“I see,” Penny says, eyeing me curiously.
Hart swings his gaze to me. “She’ll be missed.” Did I just imagine the underlying message there? That he would miss me? Bah, unlikely.
Theo is the next to round the corner, followed by Nash, and then once again we are five. I love how I’ve inserted myself among them. It’s their own fault. They shouldn’t have made themselves essential in my life.
“Well, the celebrations are underway. Even if you are not a damsel, you were rescued and we give thanks to the knights for every life saved.”
A young girl, about ten annuses old, runs up to me clutching a floral necklace. She holds it out to me and I lean down so she can loop the pretty pink flowers over my head. “You’re pretty,” she says with a giggle before running off into the crowd.
Villagers appear from the various houses, laden with platters of food and gather in a circle around the well.
“Penny, this is Daphne. She would like to talk to you about your life here,” Nash says.
Penny offers me a smile. “What would you like to know?”
How you cracked Hart.No wait, that’s not why I am here. “How many damsels live here?”
“Twenty-two, but some have moved away to other areas of So Far Away.”
“On their own?” I check. “Isn’t that dangerous?”
Penny shakes her head. “No, they have found their true love and moved away to start their own families. They visit often and haven’t strayed too far.”
“So there are males that live here too?”
“Yes, victims of other storylines that need sanctuary.”
“There are many?”
“Too many to count. The Idols won’t tolerate a deviation from the narrative even if The Hallowed cover up the true nature of the dark romantic tales they spin. There’s always a price.”
My hand brushes against the lamp at my side. The genie has a story to tell, and I will listen, because that’s the least I can do for an innocent prisoner.
“Are you happy here?” I ask.
A serene smile takes over her face. “Here, we are equal. There is no monarchy commanding us or princes flaunting their power. We live simple but fulfilling lives.”
I glance at Theo at the end of the line. They’ve done so much good here, but how long will it be before the Idols demand the knights complete their destiny and slay the dragon? How will they force the issue?
Our group pauses at the circle of huge colorful floor cushions. Malachi tugs me down to sit next to him. His lips brush against my ear, sending delicious shivers down my spine. “I can’t say I’m not jealous that my brothers have made you scream their names. But I am glad I stole your first kiss. Soon, we will need to even things up,” he whispers. A blush works its way up my cheeks and I bite my bottom lip.
A girl, similar to my age, sings a haunting yet beautiful melody against the backdrop of a flute played by a man whose eyes never leave her. I get lost in their song to each other as it weaves a story of loss and love. “Kate and Frederick met two annuses ago in The Hallows. They fell in love, and she fell pregnant. The moment the powers of the Hallows found out, she became the next damsel sacrifice. She lost their child before we could explain that she was safe. Hart retrieved Frederick, and we reunited them to share in their grief, but also heal among friends and safety.”
“Hart saved him?” I check, because that man is getting more complicated by the tempo.
“He’s not nearly as bad as you think he is. There’s a reason for his prickly attitude, but once you’ve earned his loyalty, there’s no one more fierce or protective on your side.”
I swipe at a stray tear on my cheek as the song ends and the crowd erupts into a round of applause. The music becomes more jovial, and several couples begin to dance. The girl who offered me the flower necklace approaches and reaches her hand out to me.
“Oh no, dancing is for the coordinated.”
She grabs my hand and pulls me up. “Dancing is for everyone.”
A smile breaks out on my face and I get pulled into the circle, joining hands with a man. They pull me along, never letting me fall, despite my two left feet. We break apart and I spin in a circle, savoring the rare moment of freedom. Arms wrap around me from behind, my eyes fly open as I spin and come face to face with Hart. He tilts his head like he’s trying to figure something out. He grips my hands and spins in a circle, catching me before I can introduce the ground as a second dance partner.
“I’ve never met someone so intent on discovering what the afterlife has to offer,” he grumbles as he pulls me tight against his body.
“I’m a Burgher. There is no afterlife for me. My entire existence is defined by how I can serve the Hallowed.”
