Page 72 of Prince of the Northwest Forest
… with a sad look on his face.
We get dressed and pack our bags. Our clothing was cleaned overnight—Icedonia must have magic like that of the wood nymphs—and provisions from the Ice Palace kitchen were delivered to our room, so we are ready to go.
“How long is it going to take us to get to the Fire Realm?” Justice asks as we head out of our room and down the hall, Hazel and Martin joining us.
“A few days, I think. But it’s going to be tough. There aren’t very many trees in the Fire Realm, so we won’t be able to enjoy the wood nymphs’ hospitality. We’ll need to watch out for firecats. And we will have to pack more water.”
He nods. “We can conserve. That’s fine.”
At breakfast, Prince Felix keeps looking between us with a knowing smirk. But I can hold my head up high. I may be emotionally involved with Justice, but I have not given in to my urges to kiss his lips and caress his body.
Fine lines.
Lines I keep redrawing.
I need to find out what happened with Princess Eleanor. I’m glad she’s safe, but if she was complicit in her own kidnapping, then what can we do to save the Northwest Forest? Must I convince her to marry me, even though it isn’t what either of us want?
Firecats.
And what about Justice? If this quest is all I’m ever going to get of him, I want to take advantage of our time together. I’m feeling selfish for the first time in my life.
And, if I’m still to marry someone for the good of my realm, perhaps the last.
Chapter Twenty
JUSTICE
The next few days are misery.
We’re in the Fire Realm, which has far fewer trees or animals than anywhere else we’ve been, and we’re starting to get low on food. While Felix provided us with rations, we’re now supplementing with my granola bars, which are starting to taste like sawdust. At night, Kalle and I stay in my tent and cuddle up in the freezing temperatures. Funny it’s so cold in the Fire Realm, but we’re not near the heat of Mount Pátu yet.
I can tell that Kalle is getting more and more uneasy as we approach the volcano. The closer we get, the more steam vents and ash we see. I can also tell that this is why it’s so important that the Northwest Forest soothe its relationship with the Fire Realm. There’s devastation everywhere.
Clouds of soot darken the days, and we’re cold and dirty all the time. There isn’t much water. My feet are tired. But I keep walking and doing my best to keep Kalle’s spirits up.
“Have I mentioned that I have a fear of volcanoes?” I say lightly, as we trudge along the ashy path between some sparse, dead trees.
“No, you haven’t.”
“I don’t like magma.”
“Lava. Well, it’s called magma before it comes out of the ground.”
“Whatever.” I push a pine branch out of my face. “When you were a little kid, didn’t you play ‘hot lava’? Where you had to go around the room without touching the floor, because the floor was dangerous?”
Kalle gives me an amused expression. “No.”
I huff. “Figures. You’re a prince. You only did princely things.”
“Rather, yes.”
“Well, from playing that game, I got the idea that I wasn’t supposed to touch lava?—”
“You certainly aren’t.”
“Right,” I say. “And then from watching one of theStar Warsmovies, I got the idea that it would be bad to bathe in lava.”
Kalle stiffens. “Who on earth would do that?”
