We’re alone.
Galinor looks as if he doesn’t know what to say. After a moment, he whispers, “I’m sorry, Anwen.”
The way he moves his hands when he says the wordsmakes me think he might embrace me, but then he drops his arms to his sides.
I smile, but there’s no joy behind it. “It’s my fault. I was a fool to trust him.”
Galinor’s eyes flash with emotion, and he takes a step forward. “It was foolish to give him your father’s stone, yes. But why was it foolish to think he loved you?”
I bite my lip, hoping to trap my emotions inside, but my eyes already sting. I look away and shrug. For once, I wish he would go away. To have Galinor know how I was used makes me feel pathetic and small.
Turning back to the door, I softly say, “It’s late, and I’m tired. Sleep well.”
“Anwen—”
I’ll never know what he’s about to say because a blood-curdling shriek rings through the night.
Rosie.
“Stay here,” Galinor commands before he takes off for the front of the wagon.
I cross my arms, fully intending to listen to him this time. Then I hear a low feline hiss.
I race for the campfire. “Pika!”
The cat crouches low, facing Irving with her back to Rosie. Agitated, her tail whips across the grass. Irving holds his hands up, trying to talk the glasseln down.
Terrified, Rosie has flattened herself against the caravan cart.
Unfortunately, her shriek didn’t only alert our party. Even as I take in the scene, other dark figures race to our fire. Judging from the glinting of steel in the firelight, they are armed.
“Pika, no!” I race past the feline’s outstretched wings.
When she hears my voice, she immediately sits—though she continues to glare at Irving. One last hiss escapes her, and then she becomes calm. She leans her head over for me to scratch, looking proud of herself for cornering the prince.
“What happened?” I demand.
Before Irving can answer me, a nearby man aims his bow at Pika.
“No!” I scream.
Without thinking, I leap in front of the cat. The arrow pierces my thigh, and I cry out as I fall to my knees, clutching my leg.
Pandemonium breaks out around me. Galinor takes after the man who shot me, and other men soon attack Galinor. Drawing his sword, Irving joins them. Dristan and Bran, who have come out of their tent to see what the ruckus is about, race in to defend their comrades.
Pika crouches low, preparing to leap into the air. She’ll kill someone if I don’t do something, and then she’ll be put to death.
“Pika, no,” I gasp. Before someone else can shoot at her, I pull myself up and call for her to follow me.
She comes, though she pauses several times, looking as if she’s going to join the fray.
I hold firm to her coat as I drag myself along. Finally, we make it to the back of the caravan cart. I fling the door open and frantically attempt to pull her inside. Marigold gasps when she sees me.
“What’s going on out there?” she demands, and then she spots Pika. “What are you doing?”
“They’ll kill her!” I cry.
Changing tactics, I get behind the cat and shove her into the cart. She barely fits through the narrow doorway.
