Page 5 of Tower of Tempest
Driscoll pointed at me. “Is your head growing?” He looked at Leoni. “Is his head growing? Yes, yes, it is, in fact, reaching new levels of bigheadedness. I thought I was vain.”
He was. Very.
I laughed. Worked again. They were so shocked they forgot they were in the middle of an argument. I’d developed many tactics to stop the bickering between them over the last few months. To keep the peace.
“I was joking,” I said, spinning forward. “Mostly.”
“The ladies do love him,” Leoni said.
“What about you?” Driscoll asked, his voice full of mischief. “You ever have a crush on the playboy prince? A fantasy about him sweeping you up in those big strong arms?”
Leoni pushed a wayward branch aside as she marched forward. “I don’t have fantasies like that.”
Driscoll looked horrified. “Then what kind of fantasies do you have?”
“None of your business,” she said.
“Challengeaccepted,” Driscoll responded.
Oh, spirits below.
“That was not a challenge!” Leoni said, her short legs pumping faster, presumably to get away from Driscoll, but he easily caught up with her.
“It was.” Driscoll raised his pert nose in the air. “Before the end of this journey, I’m going to figure out what gets the captain of the guard all hot and bothered.”
Leoni huffed. “Good luck, you strange, strange man.”
“So you don’t have fantasies about big strong princes like Prince Lochlan,” Driscoll muttered. “Good to know.”
“He’s my best friend’s younger brother.” Leoni snorted. “I grew up with him, Gabby, and Mal. They’re all like my annoying siblings.”
“Gabby and Mal are annoying,” I corrected. “I’m the cool and fun older brother.”
“We’re the same age,” Leoni said.
At least she hadn’t disagreed about the cool or fun part. But she was right: we were both twenty-eight years old.
I had no idea why Gabby thought it would be a good idea for Leoni and Driscoll to help me with this mission. Leoni was feisty, I’d give her that, but she barely reached my chest. She’d been Gabby’s captain of the guard, until Gabby decided to abandon her duties and run off on a pirate ship. Or sail off, more accurately. Leoni decided to come with me on this mission to prove herself, to prove she wasn’t just good enough to be Gabby’s captain of the guard, but that maybe she could be mine. I hated to break it to her, but I had no need of a captain of the guard. She’d chosen to protect the wrong brother. It was my little brother, Mal, who would ascend to king now that Gabby had given up her crown. Hopefully I’d be back in time for his coronation.
And Driscoll, well, Driscoll liked to talk. A lot. About himself, mainly. Also about others. I’d heard every piece of gossip the earth court had to offer. Other than running his mouth, I wasn’t sure what Driscoll could offer.
Gabby had promised they’d be an asset, but I had yet to see how that was true.
The woman’s face flashed in my mind again. Once I found her,whoever she was, hopefully they didn’t scare her off with their constant chatter.
Not when I desperately needed her help. I glanced down under my tunic at the fatal blue lines stretching toward my heart. I didn’t know how, but I had a feeling this woman was the key to helping me, that she and I were somehow linked.
I would save her from this tower, and she’d save me in return from this damn curse. Then I could go home, and everything could go back to normal.
Driscoll ran to catch up to me. “Hey, do you see that? Up ahead!”
I squinted. Light streamed through the trees, bright and beckoning. Adrenaline began pumping at the sight. I broke into a run, jumping over logs and stray branches, darting through trees.
“Ugh, not running,” Driscoll muttered. “I hate running.”
“I’ll race you,” Leoni taunted.
“You’re the size of a mouse,” Driscoll retorted. “I’m pretty sure I can beat you.”
