Beguiled (The Fairest Maidens #2) - Jody Hedlund Page 0,48

that was cold and lifeless. As I approached, Pearl crossed her arms as though to shield herself. From what? From me?

Surely she sensed my loyalty to her by now. “I’ll not let her have you.”

“You may not have a choice.”

When I stopped in front of her, I wanted to wrap my arms around her and hold her tight, especially when she turned the full force of her gaze upon me, her green eyes so luminous and beautiful above the line of her veil. I started to reach for her, but she held up a hand. “I shall not let you touch me and attempt to mold me into doing as you wish.”

“I only do so because I care about you.” The words slipped out before I could filter them. Nevertheless, once spoken, I was relieved she knew the truth.

Her eyes flickered with accusation. “You could have died today.”

I took a step closer so I almost touched her, but I refrained. “Does that mean you care about me too?”

“It means pack your bags swiftly if you do not wish for me to leave you behind.”

Although she might not admit she was beginning to care about me too, I sensed she’d been as worried about me during the battle with the Inquisitor and Loch Ness as I had been about her.

“We’ll rest a few hours,” I insisted. “Then we’ll start off before dawn.”

She took a breath as though she might protest, but then she nodded. “Very well.”

We stood face-to-face, neither of us moving. My fingers itched with the need to reach for the strings of her veil. I wanted to untie them, let the silk fall away, and prove to myself and to her that whatever deformities or scars she was hiding didn’t matter. I’d failed to convey that after our kiss and wanted to make up for my mistake.

Although I wanted to accept her and value those blemishes because they were what had shaped her into the strong woman she’d become, was I truly ready to see her flaws? Could I do so without reacting? I wanted to think I could, but was I strong enough?

Even as I longed to break down the last barriers that stood between us, I knew that for now, the veil could keep her safe from recognition, especially as we traveled into Warwick amongst people who would more readily identify her as the princess she was.

Furthermore, I wanted her to be the one to remove the veil of her own free will. And I sensed she would only do so when she felt as though she could trust me completely. After all that had happened with her mother, her trust was the one thing that would be hardest to earn but would also be the most valuable.

Thus, I would bide my time and leave the veil in place.

Chapter

16

Pearl

The voyage to Warwick took longer than I wanted. But I respected Mikkel’s desire for caution. We sailed south in the calm waters of Oceanus along the coastline of the Great Isle, making our way at night and then finding secluded places to hide during the day.

Before departing, Mikkel and I had approached Irontooth with our plans. Though Mikkel reassured our leader he’d return within a month to finish his Testing, I’d sensed resignation from Irontooth, as though he realized, just as I did, that this new mission made the rescue of the women from Fife look like child’s play.

Even so, Irontooth had insisted on giving us a purse of silver that we could use to purchase supplies and food along the way. I privately vowed to repay Irontooth someday for his kindness, though I knew not how.

A week passed by the time we docked at the Cambrian Lowlands in Warwick. There Mikkel secured mounts from local sheep farmers. Then we set out with all haste to reach the woodland that bordered the mountains, anxious to find cover within the forest.

During our journey, whenever we needed anything, Mikkel insisted that Gregor and I wait in hiding as he conducted the bargaining. While he didn’t say so, I knew he was afraid people would take more notice of me because of my veil and Gregor for his scars. And we didn’t need any undue attention. He also insisted I wear my veil to hide my identity as Princess Pearl. I understood his reasoning and agreed, but a part of me wondered if he was glad for the excuses, so he could put off looking at the real me for as