Page 10 of A Song of Shadow and Starlight

"You're exceptionally cocky thinking I would need you to save me."

He scoots off the railing and stands to his feet. "Maybe I am cocky; but my instincts are rarely wrong."

He takes a step toward me and if I don't take action, he'll drag me back to that closet and most likely barricade me inside of it until we reach Tronovia. And that simply will not do. Out of sheer desperation, I snatch one of the lanterns hanging against the wall leading down the steps and smash it against the wooden floorboards. I watch as the boat ignites, giving me the distraction I need.

Without looking back at Atlas, I jump overboard, splashing into the cold seawater. I float to the surface and wipe my hair off my face.

The boat is alight with flames and Atlas is nowhere to be seen. My intent wasn't to put any of them in danger, but unless they get off the ship, they'll not only sink, but they'll die. The thought of their blood on my hands doesn't sit well with me, but I remind myself that they are my enemies and I acted in self-preservation.

I need to get to the shoreline. Despite how cold I am, I spear through the turbulent water to the Bavan coastline.

Voices cry out behind me. I know the Tronovians are trying to escape their quickly sinking boat, but I can't make out what they're shouting.

It's not until I hear Eris scream, "Shaye!" that I wade in the sea, risking them catching up to me, to see why she sounded so frightened. She possesses water magic; her surname and tattoos confirm that. She shouldn't be afraid of swimming in the sea.

She's heading toward me, and fast. Even with just the moonlight and the fire on what remains of their vessel, I can see Eris has transformed into her Sea Elf form. Her skin is blue, her teeth are razor sharp, and her hair is a dark blue. Gills along her neck open and close like a fish and I see her webbed fingers with every stroke. I should be terrified of her, but I'm mesmerized. She's just as fantastical as I imagined a Hydran would be.

My stomach sinks when I realize she's not shouting my name. She's screaming, "shark!". I see the aquatic beast's pointy fin slice through the water as it heads straight for me. Panic swallows me and though I'm shrieking internally for my body to move, I can't. Fear envelops me as the shark surfaces, opening it's jagged-teeth jaw, ready to clamp down and drag me down to the dark depths.

Suddenly, another shark made entirely of glowing water crashes into the shark coming for me. With the beast preoccupied with its magical aggressor, I snap out of my stupor and swim as quickly as I can toward land. I feel the tide propel me forward, helping me reach the Bavan coast within minutes.

Lying on my back after crawling out of the water, I stare up at the full moon as I catch my breath. The smell of burning wood and salty sea air fills my nostrils and I'm relieved I'm alive. Eris must have saved me, that's the only explanation for the illuminated shark. I owe her my life, and at a minimum my gratitude, but I don't want to stick around to face the Tronvians' wrath for setting their boat on fire and sinking it.

I'm shivering and chilled to my core, but it's imperative that I get up. I must escape my captors once and for all, and find my way back to Midori. As long as I keep close to the coast and head northeast, I'll come to the bay that divides our countries. I have no real skills to aid me in surviving the long trek home, but I have to try. There's no other option.

"You!" A gruff, exhausted voice bellows from the sea, forcing me to pick up my heavy head to look at him. Atlas is nothing short of furious. If I don't scramble to my feet and run, he'll be upon me in seconds, and I don't want to find out what torture he'll inflict upon me, if he catches me.

"Don't you dare!" he hisses when I stagger to my feet. "Princess, stay right th -"

But I don't wait to hear him finish his threat. It's sheer agony to push myself to my feet, but liberty is within my reach and sheer adrenaline propels me. I stumble toward the jungle, ignoring the Tronovians' curses. Freedom is so close; I can almost taste it. I slip into the humid wilderness, and darkness envelops me.

Idon'tknowhowlong I've been running, but I know for certain I have strayed from the coastline. In my haste to escape my captors, I ventured deeper into the unruly jungle than I intended. The trees are tall and packed in, it blocks out most of the moonlight, making it nearly impossible for me to see three feet in front of me. I am not used to complete darkness and even though I haven't admitted it to anyone before, I am terrified of the dark.

Praying I won't twist or break my ankle or fall into a hole, I press onward, more fearful of who is behind me than what might be ahead of me.

I'm out of breath and my muscles are burning in pain, forcing me to stop. Pressing my back against a mossy tree trunk, I listen for movement to see if anyone is on my trail. I hear nothing. No scuffling feet, no twigs cracking, no heavy breathing. It's quiet except for the croaking of frogs and hissing of nighttime bugs.

Once my lungs cease to feel like they're on fire, I push off the tree and press on. I don't have to see my feet to know they're covered in mud. My toes are freezing and the squishiness I endure with each step makes me queasy. I wish I hadn't been forced to traipse around the jungle barefoot, but I had to take the opportunity to escape while I had it. At this point, I would gladly give my left arm to soak in a warm bubble bath and scrub this filth off my skin.

Bastian will be so proud when I tell him how I outwitted the Tronovians and found my way back to him. I can see his kind blue eyes now; feel his muscular arms tightening around my waist and his lips against mine.

Survive, I tell myself. Survive this jungle. Survive this nightmare. Get home to Bastian and I can put this ugly ordeal behind me. We can get married exactly how we planned. We can still have our fairytale love story. I just need to survive.

As much as I don't want to see the Tronovians again, part of me yearns for their capture, just so I can watch them meet their grisly end. I'm definitely leaning toward tossing them into a pit of venomous snakes and watching them die a slow, agonizing death.

My feet are aching, and I'm forced to stop again to rest. Pressing my palm against a tree, I stretch my back and relish the satisfying crack. Right as my heart begins to slow its pace, something bumps my right foot and keeps moving past me. I feel it circle around and it bumps my left foot. What could it be? I squint but that doesn't help me see the creature lurking beneath me. It isn't until I hear thehisssssof a forked tongue that I realize it is a snake. It’s body coils around my ankles and I'm stuck. Fear grips me to the point I'm too scared to move. His weight on my bare feet makes my skin crawl.

This can’t be how it ends for me. I escape a shark attack just to perish in the middle of the Bavarian jungle, taken out by a belly-slithering abomination.

Heavy footsteps approach me from behind and I hear him before I see him and by then it's too late. Two blades whip toward me. No, not toward me, toward the snake wrapped around my legs. With three quick and skillfully aimed slices, the serpent is cut into four pieces and plops to the ground. My chest rises and falls rapidly. In one night, I've set a ship on fire, narrowly escaped a shark attack, and was almost snake food.

As a child I craved adventure. Now, I want no part of it. I want to go home. I want to soak in a nice warm bath and sleep in my soft bed with dry heat whisking through my chambers.

"Are you alright?" Atlas asks, earning my attention.

I can't show him any fear or sign of weakness. I can't allow him to see me this vulnerable. I am the princess of the most powerful kingdom in Dalerin. I will show him exactly who I am, even if I must fake it.

"I'm fine." I look for his weapons, but they're not in his hands nor attached to his hips. Where he could hide two swords is a mystery, but I'm not going to investigate.

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