“The king did this to you?” I spit out, I am still holding her firmly and I can feel her shiver from the crying. I am glad she doesn’t see me right now, because I already hate the king, but right now I’m on the edge of killing my father. She takes a step back and looks to the ground. She sniffles her nose and I can hear she is still crying. I need to make her stop crying.
“Yes.” She sniffles. Her hands cover her eyes and she shakes her head desperately. She doesn’t need to say more. I can feel her fear as I sail along on her memory. She got dragged away and tried to escape. I can feel her fear as someone punches and kicks her, and she sees the king his face before she closes her eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Honey,” I whimper. She wipes her tears away and her face looks all red and puffy.
“It is not your fault,” she whispers. I watch her as she finds her strength back slowly. But I know deep down she is still hurt. That’s why I make her a promise.
“I will make sure that the king will get what he deserves.”
She looks at me with funny eyes and I can feel her in my mind.
“He is your father, Braxton,”she states. Biological yes, but I will never call him that again. She starts speaking loudly again. “And besides, he isn’t the one who kidnapped me. Someone else did. They lifted me the same as you did. I think that’s why I remember. So, thank you.”
I am not sure that is something she should be thankful for.
“He still is the one who gives them the order, Honey,” I speculate. I ball my fist and wander a few leaps.
“Well, I’m already over it. So let’s go.” She claps her hands, making amends to take the lead. She looks over her shoulder and gives me a somewhat uncertain look. “Or what is the plan actually?” She lifts her shoulders in doubt, and a small grin appears on my face. She points at my face.
“I knew you could smile,” she teases. I swing my hand to act like it is nothing, but she runs towards me. She lifts my hand so shecan see my face. All I can think about are her plump lips. Her freckles and wrinkled nose look cute and her honey brown eyes invite me in her warmth. Her eye is still swollen, and guilt fills my chest. I couldn’t protect her. She looks up at me with those doe eyes and goosebumps appear on my skin as she lays her hand down on my arms.
“Now, let me see those dimples again. I have waited long enough, don’t you think?”
I can’t help but give her what she wants. The corner of my mouth lifts up. A smile appears on her face, showing off her perfect, cute, white teeth and a laugh escapes her throat. I love the sound of it. She looks satisfied as she turns around, taking the lead again. Apparently, she had made up her own plan already. I can still hear her chuckle as she strolls in front of me.
If this is what I get for smiling, it won’t be the last time I smiled.
Chapter 17
Eliane
“How are we going to do this?” I ask Braxton, patting my hands clean, dust flying through the air. I wrinkle my nose and look up towards the big mountain staring at us. I grew up in the mountains, but I never really had to climb this big and steep of a mountain. Or actually, it looks more like a cliff. Because of rock pieces breaking, it created a vertical wall that is going to be an issue to climb. After I remembered what happened to me and I shed some tears, we talked about a plan. My first idea was to try to raise the sun, but after a few discussions and some time of walking in complete silence, we agreed that wasn’t smart because then everybody would start climbing and I would waste too much energy. So now we’re just wandering around with these huge light balls above our heads. Strolling up the flatter part of the mountain, we came across wonderful forests and landscapes. We didn’t come across any animals and the wind didn’t seem to move. Kind of weird if you ask me, but I was always told this forest and mountain was magical and strange.
“Give me your dagger,” Braxton commands. I lay my hand protective over the daggers on my leg. I give him a firm and unchangeable answer.
“No.”
He can borrow things from me, but not my daggers. He seems to get that there’s no room for debate, so he takes matters into his own hands. Suddenly, a dagger shoots out from my belt and flies at him as fast as lightning. He catches it effortlessly, looking pretty pleased with himself. With a sarcastic grin, he turns toward the wall we need to climb.
“I want those back.” I glare at him, pointing my finger towards the two daggers in his hand, before putting my hands on my hips. Especially the one I got from Da, with the little sun on it, but I keep that small detail to myself. He shakes his head and his soft waves dance through the air. I really, really want to brush my finger through his hair. He is still shaking his head and his chest is going to and for. And then he does something that he has never done before.
He smiles at me.
Actually smiles.
No smirk or grin.
Not just a light movement of the corner of his mouth.
No.
A real smile.
A laugh escapes his throat.
I hold my breath as he burst into laughter. I can’t breathe or move. I watch him with all I have. I know I begged him before to smile at me again, but this is really something.
It is the most beautiful thing and sound I have ever seen and heard.
