Page 57 of The Abandoned Princess

I stayed up later than usual, my eyes on the small flames of our campfire as I enjoyed the warmth of it washing over me. I didn’t want to go to sleep and miss one moment of my birthday.

Lori gave up first, falling asleep the moment she crawled into her sleep sack, and I knew I should follow, but I couldn’t resist a few more minutes. I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around them, resting my chin against my knees.

Eighteen. How many years I had longed for it—first for one reason and then for another. I had always thought Eulalie would appear on my birthday, and it would be my chance to make a bid for my freedom. But I now knew the timing of the coronation meant she had to be in the capital too soon after my birthday for her to have ever been at the tower on that date.

If Xander hadn’t appeared, how crushingly disappointed I would have been when the day came and went with no confrontation with Eulalie. Would I have stayed there, still waiting, until she tried to enchant the king and blew the whole thing up in our faces?

My eyelids began drooping shut as I thought of Xander and all the changes in my life since he’d appeared. When I felt his arms around me, lifting me up, I struggled to open my eyes.

“I’m so glad you came,” I said, my words slurred with sleep. “You saved me.”

“No,” said the deep rumble of his voice as he cradled me against his chest. “You saved yourself.” He placed me gently on my bedroll. “Happy birthday, Daisy.” But he didn’t immediately pull back, instead hovering there beside me.

I fought one of my eyes open and gazed up at him. “What is it? Do you have something else for me?” I smiled in sleepy contentment.

He sucked in a breath, his eyes on my lips. “Don’t tempt me,” he whispered. “I promised no more surprises.”

My eyes drifted rebelliously shut again as a frown curved my lips downward. “But I like surprises, especially birthday ones.”

“You’re making it very hard for me to keep my promise.” His voice trembled slightly. “But this isn’t the right moment.”

I pouted, but my body was slowly sliding down to lie flat. I must have already been in the grip of sleep because I was fairly sure I dreamed his quiet voice saying, “Well, perhaps just this doesn’t count.” And I definitely must have dreamed the feel of his lips pressed briefly against my palm before he tucked my hand down beside me and murmured a final goodnight.

CHAPTER 19

My dreams that night were full of Xander, and I would have avoided him in the morning out of embarrassment for my rogue mind if it wasn’t impossible to do so. With only the three of us, it would have been painfully obvious if I’d suddenly changed my behavior.

Thankfully, the routine of the walking soon calmed my nerves, and by the time we were eating the midday meal, I was comfortable around him again. We didn’t stop for long due to Eulalie’s increased pace and were soon back walking again.

“It’s one thing to see a forest on a map, and another altogether to walk through it day after day,” I said. “I hadn’t realized how enormous this one is.”

“We have a forest outside our capital,” Xander said. “But it isn’t nearly as big as the ones you have here. There’s an enormous jungle in Lanover and an even vaster forest that crosses the border of Arcadia and Rangmere. I’ve visited at least the edges of both and been almost as awed as I was by the ocean. We have the Sea of Sand, but this is like a sea of trees.”

“I hope I get to see the Great Desert one day,” I said.

“I would love to hear your thoughts when you do,” Xander said. “I always used to—” he broke off, his brows pulling together.

We all stopped walking and peered into the trees north of the road.

“Is that someone shouting?” I asked, just as a clearer call came.

“Liam!!” a woman’s voice screamed. “Liam! Where are you?”

“It sounds like someone’s missing,” Xander said at the same moment as Lori said, “Who could it be?”

He sounded concerned, she sounded suspicious.

“The tour traveled through the forest,” Xander said, “and William gave me information about the environment and the locals. Most of the forest dwellers live in towns or villages, but there is the occasional individual or family who has chosen a more remote home.”

Lori looked skeptical. “I’ve been one such individual since I was enchanted, but I’ve never met another.”

“There aren’t many in the northeastern tip of the forest near you,” Xander said, “because it’s too remote, even for those who prefer the solitude and privacy. They tend to be located within a day or two’s travel from a larger town. They’re not hermits—they still come into the towns for trade, shopping, and medical care. They generally balance the isolation of their home by locating themselves near a larger town.”

“LIAM!” The distraught woman sounded closer.

I swayed back and forth, trying to see through the trees, but I still couldn’t locate her. We would need to leave the road and follow her voice to find out what was going on. I was about to say as much to the others when Xander spoke.

“They might be searching for a child. We need to go and help.”

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