“Then let’s go that way.” She pointed in the opposite direction.
“You are speaking to my heart. There are ducks not far way. And more fruit.”
“I’m with you!” she said.
He looked at her. “You are, aren’t you?” he said softly. He seemed reluctant to turn away, but he did.
They reached a wide pond, formed by the stream, and floating in it were ducks with green and purple iridescent feathers. “Would you like to go swimming?” he asked. “We can go under and I’ll show you their feet.”
Aradella took a step back. The way she was dressed was ahindrance to swimming. “I—” She said no more because Mekos gave a look of alarm.
“No!” He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him behind a stand of reeds. When he parted the stalks, they saw Tanek and Kaley coming up from under the water. “Starken-el!” Mekos muttered.
This time, they didn’t stay to watch. Mekos quickly stepped away, Aradella close behind him. But then he stopped so abruptly that she almost ran into him. He didn’t look back at the water, but pointed upward. He’d heard something.
She looked up, over the reeds, just in time to see Kaley and Tanek rising into the air. They were nude and kissing.
Aradella quickly turned her back to them. “Do they ever wear clothes?” He started rapidly walking away, Aradella struggling to keep up with him. “Do they not stop for meals? Or sleep?”
“It doesn’t seem so,” Mekos said tightly, then he halted and looked at her. “My guess is they’ve been told that you and I are with the guide, seeing the town, and we know this area is off-limits, so they believe they’re alone. My father is soaring to move from one place to another so quickly.”
Aradella shrugged. “It’s their wedding trip and obviously, they are creative people. And perhaps they have repressed themselves for a while.”
The tension seemed to leave Mekos. “Yes, they have.” He smiled at her. “You are a good peacemaker.” Abruptly, he tilted his head in a way that was becoming familiar to her.
“What do you hear?” she asked.
“Swans just landed. The western variety.”
Aradella suppressed a laugh. “I guess we know wheretheyare going.”
Mekos looked at her, then he too laughed. “I think I’ll tell Grandpapá about this. My father acting like this when he’s a guest isn’t right.”
“Is it fair to tell on him?”
“He’s ruining my day with a beautiful girl so he deserves it. Let’s find that fruit.”
Aradella stood still as she watched him go down the narrow trail.Beautiful?
“Come on!” he said impatiently. “I’m hungry.” He led them to a papaya tree. He gathered and she peeled.
“It’s odd that rambutan and papaya are ripe at the same time,” she said.
“Everythingabout this place is strange.” He looked around. “It’s getting dark. We should go back.”
Neither of them moved. Aradella did not want the day to end.
Mekos seemed to understand. “We have tomorrow. I don’t think my father will notice that you and I are missing.”
“Surely, they’ll want to sleep tomorrow.”
They looked at each other and laughed.
He stood up, then held out his hand to pull her up. The light was quickly growing dimmer.
“Do you know the way?” she asked.
“We’re very close to the house that the kind and generous Valona is lending us. See?”
