I went in and under. The water was blue around me. Bubbles raced toward the surface, and, as soon as I surfaced, I thrashed and gasped and fought to see past my defeated and deflated braid. Cyrus held nothing back. He cackled as he jumped in. I could hear the water move in waves as he swam closer, andthen I saw him, finally, as he brushed the hair from my face. He smoothed it into the rest, and he smiled.
“That’s a good look for you, Princess,” Mr. Evergreen said. He whispered,“Wet.”
Willoughby and Josie came closer. They waited for my response. I thought to yell at my attacker; I thought to be upset, but I was amused, and strangely, I was relieved to feel so normal. I smiled back and then doused the afterglow of his compliment by dunking him beneath.
He rushed back, returning the favor, and the four of us played rowdily andstupidlyfor an hour before our fingers were so wrinkly, we got out before we couldn’t.
Ser Willoughby returned Issac and Tails to their pens for me. The other half of our party dismounted outside.
He asked, “Did you have fun today, Your Highness?”
In a panic, I asked,“Do you swear you won’t tell Elías what we’ve done?”
“Tell him what?” He latched the gate, taking one of the rags from its hook and wiping his hands.
“Are you very serious?” I scoffed. “About the pond! And the picnic, and that I was so badly behaved.”
“I don’t remember any bad behavior, cousin,” he said.
“Don’t you? What will you say when he asks where we went?” I groaned. “God, this was so stupid. How could I be so stupid? Was it even worth the day?”
His shoulders moved. “Svana, relax.”
“But he’ll-”
“No. He won’t. ‘Cause he doesn't have to know, so he won’t know. Alright?”
“You’ll lie to him?” I asked. “To Ser Elías? He’s your Lord Commander, you fiend!”
“I won’tlieto him; I just won’t tell him,” Willoughby said.
“You won’t?” I asked. “Aren’t you required? Is that not your purpose?”
“Look. The thing is, Elías just wants to see that you’re taken care of. Yeah? I don’t know if you know this, but that man worries himself sick about you. And no. That’s not my purpose. He didn’t tell me to report every detail back; he told me to see to your safety and to step in when necessary. I don’t remember stepping in, and you are safe, aren’t you?”
“I am…”
“And you had fun, yeah?” he asked.
“I suppose I did,” I said.
“Yes or no?” he asked.
“Yes. Yes, I had fun. So much fun, and it feels so ridiculous. And if Eli knew that I had put myself in a position where-”
“Where you, what, exactly?” he asked. “Enjoyed yourself?”
“I was in nothing but my shift, Ser,” I said.
“As was Miss Jocelyn. And Mr. Evergreen and I both wore less than all our things.”
“But… If I could not dress that way in public, then-”
“Right, but you were not in public; you were in the privacy of your friends, and I was there to protect you. And I would’ve, had I been required to.”
“But—”
“If you don’t wish to swim like that again, let’s not do it. But if you had fun, and if you were alright with how things unfolded, then let’s not consider what could have happened. Let’s just enjoy that it did.”
