Hesitantly, Lindy held out a hand. Corbin stretched out his neck and bumped the top of his head against it, and with shaking fingers, she ran her hand down the length of his neck and back. In what was becoming a distressingly normal habit, her eyes filled with tears.
The moment was broken as a distressed call carried through the air. “Lindy!”
Lindy’s head snapped toward the tree line at the sound of Elise’s voice, and Corbin was on his feet immediately, half flying, half running as the lady-in-waiting burst into sight. Her hair was disheveled and her skirts ripped and muddied, and she gasped for panting breaths as she leaned over onto her knees.
Atlas joined her as she jumped to her feet, the nettles forgotten for the moment. She ran to her friend.
Elise looked up and let out a yelp of terror. Her wide eyes were trained on Atlas, and she grabbed Lindy’s arm, attempting to pull her into the trees.
Lindy planted her feet and shook her head vehemently. She shook herself free from Elise’s trembling grip and reached behind her for Atlas’s hand. His large fingers completely covered hers, and he gave her a supportive, comforting squeeze as he stood just behind her shoulder. Lindy looked up at him, tilting her head in Elise’s direction and willing him to understand that he should introduce himself.
He did. “You must be Elise. I’m Atlas.”
Elise pulled her frightened stare away from him long enough to dart her eyes to Lindy, as if seeking confirmation. Lindy nodded.
“She can’t speak until the sun goes down,” Atlas explained. “It’s part of breaking the curse.”
As if on cue, Corbin flapped his wings, demanding attention. Elise looked down at him and immediately teared up. “Is that…?” Her voice cracked helplessly.
Lindy nodded again, and Elise’s knees buckled under her as she sank to the ground, throwing her arms around the swan. Corbin rested his head on her shoulder. “I’m still angry with you,” Elise whispered brokenly. “But I’m glad you’re alright.”
Lindy looked away, intending to give them a moment of privacy, only to find that the other princes had crowded around them, watching with solemn eyes.
Elise swiped the back of her hands over her eyes. “I don’t know what to do, Lindy. Haldrick is out of control. He’s convinced most of the court that the princes are dead, and he’s put himself in charge until the investigation is over. No one is willing to challenge him on it for fear of being thrown in jail themselves.”
Atlas muttered some choice words under his breath.
“And now.” Elise drew in a ragged, hiccuping breath. “Now he’s decided that I must have had something to do with it.”
Corbin drew his head back and hissed. Lindy’s shoulders slumped.
This is my fault. She wouldn’t be in this position if she weren’t my friend.
“It’s not your fault,” Elise stated firmly, somehow reading her mind. “But between all the mess with the birds and then the swans, people have begun looking twice at every duck or goose they see. After you disappeared, this goose started following me around and won’t leave me alone. It must have been kept as a pet at some point, because I swear it thinks it’s a person.”
She heard Atlas breathe out, “Phoebe.”
“Haldrick has decided that the only reasonable explanation is that the goose is you, Lindy, and that you transformed yourself into a bird in order to hide.”
“If that’s true, why would she stay at the castle?” Atlas scoffed.
Elise sniffed and stood, brushing away Corbin’s sounds of protest as well as the dirt from her skirt. “I said it was a reasonable explanation to him. I didn’t say it actually made sense.”
A warm, heavy hand rested on her shoulder and squeezed, and Lindy subconsciously leaned back into his support. “What do you need?” he asked softly. “What can we do? You’re welcome to stay here until the curse is broken.”
She shook her head. “If I’m gone for too long,Haldrick will just take it as confirmation of guilt. Honestly, if the ridiculous goose would just transfer its affections to someone else, I think it might be enough to draw his attention elsewhere—at least for a while. Do you think you’re close?”
Lindy nodded and held up two fingers.
“Two what? Weeks?”
She shook her head.
“Days?” Elise practically melted in relief as Lindy confirmed. “I can last that long. Maybe I’ll lock the goose in the tool shed or something.”
Lindy felt the tension radiate from Atlas at the suggestion.
Or Atlas could just get her. It’s what he came here for in the first place.
