Page 74 of Deadwood
AURIA
Change probably didn’t need to involve hiking into the woods after the sun had gone down, but I’d already made it to the cave I’d spotted on my walk, so there was no point in going back now.
The protection of the tunnel was a welcome relief from the almost-painful winds outside. I was thankful my hair was tied back in a braid, otherwise it would have been all over the place, and I’d have turned back not even twenty feet in. Hiking in a dress, though, was not the most ideal. I should have opted for the leather pants and shirt Siara had left for me, but it had felt inappropriate to wear to a dinner, no matter how informal it might have been.
It wasn’t just my curiosity that led me into this cave, though. It was the urge to be alone. In Amosite, I had had no company aside from the guards who were always strangers, sometimes a chat with my maid, and a visit with Taylin if I was allowed. Other than them, I was typically by myself, with only my thoughts to keep me company. After so long of that, the social interaction that’d been required on this trip was exhausting, and I needed a moment away.
Did I need to do it at night by exploring a mysterious cave system? Probably not. But in being able to make my own decisions, I wanted to do something risky and not be told,No, you can’t do that.It’s not safe.
I wasn’t a shard of glass, fragile in its imperfect state, yet I was treated like I might break at any moment. It wasn’t for the fear of losingme, though. It was for the services I offered that might be lost. Which led me back to the confusion of my father forcing me into an engagement with Lander. Did he truly plan on us having a wedding or was this all simply for show? To bring the kingdoms back together so trade could be as it once was, but never with the intent for us to get past this stage?
Ahead of me, a drip sounded, echoing throughout the tunnel. I paused, waiting to hear if it continued, but it was only the one. To be sure it didn’t actually come from behind me, I turned around, but as soon as I shone the lantern into the dark space, my heart leapt into my throat.
“Scared of the dark, Princess?”
I sucked in a breath, jumping back at least a foot as my hand came up to cover my heart. The shock was more than enough to cover the pins and needles that worked their way up my leg. “Holy gods.”
“What are you up to?” Bowen asked, not moving from his spot.
“Living with no regrets,” I spit at him, trying to calm the racing beat of my pulse.
He cocked a brow, and I turned back around, heading deeper into the cave. He quickly caught up, matching my stride. “Exploring caves during a storm was not my suggestion.”
“No?” I acted oblivious, like maybe he truly had advised such a thing.
“I told you to have your freedom, Princess, but not to be foolish about it.” His voice didn’t hold the same stern edge the guards’ did when they commanded me to do things. A small vibration rolled through the ground, and he gritted out, “We need to get out of the damn cave.”
I ignored the sudden bite in his tone. “You can leave at any time if you’re so scared. Plus, I don’t think I need to listen to you.” My eyes searched the textured walls around us.
He hummed, our steps echoing off the stone. He was matching my slower pace due to catering to my ankle. “You should.”
My fingers around the handle of the lantern tightened. “Will you lock me away if I don’t?”
In the faint glow of the flame, I could see the firm set of his mouth and the frown that pulled at the corners. “No.”
“Will you punish me for not obeying?”
Another vibration beneath our feet had his hands flexing at his sides. “No.”
“Are these orders to turn around?” With each question, we moved deeper and deeper into the tunnel. The glimmer of the rings in the sky no longer lit up a portion of the cave. It was truly pitch black, save for the fire.
“No.”
“Then I don’t see why I should turn back if it’s not what I want to do.” I was aware of what I was doing, how stubborn I was being, and yet, I pressed on.
“Because it’s not safe to be in the caves during a storm of this severity,” he stated.
“Why’s that?”
He stepped over a stray rock in our path. “The storms can influence the shifting of the earth, and you don’t want to get stuck down here. Believe me.”
“Have you before?”
“No. But I know people who have.”
I dipped my chin, keeping a close eye on the ground to be sure not to trip. “Ah, so they lived to tell the tale. We’ll be okay.”
“I never said they lived, Princess.”
