Page 65 of Unbetrothed

“But he said for both of us to stay. It isn’t safe, miss.” Lamplight cast deep shadows over Laude’s pinched face.

“I don’t do safe anymore. Be brave, my dear friend,” I said to myself as much as I did to her.

Running out of the tent, I glimpsed Jaime’s back, turning a corner. This time, I stayed farther behind to amend my previous error in following him. This section of the encampment had more people bustling about, even in the rain. Men sang within their tents. Black and red flags flew high on poles. Jaime darted past soldiers, guarding a tent that looked the same as any other. Of course, I found it difficult to gather details in the dim light cast by lamps and distant fires. I scurried around the corner to listen through the tent walls.

A man barked, “Did he say when all would be ready?”

“A week ago, he said that entrance would be ready in five to seven days.”

Zichri. Hearing his voice awakened a longing in my heart.

“How long will we have?” Another man asked in a tight voice.

“We’re guaranteed a few weeks if we’re lucky—” Zichri got cut off by a person coughing, then continued, “But he believes we can have up to a month.”

“Why did you take so long to relay the message?” A man shouted. “You could have sent a messenger on the horse. Isn’t that why you took four others with you?”

A din of voices erupted. I exhaled slowly, but not much came out. The wind had been knocked from my lungs. The Himzos planned an attack against Giddel within the month.

The plan reminded me of my brother’s friend, who walked me back to the stairs the night of the ball. I couldn’t remember his name, but he cast wards, and many had been disappearing rather than fading.

“I didn’t,” Zichri shouted over the arguing men, “because we were nearly caught by the enemy. They … cast a spell over us, and that took time to resolve. We arrived as soon as we could.”

“Cast a spell over you?” someone asked mockingly. “You haven’t gone soft, have you?”

“Enough of the banter!” Another man interjected. “We’re ready to march. The portal could be open tonight.”

Several voices overlapped.

A commanding voice said, “In two days, we attack.”

Thunder rumbled so loud it shook the mud under my feet. We needed to leave immediately to warn my family, my kingdom. The nerve! If I could, I would have cast a verynasty spell over Zichri right then. Of course, there was nothing I could do except listen.

More clamor arose within the tent as my cloak grew heavier. A female voice spoke, but her words sounded muffled. I stepped forward, touching the rough canvas edge of the flap. Though rumors had reached my ears about this threat, it never felt real when I tasted sweet coconut treats, collected flowers, or lived my daily life.

Stray soldiers clomped through the mud and darted into tents. The attack was imminent, and Giddel had a traitor. Who could have brought down the wards or given Zichri information? I needed to go home.

I trudged back to Jaime’s tent. How could Zichri have been the kind man who saved his enemyanda conniving spy arranging an attack? He could only be one or the other.

I knew it, too—the explanation about them trading didn’t piece together. I should have pressed harder once I found out they were soldiers. Somewhere deep within, I knew it, but I wanted to believe he was all good.

Whatever I thought about him didn’t matter as much as getting back home to warn Mamá and Papá. The rain stuck to my lashes, blurring my vision, but I still managed to remember the path Jaime and I had taken from his tent. I peeked within the flaps. Blas lay on a small cot, fast asleep. Laude stopped mid-step. Had she been pacing the whole time?

Words stuck within my chest.How do I tell Laude?At least Zichri hadn’t shared that he traveled with the Princess of Giddel. Salty tears dripped on my lips. I had let my heart grow too fond of him. This was embarrassing.

I slogged deeper into Jaime’s tent. Dollops of rain splattered from a hole in the canopy.

“Just tell me the bad news.” Laude fanned her face with her hands and breathed short, choppy breaths.

“We need to go now.” I swiped my cheeks and rushed outside.

Laude didn’t protest and followed close behind me through the rain.

We walked back to the tent where Gonzalo had been tending the horses. Gonzalo was brushing a steed’s body when I tapped his shoulder.

“Which horse is Zichri’s?”

He startled, hand pressing to his chest as he caught his breath. After a pause, he shook his bald head and pointed to a tall, dark steed.

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