Page 35 of Unbetrothed

Why is she shouting?I flicked my eyes toward Zichri and Jaime, wanting to shake the insolence out of Laude. “Have it your way.”

Jaime feigning interest in the sky. He had to have heard her. In the time I had spoken with Laude, Milo had—somehow—squeezed between Blas and Gonzalo. Blas had part of his bottom on the bench, appearing to hang off the edge. Was this any safer? I clutched the side panel and made my way back to Zichri.

He took me in his arms. “We’re almost there. I’m sure she’ll forget Blas’s joke once she sees the waterfalls. They’re said to have magical properties since the water flows from Valle de los Fantasmas.” He lifted his brows. “We are going to climb the falls to enter the valley.”

I held tight to his arm whilethe wagon pitched and settled again. The idea of finally reaching our destination mixed my emotions into a ball knotted up against my heart.Will we survive? Is this a death sentence for Laude, Zichri, and the others?I tucked wayward hairs behind my ears, brushing away my concern.

Soon I’d possess the one thing I had always wanted … and Lux. He promised to marry me. Would it be everything I had hoped? I sat up straight, causing Zichri’s hand to slip down my itching arm.

Though my skin hadn’t stopped burning, I hadn’t been as bothered by it. My fingers slipped under my collar, and I tugged the fabric over to glimpse the designs on my shoulder. The curve of a faint marking peeked out, unchanged. I released a pent-up breath.

We still had time.

CHAPTER 18

WATER CASCADED DOWN PROTRUDINGrocks and splashed into a teal pool. A lazy flow slithered away into a cave and continued downstream. Blas took off his tunic, threw it to the side, and dove in. Gonzalo and Milo raced behind him. The water seemed to welcome them after a morning of the sun beating on our foreheads. I wanted to join in, but I had not thought to bring my swimwear.

Blas popped his head out of the water. He pointed twelve feet high, up a ledge with a giant boulder on it. “I doubt Giddelian ladies would dare to jump from such heights.”

My hands balled into fists.

“Do you know how to swim?” Zichri took off his boots and tunic, tossing them on the back of the wagon.

“I’m from Giddel. We’re creatures of the sea.” I averted my eyes from Zichri so I wouldn’t stare at his sculpted chest. A flush crept up my neck. Should I sit out with Laude and skip out on the chance to show these Himzos a thing or two about the strength of Giddelian ladies? I removed my overdress, untied my boots, and placed them over the side of the wagon. Did my clothes cover my body properly? I glanced down. My white underclothes covered my skin from my neck to my wrists, and the loose skirt flowed all the way to my shins.

Jaime stayed back, patting his horse’s mane and speaking tenderly to it. Laude neared the water but plopped on the dirt with her arms crossed. The contrast between the whooping men and Laude stirred a need for me to breach the gap.

Zichri extended his hand, drawing my attention away from Laude. “One can never be too certain. I was looking forward to teaching you how to swim.”

A nervous laugh escaped my mouth. The idea of him being so close twisted in my stomach. To ease my jitters, I walked over to Laude and tugged on her arm. “Come in with us. When will we get another chance to do something like this again?”

She glared up at me. “If you would have heard what they said about you, then you wouldn’t be so willing to jump in after them.”

I groaned and sat on the ground. “Just say what you mean to say.”

“They said that every single lady in Giddel is silly. Then Blas mocked me. All of them laughed. They even made a strange gesture in your direction, laughing about how Zichri was making his move. So, you see,I’m not overreacting. These men are vile and don’t deserve our attention. We don’t need them anymore since we’re at the valley entrance.” She turned toward me, bracing my shoulders. “Why can’t we just do what we originally planned?”

“Shh!” I put my index finger to my mouth, certain Zichri overheard her rant. Unclasping her hands from my shoulders, I tipped my head back, considering her words. It stung to think Zichri used me. “Laude, you can either make the best of this moment or wallow in self-pity. We don’t think much better of Himzos either.”

She mumbled to herself.

“What did you say? Speakclearly. You know how I hate when you mumble.”

“Make the best of this moment, Your Highness.” She turned her body away and hugged her knees.

Laude was not going to be reasonable. That had never been her forte, so I shouldn’t have expected it. Zichri waited at the edge of the water. I strode toward him, packed dirt and pebbles poking my feet, and I took his hand. My frustration melted as his warmth seeped into my skin. The blue-green water lured us to dive into its depths, though the gap between the ground and the surface of the water appeared wider than I had thought from afar.

“Are you scared?” Zichri tugged on my hand.

“What makes you thinkthat?” I tried to shift my face into a neutral position, but there was no hiding from Zichri.

“You do this thing with your eyes.” He set his mouth in a crooked grin.

I lifted my chin. My need to prove him wrong held me in place, even though everything in me wanted to run back to the wagon in defeat. “Don’t worry about me.”

“If you’re sure, then. On the count of three, we jump in. Ready. One. Two—”

I jumped in the air, pulling Zichri with me. Cool water smacked my feet and swallowed my whole body. I swam toward daylight. The blue sky and tall tree branches hovered around the edges of my water-distorted eyesight. I broke through the surface and gasped. A chilly, humid air met my cheeks.

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