Page 62 of Prince of the Northwest Forest
“Nothing can happen between us,” I say. “I made no promises of loyalty to my future bride, but I don’t want to face her having just slept with another.”
“What do you think we’re doing right now?” Justice asks.
“You know I don’t mean literally sleeping. That’s no big deal. But having had sex with another. That seems … distasteful to me. Not the sex part. That sounds divine.” I run a hand down my face. “Ugh. This is so hard.”
“I know what’s hard,” he mutters.
I can’t help it. I laugh. Because it’s either laugh or cry, and I don’t want to cry.
Eventually we both fall asleep.
When I wake up, my arm is thrown across his waist and I’m spooning him. My face is buried in his neck, and I smell the soap he used to wash himself last night.
I slept very well.
And that makes me think of all the things I want but cannot have.
No good will come from thinking that way. I need to put some distance between us, but I can’t.
We have a breakfast of canned fruit and crackers, and then we heat up more water, wash the dishes, pack up the trash so we can take it with us, and leave a note for the owner saying thank you and that we will restock.
“How are your feet doing?” I ask Justice. “Are you okay to go?”
He nods. “Never better. How are you going to pay back this cabin owner?”
“That’s an issue,” I say. “It will take longer than usual, because I can’t send word via blue jay. But I’ll make sure it happens.”
“Are we going to see those wood nymphs that you keep talking about today?” Justice asks.
“Definitely.”
Then we set off to Icedonia.
Chapter Eighteen
JUSTICE
Today, for the most part, we’re headed uphill, and it’s getting colder and colder. Which makes sense, because we’re going to the ice realm. It just feels weird, since it’s, you know, June in North America.
The forest is also getting more and more dense, with the trees closer together and the hike up the mountain steeper. Soon we’ll be in the snow.
Staying with Kalle in the log cabin last night was the stuff of my dreams. I love places like that—just big enough, but not too big. Comfortable but not excessive. Warm, clean, tidy, and useful. I could’ve moved in.
Especially when Kalle confessed that he might have feelings for me. Knowing that this isn’t one-sided makes bunnies hop up and down my insides.
But—and here’s where the bunnies all jump off a cliff—we’re on a quest to find Kalle’s fiancée. I remind myself: No matter what, he can’t be mine.
I want to ask him if he’d kiss me anyway.
I haven’t known him long, but I know what he’d say: no. His duty is to his future queen. He’s going to find his bride. He’llnever cheat on her, even though he doesn’t have any feelings for her whatsoever.
I still want to be his friend and wish we could stay in touch after he’s married.
Tugging on my backpack straps, I blurt out a question before I end up asking him about any of the topics I really want to discuss. “Do you think we’re moving fast enough to find Princess Eleanor?”
“I don’t know,” Kalle says, his cloak over his head because the rain is coming down, making the day feel even colder. I’m wearing a beanie, which is mostly keeping me dry, but at some point, I’m going to need to warm up like last night.
“I guess all we can do is hope, right?” I step carefully over a log, then hold out a hand to help Kalle across.
