A Captive of Wing and Feather A Retelling of Swan Lake - Melanie Cellier Page 0,24

work at the Keep. She’d never even mentioned such a thing before. And no one has heard from her since.>

Gabe gazed in the direction of the Keep. I could guess what he must be thinking, so I wrote again, having to flip the page over as I had filled it already.

Gabe looked at the words and then at me, brows raised.

“So that’s what you’re doing here.”

I worried at my lip, wondering how much to tell him.

“Addie.” He took my left hand in both of his. “I can understand how you feel given the situation with Audrey. But I’m not her. I’m the crown prince of this kingdom. I guarantee that I’m not going to walk up to that gate, disappear inside, and never be heard from again. And just to be sure, I took the precaution of letting the innkeeper know where I was going. Leander won’t harm me, and he won’t imprison me. He wouldn’t dare. We need to know what’s going on in there, and this is our best chance.”

The words looked dark on the page from the pressure of my pen.

“What sort of plan? As in, you’re willing to see what your brother can do to get you out of this enchantment?”

I stiffened at the suggestion and shook my head vehemently. For a brief second, Gabe looked a little too satisfied with my answer. I suspected he was already invested enough in his adventure to not like the idea of sitting back and waiting for others to arrive.

“In that case, we could talk for a week, and we’re not going to come up with a better plan than my walking up to the gate and demanding entry,” he said. “And if I’m going to do it, I might as well do it now.”

I frowned. I didn’t like the plan, but I couldn’t think of any arguments likely to sway him. After a reluctant moment, I sighed and put pen to paper again.

“Everything you’ve learned?” Gabe sounded surprised. “Just what have you been doing here? How often do you come?”

I kept my words as brief as possible, but he still had to retrieve another piece of paper before I had finished explaining my daily mission with my birds and what we had discovered—from the number of servants and guards, to their daily movements, and the rough layout of important rooms and buildings. It was an incomplete picture, but hopefully better than nothing.

When I finished, Gabe looked impressed.

“I would never have dreamed swans could be so useful,” he said.

He nodded, but his attention was already on the distant Keep. He glanced back my way and threw me a smile.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. And don’t wait here—you should go to the haven, and I’ll come straight there once I’m finished. But don’t worry if that’s not anytime soon. This Lord Leander will no doubt feel obliged to host a meal and offer me a bed for the night.”

I didn’t like the sound of that, but I reluctantly nodded. There was nothing else for me to do, especially since there seemed no point in telling him that my concerns were less for him and more for Audrey. Who knew how Leander would respond if he realized Gabe had some interest in her?

Gabe smiled again, oblivious to my thoughts, and strode back onto the road, moving quickly toward the Keep. He had almost disappeared from sight when I remembered one small thing I could do.

“Eagle?” I bugled the name, and the black feathers swung back into sight. Tipping my head, I called up to her. “Will you stay here? Keep an eye on him? And come and fetch me if you see him get into trouble?”

She bugled back to me, sounding pleased enough with the request. She must have decided she liked him then, after all. I watched her turn and flap in the direction he had disappeared, remaining in place until she also left my sight.

Then, with a sigh, I began the trudge back to Brylee.

Chapter 8

Quiet greeted me at the haven’s entry, so I headed straight back toward the kitchen. Sure enough, I found Cora there, enjoying a moment of quiet before the lunch preparations began. For the second day in a row, Wren was here as well, although this time