Page 77 of Untamed

Everyone turned toward the demure señorita who stood in the shadows.

Her shoulders hunched like she meant to hide, and she clutched at her collar. “Whyzer Patro was my whyzer, and he bound my tongue. Cosme’s right to plan carefully. I’ll take you to your rooms.” Minerva lifted a lamp, marking the end of the conversation.

Lucas lifted Fermín, who groaned, and followed Minerva through the back doorway. Monserrat hurried to catch up to them.

I shared a look with Zichri. “Do you think we should wait?”

He nodded with a boyish vulnerability in the lamplight. “We might do better with a little rest.” He reached for the pocketwatch dangling from my neck. “Take heart. The Ancient One gave you this for a reason.”

Cosme cleared his throat, passing Zichri a warning with a fierce expression.

Whatever Zichri was about to say fled. He got to his feet and offered me a helping hand from my crouched position. I pulled myself up, ready to give my brother a tongue lashing that would make my old self proud. But I wasn’t that girl anymore.

Minerva reentered the room and handed me and Cosme the lamps.

My brother whispered something in Minerva’s ear. She nodded and smiled with a flush even the dim lighting could pick up on her cheeks. My brother mirrored her sentiment, though his posture bespoke exhaustion. Whatever Minerva’s story was, I had to find out.

“Come on.” Zichri touched my back, guiding me through the same passageway the others had used. “Tomorrow’s going to be a big day.”

I stopped in the darkened corridor and yanked his tunic back.

His body squared up to me. Orange slits of light kissed the slope of his nose and the edges of his lips. “What is it?”

My fingers grabbed his silky doublet and drew him closer. I checked over my shoulder. Minerva and Cosme continued through a doorway and disappeared, leaving only a single lamp in the sitting room to illuminate the passages.

“We can’t wait. Laude is out at sea with an evil whyzer, and so is Jaime. How long will it take them to cross to those islands? Can Lucas or Minerva teleport using the map?”

“No. They can only teleport to somewhere within their view or to a place they’ve already been.” Zichri raked a hand through his hair. “Even if we somehow find a horse and hit the road, we’ll still need a ship, and it will take us a week to make it to the closest port city. From there—”

“Shhh … I don’t mean we’ll go alone.” I stopped his hand from going through his locks a second time.

He leaned so close I could smell the chocolate mint we’d eaten for dessert still lingering on his breath.

I traced his handsome face and strong jaw, wishing we didn’t have to wait a day longer to form a betrothal. “Would Lucas or Minerva be willing to go with us?”

With eyes pressed closed, he inhaled slowly. My heart fluttered with hope for something more than his capitulation to my request. He captured my wrist and pressed his forehead to mine. I stilled as our breaths mingled.

But he stepped backward, and I wanted his nearness all over again.

“Beatriz, don’t tempt me.” My name on his lips turned my knees to butter. “I don’t know if I can get the treaty.”

It was as if he had thrown icy water over my head. I swallowed hard and redirected my thoughts. “We’ll worry about that later. Please, Zichri, I will never forgive myself for leaving Laude onLa Lavia. I should have insisted that we stay together.”

“Don’t do that.”

“How can I sleep, knowing Laude is out there with our enemy?” Tears warmed my lashes. “Please.”

He shifted his jaw. “Minerva might be able to get us to Pedroz and she might even be able to get us a ship.”

“Are you sure we shouldn’t ask Lucas? And Pedroz? If they know it’s for me, they surely won’t give us anything.”

“Pedroz won’t hand over a galleon to you, but they might provide one to Minerva for Laude’s sake.”

“For Laude’s sake?” My voice rose a pitch. “What do you mean?”

“I’ll take you to your room, and if Minerva says yes, I’ll wake you up.”

“No, no Zichri. I want to ask her myself.”

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