“Like a dream?”
Elowyn nods. “And while we can speak to others of its existence, the magic of our heartbinding won’t allow us to reveal anything about where it is or what we do while we’re here. It’s a safe place to talk or...or anything. But we’ll always be together when we’re here.”
Rominy tears his eyes away from her and looks out over the ocean as he grasps a rope above his head. The corded muscles of his forearms strain against the rolled cuffs of his sleeves as his sun-streaked light-brown hair blows in the breeze.
Whistling wind, he’s nice to look at without all those formal layers.
Her face heats at the thought.
“So what happened to us back in the castle?” Rominy asks.
“I imagine my father did his best to catch us. They’ll probably monitor us for a minute before moving on to perform the heartbinding between our siblings.”
“And we can’t control this? How long will it last?”
“Not more than a few minutes, though it will seem longer in here.”
Rominy glances back at her, and it’s impossible to miss the way his eyes slide over her before he looks away again. “So...what now?”
Elowyn’s gaze gravitates toward the stairs leading into the heart of the boat. “I’m not sure. We could explore.”
“You’re a curious elf, aren’t you?” His mouth ticks up at the corner, and she laughs.
“I’ve been accused of as much.”
“Lead the way, then, I guess. Unless you want me to go first.”
“Not a chance.” She hurries toward the open hatch and quickly descends the stairs before coming to an abrupt stop.
“This...is not a boat,” Rominy says from behind her.
Elowyn’s eyes travel over the tiny cottage. There’s a kitchen and a sitting area. A door to who knows where. Another door that seems to lead outside. It’s all cozy and warm as a fire crackles in the hearth.
“A home away from home, it seems,” Elowyn breathes. She continues into the cottage, glancing back at Rominy, who follows in his windswept attire.
Curious, she pushes open the closed interior door. Is it a portal to another location like the hatch on the ship?
Her eyes alight on a simple bed within a cozy bedroom to match the rest of the house, and she quickly closes the door.
So...not a portal.
“What’s in there?” Rominy asks from near the hearth.
“Just another room.”
With a bed. One bed. And there are no more doors other than the one leading outside.
Apparently, the heartbinding is trying to push them together.
Or something.
Rominy frowns. “A room? What was in it?”
“A...bed.”
Their eyes meet for a moment, and then Rominy clears his throat and looks away.
“Let’s see what’s outside.” Elowyn glides to the other door and pulls it open to reveal a garden. Just a simple garden. Lovely, but nothing special. She slumps a little.
