Page 73 of Heart of the Summer Queen

His amusement fades. “While it’s possible, I have no intention of testing such a theory now. Even if I did float, there is no way to predict where I may end up.”

I purse my lips. “Maybe the tide will be in our favor.”

“And if not?”

“You could restore your magic instantly with Belinda’s antidote and fly us back to shore.”

Elaric’s jaw tightens. “Swimming us to Eruweth will be too perilous.”

“Why not at least try? At worst, you may have to freeze the sea or fly us back.”

“At worst, you could slip from my arms and drown.”

Hope flutters in my chest before I snuff it out. Elaric worries for my safety only because I alone can slay Isidore and break his curse. It isn’t because he harbors any feelings for me. His blunt words this morning made that abundantly clear.

I try to sound casual, to hide all the emotion swelling within. “I doubt that very much. I have great faith in your ability to keep ahold of me.”

“Regardless of that, if we’re swept out to sea and I have to fly us back, you’ll be soaked through. We’ll be unable to light a fire until we return to shore, and depending on the distance, you may die of hypothermia before then.”

I suppose the frigid lake water did almost kill me, never mind the open ocean. “Perhaps you are right,” I admit, “but that is a risk—”

“I am not willing to take,” Elaric interjects, with a stern look.

I glare at him. But his resolute expression makes it clear he won’t be swayed.

“Fine,” I huff, leaning back against the solid cushions. “Suggest an alternative then.”

“A boat,” he states.

I glance back at the fishing village behind us. Perhaps we can buy or hire a boat from someone there, provided Elaric brought enough gold. We’ve spent nothing so far and our coin pouch seems heavy. Then again, I’m unsure how much fishing boats usually cost.

“A rowboat won’t work,” I say, looking through the window at the unruly waves far below. They’d swiftly claim such a small vessel. “We’ll need a proper fishing boat at the very least. Maybe something larger still.”

“Hiring a crew would be best,” Elaric says, “but we lack the funds for that right now. If Eruweth lies too far away, we must return to Avella and procure a brig.”

I fiddle with the enchanted pendant in my hands, looking down at that instead of his face. “I don’t know how to sail.”

“You can navigate instead. If we find a small fishing boat, I can manage it alone.”

I cast him an exasperated look. “Holding up a pendant is hardly taxing.”

His eyes gleam with amusement. “But necessary all the same.”

The thought of standing around idly while Elaric is left doing all the work irks me. But hopefully sailing will be easy to learn, and the waves and wind will co-operate with us.

twenty-seven

With our plan decided, Elaric redirects the carriage toward the fishing village. We soar over it before landing near the surrounding woods. The settlement now appears to be a sparkling of fireflies peeking through the dense trees.

After dismissing the carriage, Elaric retrieves the blue vial of Irremisa potion from our sack. Grimly, he pops the cork free and tips back the vial to drink what I estimate to be roughly a fifth.

“Do you think that was enough to suppress your magic?” I ask.

Elaric holds up the vial toward the dim moonlight filtering through the canopy, inspecting its remaining contents. “Let’s hope so. There are few doses left inside it.”

I glance down, noticing the frost already fringing the fallen leaves beneath his boots. His power hasn’t yet reached farther than that, but maybe it’s my immunity preventing its spread.

There’s only one way to tell.

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