Page 55 of Quest for her Knights
I decide to take a few laps around the water. It feels nice to stretch out my limbs after spending so much time traveling. I keep eyeing the waterfall and decide that jumping from the top into the pond would be a lot of fun. After all, what’s the point in coming to a strange new realm if I don’t get to experience a little adventure along with it?
I glance over at Ranger, immediately knowing he won’t like the idea. What are the chances I’ll have another chance to do something like this? I’ve watched lots of videos of people jumping off cliffs into the water below and always thought it looked fun. And those were two to three times the height of the waterfall, so I’m sure it’s safe enough. The water looks pretty deep in that part of the pond.
I swim to where the three of them are lounging in the water, talking, but as soon as I get within earshot, their conversation stops. I try not to bristle, but it doesn’t help my self-esteem when they treat me differently from one another.
Even if I can never have a romantic relationship with them, I’d still give anything for them to let their guard down around me and treat me like a friend. I suppose they’ll always see me as royalty and nothing more.
Well, if they aren’t going to relax around me, I’ll have to find my own fun. Their silence makes me even more determined to jump.
“Can someone help me out, please?” I ask, gesturing at the rock where they helped me in. “I need to relieve myself,” I lie.
“Of course, Princess,” Arrow says a little too formally, as he moves over to the edge with me. “Turn around,” he commands, and I spin to face him.
His large hands wrap around my waist and he easily lifts me up and sets me in a seated position on the edge of the rock. He pulls his hands back and they graze my legs, sending goosebumps across my skin.
He clears his throat, mumbling, “Sorry,” as he swims back to the other two.
I roll my eyes at his behavior and spin around, climbing to my feet. I purposely go around the opposite side of the waterfall to where I know Draven is standing guard.
When I get out of everyone’s sight, I see an easy enough path to take me up to the top. Smiling, I quickly climb up it, and within two minutes, I’m standing at the top of the waterfall looking down at the pond, which now looks a lot higher than the twenty-five feet I thought it was when looking up from below.
I swallow the lump in my throat as I consider if this is a smart idea. Nobody has seen me yet. I can just go back down, and nobody will know I chickened out.
I start to take a step backwards when someone yells, “Elora!” My body jerks in surprise and I tilt my head to see Ranger staring up at me with anger in his eyes. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. “Back away right now!”
I had already decided not to jump, but hearing him yell at me has my bratty instincts lighting up. Ihaveto disobey him, otherwise, he’ll think he’s completely in charge of all of my choices. And so far, he has been. But this one little jump is something I can decide for myself.
I take a small step forward as I glance back down at him. “Don’t you dare jump!” I move my other foot forward so I’m standing right at the edge now. “Elora! I’m warning you, don’t do it!”
“Princess, you better listen to him!” Arrow yells from his side.
“We don’t want you to get hurt,” Blaze adds.
I swallow heavily and glance to where Draven was standing, but he’s no longer there. I hear a sound behind me, and glance over my shoulder. Draven is only ten feet behind me, and was clearly trying to sneak up on me. I narrow my eyes at him then quickly turn back to stare down Ranger.
He opens his mouth, but before he can threaten me again, I leap forward off the edge. My arms windmill at my sides as I drop down towards the pond and plunge through the water.
Relief fills me when I sink through that water and don’t hit the ground. I push myself up and break through the surface, taking in a big lungful of air before laughing.
“That was awesome!”
I look around and see Arrow, Blaze and Ranger all swimming towards me as fast as they can. I pivot around, wondering if there is something dangerous behind me, but I quickly realize there’s nothing else here. They’re coming forme.
As they swim, I get glimpses of their faces, and they don’t look happy. I was treading water but I start to swim backwards, away from them, suddenly a little fearful of how they’re going to react.
Ranger reaches me first. Grabbing my shoulders and spinning me around, he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me against his body as he swims back to the other end of the pond.
“Hey! I can swim.” He doesn’t stop, so I try again. “Ranger, seriously, I’m not hurt, I can swim just fine.”
We get to the edge, and he lifts me up the same way Arrow had. Only he hoists himself up beside me.
Before I get more than a second to admire his dripping wet, almost-naked body, he snaps at me angrily. “You’ve lost your swimming privileges.”
“Ex-squeeze me?” I ask in surprise. “I’ll swim when I want to.”
He takes my hands and pulls me to my feet.
“Not under my watch.”
