long.”
“Go,” he ordered her quietly.
Caleb waited outside, mounted on his snorting white war-horse. When Shauna saw him, she thought he looked like some deadly, wild beast eager to begin the hunt. But there was something else too, and as she realized what it was, a tender smile curled her full lips. Her brother looked like a king.
They prayed before they left, led by Pastor Joseph and then they filled the air with a bloodcurdling cry. The Warriors were on their way to war.
Willow opened her eyes and lay still, listening to the sound of footsteps growing louder. Someone was coming. She sat up and moved closer to the wall. It could be Seth, but it could also be Drakar. She waited, her heart pounding in her chest like a drum, her breath halted into tight gasps as the door was unlocked.
“Good morning, lovely,” Seth sang cheerfully. He offered her a dazzling smile as if he were her husband coming home from a long, hot day’s work in the fields.
She closed her eyes, sighing silently in relief that her visitor was not Drakar. “Is it morning already?”
“Yes.” He stood over her and grinned. “I’m sorry there are no windows, but I have a surprise for you.”
“You’re going to help me escape?” Willow drawled hatefully.
Seth shook his head, that stupid grin still plastered on his face. “Say hello to Willow, Martin,” he called into the air. Willow followed his gaze, looking at the west wall, then at the left. The poor fool was daft.
“Hello, Willow flower.”
Willow looked back at the west wall, hearing the soft echo of the frail voice that could only belong to Martin. She smiled and looked at Seth.
“Where is he?”
“Right next door.” He leaned his shoulder against the wall, crossing his ankles. “You’re lovely when you smile.”
Willow ignored him. “Is Martin staying?” When Seth nodded, she thanked him quietly, but he laughed at the stubborn smile that played at the corners of her mouth.
Before she could blink, Seth was crouching before her, his gaze level with hers. “You’re not angry with me anymore?”
Looking away from him, Willow shrugged her shoulders. “Why should you care?”
“Because I like you,” he said simply. He lifted his hand to her hair and plucked a tiny feather from her chestnut tresses.
It wasn’t so long ago that Caleb had touched her hair before the soft glow of a fire, and she pulled away from his touch. But she had changed, she realized. She was no longer the stuffy, spoiled princess she was once. As much as she didn’t want Seth touching her, he hadn’t been completely unkind to her. She thought it best though that he knew now what his chances were of her ever caring for him.
“Seth,” she said softly, “I’ve given my heart to a man I love more than life. I can smell him, even now on my clothes. My heart calls to him. My only hope in this place is to see his face again.”
Seth blinked. “A fortunate man.” He lowered his fingers to a bruise on her cheek.
Now Willow did pull away from him. She closed her eyes. “Leave me alone, please.”
Seth rose to his feet and went to the door, seemingly unscathed by her rejection. “Oh, I almost forgot. King Baltrasard was not in Beldar. We’re still trying to find him, so don’t worry.”
Willow jumped to her feet and then winced at the manacle cutting through her ankle. “But he’s sick. He has to be there.”
“Maybe he went to the healers in Alare. Or maybe he’s out looking for you,” Seth suggested. He saw the panic in her eyes and dropped his gaze to the frantic pulse beat at her throat. “Don’t fear.” He smiled, lifting his gaze to hers again. “We’ll find him.” He left the room without another word.
“Willow?” Martin called to her when the sound of Seth’s footsteps could be heard no more. “He likes you.”
“Yes, I know.” She sat back down on the floor with a defeated thump.
“Very much it seems,” Martin pointed out.
“I don’t care, Martin,” she muttered. Hopelessness was overwhelming her. She was beginning to drown in it. Could it be that her father was truly looking for her? And if so, how long had he been looking? Oh, she prayed someone was looking for her. Poor Jonas was probably baked on the Plains outside of Londa by now, and Caleb wouldn’t even know she was missing for at least two weeks when Jonas should have arrived back home.
“Well,” Martin’s voice broke