Page 82 of Untamed

“This is beautiful.” I gawked. “Where are we?”

“We’re on the outskirts of Giddel and Pedroz.” Zichri watched me intently.

My stomach fluttered. “It’s a wonder that a lone girl lives here.”

“She has her maid and little Tomas.” His voice held a playful reprimand.

I met Zichri’s gaze and giggled. Mamá would have chastised me for such childish behavior if she were here. I calmed myself with a lungful of fresh air. “You know what I mean. There’s no one to protect her.”

“You forget that she’s a portal maker.”

“Portal maker or not, she’d have to be with her maid and the boy all hours of the day if they all needed to flee.” I peeked at the walls behind me. “This seems like a prime location for ruffians to attack.”

Zichri pointed outward. “Notice the sheen at that tree over there.”

I squinted in the distance. The sun caught on something in the air and reflected a rainbow of colors. “That’s odd.”

A crooked smile cocked on Zichri’s face. “She placed a portal around her home. We can’t leave the premises and return. Just look at those birds.”

Searching the tree line, I noticed small yellow warblers. They tweeted and hopped about the branches at the top of the tree. One bird swooped toward us and disappeared without even a squawk.

My breath caught. “What?”

He let out a rich laugh. “The creatures end up on another tree at the other end of her territory. Animals that enter the protective ward get transported to the other side.”

We continued our walk on the outside of the wall around to the front. I took in the leafy brush and trees, trying to find a kink in the invisible shell over the property. Our boots squished over the moist grass, and sunlight beat on our foreheads, unimpeded by whatever force cocooned the estate. Zichri pointed to a tree near the front entrance. More warblers tweeted and disappeared, then reemerged from thin air.

I adjusted my dress collar and curled my fingers around my necklace chain. “Can anyone see the house, or does the whole place appear transparent?”

“It’s invisible to anyone outside the property.” He led me to the front tree. “Only portal makers who have been here before can enter.”

We stepped onto the gravel entrance of Minerva’s estate. The giant front gate yawned open as if to invite all those who wandered into its embrace.

The way Prince Zichri eyed me ignited heat on my cheeks, but I wouldn’t be self-indulgent. He gently swung my arm like he meant to spin me into his embrace, but I kept him at a distance. Our focus needed to stay on procuring a galleon and saving those we loved.

“How does this help us get to Laude and Jaime?” Whatever ease we had found in this stolen moment fled with my question.

Zichri traced the vine-like markings on my knuckles. “I say this so that you’ll know the measure of power Minerva stewards.Your brother is right about you being safer in Giddel, but I know you won’t give up that easily.” He winked.

“You do know me too well.” I tried to stop my lips from curling upward.

“We also need Minerva to convince the stewards in Pedroz to lend us a galleon.”

I stopped. “If the stewards see me, they’ll be more likely to imprison the three of us. And how does this Minerva have so much sway over those who govern Pedroz?”

Zichri squared in front of me. “What if I told you Minerva is the reason Himzo and Pedroz could attack Giddel without so much as a sign?”

My back stiffened, and I yanked my hand from Zichri’s. “I don’t understand. Cosme said she saved Giddel.”

“She might also be the reason Cosme knew of the attack before it happened.” He watched me intently.

I tucked stray hairs behind my ears and crossed my arms. A warm breeze undid the strands I had corrected. “Is she my enemy or a friend?” Blood pulsed at my temples.

“She’s a friend who is stuck between three kingdoms.” The certainty in Zichri’s voice gave me pause.

Couldn’t she use us against each other? What if she betrayed us like his brother did Aracibel? The whole innocent young señorita appearance could be an act. Then again, we couldn’t attain a galleon without Papá or Cosme.

“Fine,” I said. “We’re at her mercy, I suppose.” Emotion swelled, unbidden and wild.

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