“Going for a swim. Need to build this muscle back up after all.”
“Hmm…” said Juliana, not looking at him.
He stripped to his underwear and barrelled into the water in a fashion most inelegant, kicking up water beneath his feet. It was a warm day, and the water felt cool against his skin. He glanced back to see if Jules was watching, but discovered she’d managed to slip past him and was already leagues ahead, dividing the water in swift, easy strokes.
He followed her, splashing, disturbing her calm movements until she splashed him back, and they found themselves giggling like the schoolchildren they never quite were.
Further and further they went, until the rocks eased and vanished beneath the sea.
Jules stopped abruptly.
“What?” he said. “What is it?”
“I’m not sure how much further I can go,” she admitted.
“Come again?”
She stared at the horizon. “The border to Faerie. Is it invisible? I can’t remember…”
Suddenly, he realised what she meant, what she was afraid of. “It looks like a mist, if I recall,” he said.
“And it doesn’t move?”
He shook his head.
Jules relaxed, her shoulders slackening. “Of all the entrances and exits to Faerie, this would be the worst one to be stranded in.”
He could only imagine. If she passed through the veil, a wall of fog would spring behind her, impossible to pass. It would spit her outside of Faerie and never let her return. If she was stranded here, an entire sea between her and the mortal lands…
He shuddered at the thought.
I wouldn’t let you be stranded.He was sure, if he had a choice in it, that he absolutely would follow through with that promise.
He just wasn’t quite sure why.
She’s a fine guard,he came up with, even though he doubted he’d be able to offer that as the real reason if someone asked.
“Prince Hawthorn!” a voice called from the beach.
Hawthorn shuddered. His relief guard.
Juliana scowled. He couldn’t believe it had taken her this long to notice he’d come unaccompanied.
“I was with you!” he said, holding up his hands before she could say anything. “What was the worst that could happen?”
“Right now? Drowning. Drowning is the worst thing that could happen, and I’m thinking of giving the sea a helping hand.”
“YOUR HIGHNESS!” shrieked the guard.
Hawthorn groaned. “I’m coming…”
He started back towards the shore.
“Hurry up!” the guard uttered. “Princess Serena has just arrived. Your mother demands an audience.”
TheweatherwhenJulianarose had turned sharp and cold, a mist like ice settled across the forest outside. She wondered where exactly she was, if she’d strayed too close to winter or if this was just a side-effect of the curse, the absence of Maytree’s emotions.
Or even perhaps Hawthorn’s tumultuous ones. The vines might not be listening to him, but maybe the land was. He was all smiles whenever they spoke, but he wouldn’t be smiling now.
