Not to mention the implication of what I’ve done…
I’m putting everything on the line today, making a dangerous move that could damn both of us if it goes awry, but I have to try. My hope hangs in the balance, and my heart slams into my throat at the sound of a babbling creek nearby.
We emerge into a small clearing with a sloping bank that leads to the water. The water is crystalline, glistening in the fragments of light that make it through the branches overhead. Next to the creek, in a short patch of grass, is a thick quilt stretched out perfectly. A basket of fruit sits in the middle.
Lizette stops short with a tiny gasp. “Oh no, someone’s already here.” Her eyes linger on the blanket. “Maybe we should take another path. We’ll be in trouble if we’re seen, won’t we?”
A smile tugs at my mouth as I stare down at her. She’s so cute when she worries, that little crinkle forming between her dark brows.
“There’s no one else,” I assure her, gesturing to the scene in front of us. “I did this.”
Her eyes snap to mine, the furrow between her brows deepening. Her lips are pinched together tightly as she tries to understand. “What do you… you did this?”
I nod, anxiety creeping up my back and making me sweat. What if she hates it? What if she wants to leave?
What if this was a total waste of time and I’ve gotten my hopes up for nothing?
I shove that last thought away, refusing to grapple with it right now.
She’s silent a beat too long, and I reach up to rub the skin between my horns.
“Do you not like it?” I ask, my voice low as I brace myself for the worst.
Her expression immediately shifts. “Of course, I do. I just don’t understand why you would do this all… for me.”
It takes everything in me not to break and spill the words I’ve been debating since our first day in the library, but I keep my lips sealed. Not yet. I want to spend a little more time with her before I risk ruining everything.
“If it makes you feel better, we can say I did it for myself.” I grin and shrug, taking off toward the blanket.
Six
Lizette
I snort a laugh as I follow behind him. The initial shock of seeing a quaint picnic waiting for us is wearing off, and curiosity has raced to the forefront of my mind.
Did he really do this all for me? Because he wanted to spend alone time with me out of the castle?
Butterflies run rampant in my stomach as I watch him get settled on the blanket, leaning back to prop himself on his elbows. He looks so casual, so relaxed. He reaches for the fruit basket and tosses a grape into his mouth.
Meanwhile, I’m about to vibrate apart from nerves.
I sit next to him, careful to leave a few feet between us. Somehow, this feels way more intimate than the privacy of the library, and my eyes fall to the basket of fruit set perfectly between us.
“Now, this is peaceful, don’t you think?” he asks, tossing me a sideways glance as I reach for a grape. I pop it into my mouth, and the tart flavor explodes over my tongue as my teeth sink into it.
One thing I’ll never get tired of about Ulleh is the food—everything feels richer, tastes better, than the food back home.
“Absolutely. Much better than slaving away in the kitchen all day.”
I take the liberty of kicking off my worn shoes and wiggling my toes, thankful for the relief. If only I could take off the permanent maroon wristbands that come with being a servant, or change into something a little more suited for the woods.
Still, I’m not complaining. This is the most exciting thing I’ve done since arriving here.
Not to mention, I’m glad to be with Oryx again, even though we’d likely be punished if someone discovered what we were doing. The way this would look to anyone who happened upon us is… suspect. It looks like we’re on a romantic picnic date in the forest, desperate to get away from prying eyes, but really it’s just?—
My thoughts slam to a halt as reality sets in.
No.