Page 83 of Untamed

Zichri brushed the pad of his thumb against my cheek. “We’re going to retrieve Laude and Jaime.” He held my shoulders. “It’s not your fault they were taken.”

A ball of emotion pressed against my heart and bubbled at the corners of my eyes. “I should never have let her leave my side.”

“You could have been taken along with her.” He tilted my chin up to meet his gaze. “We should seek the counsel of the Ancient One.”

I let my eyes meet his and tears streamed along my nose. “All right. We don’t have time to follow mere speculation or my dreams.”

“Have you had any more dreams?” He motioned to my collar where the gold chain was exposed.

“No,” I said. I should have elaborated to see if there was more to my visions that he might be able to interpret. Saying it aloud would make them more real, a living and breathing reality.

He nodded and prayed for wisdom and favor from the Ancient One and from people who might help along the way. His fervent words fed something inside of me that had been caged: hope.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“What’s wrong?” He traced my tears with the warm pads of his thumbs. His eyebrows furrowed with concern. “This isn’t just about getting Laude and Jaime back.”

“What if the Ancient One continues to punish me for who I used to be?” My voice hitched. “I was terrible to other people. You should hear what they thought of me.”

“You’re a mind reader too?” His brown eyes snapped wide.

“Sometimes emotion-charged thoughts whisper to me. Perhaps the Ancient One allowed Laude to be taken because I used my gift when I promised to never use it again.”

He wrapped his arms around me. “The Ancient One doesn’t give bad gifts.”

“This sure feels terrible.” I leaned my head against his hard chest and inhaled, soaking in the scent of sea salt and grass. His warmth and comfort did more than all of Uncle Uly’s lessons or Papá's ultimatum. The sweet release of knowing I had beenpardoned and not punished left me free to use my abilities for good.

He released my shoulders reluctantly and stepped to my side. “Let’s meet with Minerva.” He bobbed his head with a boyish assurance that his plan would work. He entwined his fingers with mine and gave a gentle squeeze. “Beloved, are you ready?”

“No, but we don’t have time to wait for me to be truly ready.” My words came out choked and lifeless. From here on out, I’d have to put aside the turbulent ocean in my heart and lean on the Ancient One.

We crossed through the sitting room where we’d left breakfast. Now, my stomach growled with hunger, but I wouldn’t stop in case a delay would cause Minerva to reconsider helping us. When we made it to the kitchen, Minerva stood alone, wiping a counter.

Her gaze rose to meet us. “We’re teleporting to my home in Pedroz.” An awkward pause had my lips fumbling to fill the void. But she continued, “Zichri and I will be accepted into the palace, but I’m afraid you either will have to hide or offer a worthy gift.”

“What do you mean by worthy gift?” I clutched Zichri’s firm arm, digging my fingers into his long sleeve.

“I mean,” her gentle voice wavered, “you aren’t welcome, and a galleon is no small favor to ask.” A light glow shone from the girl, silhouetting her figure. She waved an arm behind her, causing a black hole to shimmer in the air. “I doubt your brother will follow our lead as he, too, is not welcome at the Pedrozian palace.”

Zichri stepped toward the darkened circle of air, pulling me along, and we slipped into the black abyss. The now familiar, but still strange, pull yanked at my body and tousled loose hairs around my braid. My boots met hard stone, and I found myself in a space even darker than the moonlit night.

Minerva’s form floated toward me, aglow with the strange light from her neck. Her sure footsteps scuffed the floor, and more noises clattered from somewhere off in another room. Zichri kept a firm hold on me as my eyes tried to adjust to the sparse light coming from somewhere behind me. Still, I could only hear my heart thundering in my ears.

“Beloved,” Zichri’s voice soothed like honey, “do you still have the Heart Song?”

“What do you mean?”

“The relic?”

A weight suddenly pressed on my breastbone, and the dark room surrounding us peeled away into a vision of the Pedrozian throne room bathed in the midday sun. My hand hovered before me with the pocket watch dangling before the hungry eyes of the steward of Pedroz. The image vanished like salt stirred in water until all that was left were my thoughts, the dark room, and Zichri’s steady breath beside me.

Chapter 34

Laude

Wind and sea crackeda wicked whip on the hull, and I could only think about my wrists that hurt as if a thousand mice had gnawed the thin skin around my bones. Yet only a scratchy rope held my arms behind my back with an unrelenting grip. I pressed my shoulder into Jaime so I wouldn't scream into the darkness, and to keep my panicked breaths from exploding out of my mouth.

Our dank prison somewhere deep inLa Laviaproved an excellent spot for me to reconsider my decision about serving Whyzer Patro. He wanted a ruler on the Pedrozian throne to end the squabbling and be under his dominion. I had refused him and now I longed to race up the stairs and pretend to say yes. Then I’d think about his offer on my bed, where I’d cry myself to sleep, wishing to be near Jaime.

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