“I know. Oh . . .” She looked back and forth between them, her face falling. “Were you talking about Breckon? I’m sorry.”
Wyneth blinked at the sand.
“No,” Aerity said. “I mean, Breckon, he’s always there in our thoughts. Since the start of it all.” She looked at Wyneth, who slowly nodded. “And I don’t want to upset you, Vix, but I need you to be careful where Tiern is concerned.”
Vixie shrugged, looking down at the sand. “He’s my friend.”
“I know. He’s great fun, and he’s been a nice distraction from all this mess, but just be cautious. Of your heart, I mean.Sometimes friendship can lead to deeper feelings.”
Vixie nudged a half shell with her toe. “Well, he is handsome, I suppose.”
Aerity closed her eyes. “See, that’s what I mean, Vix. But you must know, if he kills the beast, I will marry him. He will be mine, perhaps not his heart, but he’ll be the father of my children, the father of this land’s future rulers.”
“I see.” Vixie dug her toes hard into the sand, her face unreadable, then she stood. “I’ll keep my distance. And from all the other hunters, as well, seeing as they’re all yours.”
Wyneth jumped to her feet, speaking sharply. “Obviously your sister does not want all these lads for herself, and she doesn’t want to hold you back from fancying anyone, Vixie. It’s time to grow up. This is about the kingdom, not you. Don’t make this any harder on Aer than it has to be.”
Vixie slumped. “I’m not trying to. Honestly, I wasn’t thinking of him as her future husband. He’s just the first lad I’ve ever been around who makes me feel like a normal girl.”
Aerity stood now, too. “I understand, and I’ve enjoyed seeing you happy. I don’t want you to end up heartbroken. That’s all.” She pushed unruly, salty red curls over Vixie’s shoulder, thinking of all the festivals the younger princess would attend in the next year. If her sister could keep her heart from settling on Tiern for a bit longer, Aerity was certain she would be just fine.
Vixie crossed her arms and her disappointed eyes went to the expanse between islands, where the lads still rested. Herjaw set in frustration and she kicked the sand, splattering the water. “I wish I could kill this stupid beast myself.”
“And then I’d have to marry you.” The moment Aerity said it, all three girls began laughing. Aerity adored the beautiful smiles on their faces.
From behind them, a distant scrape and bang sounded, followed by a pained grunt, cutting their laughter short. All three lasses turned their heads. They could see nothing but the building with overgrown weeds and vines.
“What was that?” Vixie asked.
Aerity listened hard. “The guard must have tripped on a faulty board or something.”
“Do you think he’s okay?” Wyneth asked.
Aerity continued to listen. “I’m sure he’s fine. . . .” An uneasy feeling of dread spread through her stomach.
“I’ll call him.” Vixie sucked in a breath to yell, but a strange sense of foreboding filled Aerity and she covered her sister’s mouth.
“No, keep quiet. We’ll have a look.”
She led the way over small dunes with dense, tall patches of beach grass sprouting upward. “Watch out for stickers.” Aerity pointed to a thorny tangle of brush growing close to the ground.
They neared the stone and wood building, which Aerity knew to have entrances on all sides, some open to the elements after the doors had been battered away by storm winds. Another burst of sea breeze brought an unpleasant whiff ofdeath, and the girls covered their mouths and noses.
“Must be a dead gull,” Aerity said.
“More like a hundred of them.” Vixie waved the air in front of her face.
“I’ll check the warehouse side and meet you around back,” Wyneth said. Aerity nodded and took Vixie by the arm, keeping her close when she looked as if she wanted to dart ahead, her eyes alight with adventure.
Stepping carefully onto the stone entryway, Aerity peered up at the overhang, which seemed solid. Gazing into the dim entry sent Aerity into a tailspin of nostalgia—the desk that was once used to check-in trade goods, and the open area to the side for keeping files of data. The girls used to play here, pretending to be queens of different lands bringing their foreign goods to barter. It looked the very same, if not smaller.
There was no sign of their guard.
“He must be around back,” Aerity whispered. At one time, all large shipments were brought to the back entrance with its wide, warehouse door.
“Why are we whispering?” Vixie whispered.
“I don’t know. I’m . . . nervous or something.”
