Drawing more fabric from the saddle bag, he draped each of the horses. He made a noise and gave a hand signal, and Cimmerian lowered himself, lying on the ground on his belly with his legs tucked beneath him.
After Pharis helped my father and sisters dismount, Ruby followed the stallion’s lead, making me wonder if horses could communicate with one another mind to mind, as Elves did.
“What about you?” I asked.
“I know how to stay out of sight,” Pharis informed me. “Don’t worry about me, Wildcat.”
“I wasn’t worrying about you,” I began, but he interrupted.
“Of course not.” His smile was tight. “All your thoughts are reserved for the Crown Prince—as are everyone else’s.”
He pointed to the tent. “Get inside and stay there. I’m going to scout and try to get an idea of where our pursuers are, find out if they’re sticking to the roads or fanning out into the countryside. I’ll be back soon. Keep your voices low. Better yet, don’t talk.”
Following his orders, the four of us climbed inside the tent. Since we weren’t supposed to talk, we all napped a bit.
Papa and I woke before the girls did. It was good they were sleeping—Tindra at least would have to stay awake through the night to help guide my father’s horse.
I peeked out of the tent flap and saw it was dusk now. Pharis hadn’t returned yet.
“What’s between you and that Elf, Pharis?” Papa whispered.
“Nothing,” I said. I hadn’t had the chance to tell him all about the ball and meeting Stellon and his enigmatic brother.
“Something, I think,” Papa said. “I may not be able to see, but I haven’t lost my hearing. These old ears pick up more than most. I heard you two talking. Since he mentioned the Crown Prince, I’m guessing Pharis is Pharis Randalin, the King’s second son.”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “I met them both at the royal ball. Actually, Stellon was the Elven man I met at the Rough Market, though I didn’t know it until I arrived at Seaspire.”
My father shook his head. “After all your mother and I did to protect you, you still wound up embroiled in Elven business.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I know you sacrificed so much during the rebellion—and Mama gave her life to help keep our people safe. But Stellon and Pharis were just boys then. It isn’t their fault. Stellon is so different from his father, the King, and Pharis, well he…”
I stopped there, realizing for the first time that Pharis was nothing like his sire either. He must not have been, otherwise why would he be helping a group of fugitive humans?
In spite of the disgust he’d displayed at catching me in Stellon’s suite, he’d gone out of his way to keep me safe.
And now? He’d risked his father finding out that he was helping me evade capture.
That would do more than irk a man who was used to getting everything he wanted. It would enrage him.
What would he do to his son when this was all over and Pharis returned to the palace?
“How long has he been in love with you?” Papa asked.
I gasped. Not only was his hearing still sharp, he could apparently hear between the lines of conversation, picking up even things that hadn’t been spoken outright.
“I’m not sure. It happened at some point during the time I spent trapped in his suite.”
“Pharis Randalin held you captive in his suite at the palace?” my father asked, his voice growing angry.
What?
“No. I spent the last two weeks hidden in Stellon’s suite—with him. Pharis doesn’t love me,” I assured him.
“If you say so.” Papa didn’t sound convinced. “So Stellon kept you prisoner?”
“No,” I said at the same time Pharis opened the tent flap, and said, “Yes.”
“And I thought I told you to keep your voices down,” he said. “Come on, troops, time to mount up.”
