they didn’t believe in killing the messenger.

To our right, the sound of rushing water became audible and steadily grew louder. Soon, we broke through the trees to stand on the bank of a river. Our arrival startled some small creature that had been getting a drink. All I saw was a long tail rushing beneath the cover of a bush before it disappeared entirely.

“I hate the jungle,” I muttered.

“Why do you hate it so much?” Rylan asked.

I shrugged, not realizing I’d spoken loud enough for him to hear. “Do you remember that first march to Tubatse?”

“Of course.”

The banks of the river sucked at our boots as we walked along, skirting the edge of the trees, staying close to the water, looking for the landmarks that would guide us to the Heart of the Rivers. “Growing up, I’d always thought the jungles of Antion were beautiful, but after that march, I came to hate the jungle.”

“I don’t remember anything that bad happening,” Rylan said.

“Well, that’s because Marcel was kind and didn’t tell anyone. Let’s just say I had a run-in with a snake and without Marcel’s help, it would not have ended well.”

Rylan laughed. “So you do have a weakness after all! I have to admit, I’d never have guessed it would be snakes.”

I shoved him hard enough that he had to check his balance so he didn’t topple into the river. “If you tell anyone, I will shoot you in the mouth without hesitation.”

“Whoa.” He held up his hands in mock surrender. “You have my word. I’ll never mention your mortal fear of snakes to anyone.”

“Good.”

The river grew as we walked, spreading its liquid arms wider and wider, and soon we could see a large body of water ahead of us through the trees.

“I miss him, too,” Rylan spoke hesitantly. “I know you don’t want to talk about it, but you have both been my closest friends since we first joined the army.”

“But you still have your brother,” I snapped and picked up my pace, leaving him behind me. When I glanced back to make sure he hadn’t stopped entirely, he was right behind me, his expression clouded. Guilt gnawed at my belly. He was right; of course he missed Marcel. And he was my only friend now. Then I thought of the strange conversation with Prince Damian in the middle of the night. It almost didn’t seem real that he’d truly sat beside me on my cot, telling me of his own grief. Even after that — even though it seemed like Damian wanted me to — I couldn’t count him as a friend. He was my prince. I could never let myself forget it.

With a sigh, I stopped and turned, ready to apologize to Rylan, but no one was there. My heart leaped into my throat, and I whipped out my sword. Too late, I felt the sting of something pricking my neck. Cursing my inattention, I tried to fight the spiraling darkness, but my knees buckled of their own accord, and as I fell toward the ground, everything went black.