Page 74 of A Princess, Stolen
I blinked. “Why?”
“I want to be closer to you than is good for me. Closer than is good for the plan. I want to tell you things that I haven’t told anyone.” His eyes darkened.
A hot-cold shiver ran down my spine. “About what?”
“About my mom and dad. About my family and Coldville. About my trip along the Mississippi. About so many things.”
I looked into his idiosyncratic face, which was now overshadowed by gentleness. He smelled of mint and the sea. A little of salt. Of great sadness and a heavy but good heart.
He carefully pushed the sleeve of my sweater up a little. “The ribbon is a little shorter than before because I had to rip it open and mend it, but I’m sure it will still fit.” He carefully wrapped it around my wrist and tied it. I felt his fingers as I had back then. They were shaking a little and they were still rough and calloused, torn and crusted with blood…but the touch…it was infinitely gentle. Another shiver ran lightly over my skin like a shadow. Hot-cold-hot.
When he was finished, he didn’t let go of me. His hands were around my wrist and he gazed at me like I was a gift he had been given without asking for it. “How do you do it?” he asked, sounding completely confused.
“Do what?”
“I swear if there was medicine for this, I would take it.” He shook his head. “Even though you are the hostage, I feel like I am your prisoner. I can’t do anything about it, it’s like I’m under a spell.”
Chapter 15
Hazy morning light filtered through the tiny porthole, bathing the room in an unreal light. Nathan was no longer here, and the room felt terrifyingly empty and meaningless without him.
For a few seconds, I just sat there, clutching Nathan’s bracelet, trying to calm down. There was still a deep, icy fear inside me that could wash over me like a wave at any moment. It wasn’t only my fear of Isaac or the fact that I’d almost drowned, there was something inside me, a memory I couldn’t detect that I didn’t want to see, but I knew it was hidden deep inside me.
For a moment, I covered my eyes with my hands and felt my cold fingers on my throbbing eyelids. Then I looked at the dresser. Someone had left me a tray with a steaming drink and a sandwich.
Carefully, I brought it to the bed and read the note next to it.
For Will.
No nuts or eggs. Promise. Oh yes, if you need fresh clothes, feel free to use my things again.
N.
A touch of warmth returned to my cold limbs.
I carefully sipped the peppermint tea and took a few bites of the sandwich. So much was going through my mind. I wondered how Nathan was going to prevent Isaac from coming on board since a few of his people were on Isaac’s side. They all had a common plan that Nathan certainly couldn’t simply sabotage. Or could he? And, if so, who would support him? Or would there be a mutiny? And in case everything went smoothly, how was Nathan going to get my father to meet his demands? How long would he hold me prisoner?
I stroked the rough fibers of the bracelet.
And it doesn’t sparkle like your Mr. Sparkles…
I felt that something still connected us. But it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough to make Nathan abandon the plan and release me.
There was only one thing I could deduce from this: My father must be a real monster in his eyes if he was risking my safety for that one thing.
Wearily, I rubbed my forehead, peeled myself out of bed, and removed a change of clothes from the dresser. I had to shower and change, and I urgently needed to use the bathroom. But more importantly, I needed and wanted to finally thank Pan.
I paused for a moment in front of the closed door and listened. The hallway was quiet. It could mean that Sparta was sleeping, but he could just as easily be awake in his cell, just waiting for me to come out of the hole like a mouse. But it was useless. I had to use the bathroom and I couldn’t hide from him forever.
Timidly, I opened the door and stared at the gigantic body in front of me.
“Pan?” I asked cautiously since he wasn’t wearing the oxblood bandana he usually wore. My goodness, he and his brother were the real clones.
“Prinsessa! You back on feet!” He turned abruptly and hugged me so tightly that I heard my ribs groan and I accidentally dropped my change of clothes. I felt like I was in a fruit press, but I let it happen.
“Thank you!” I said as he let me go. I looked up at him from below. “If you hadn’t been so attentive, I would have…”
“Attentive!” He laughed loudly and picked up my clothes. “Good word. Prinsessa speak. I eyes and ears everywhere. I watch after you.” Suddenly, I couldn’t imagine that he had seemed so scary to me at first. Now he seemed more like a good-natured grizzly. “You want shower?” he asked, pushing the clothes back into my hand. “I must know.”
