Before I had a chance, I felt a knot begin to slip, dropping me lower, and lower, and then I was falling. I held in a scream, air stealing my breath, before I hit the water. The frozen sea hit my body like a punch to the gut and I sank so deep that the moonlight didn’t reach me.
Flailing wildly in the dark, I kicked toward what I hoped was the surface. There was nothing to guide me. My lungs burned. Had I swum toward the ocean floor instead of the surface? Just as I began to lose hope, my hand broke free of the water and reached open air.
I gulped deep mouthfuls, panting as I tread water. It was freezing.
My skirts tangled around my legs and my bag on my back weighed me down. Remembering all the food inside, I hurried to untie it and hold it up, but it was a losing battle. I started swimming, struggling to hold it up with aching arms and kick through the lurching waves at the same time.
The cliffs were close, but I couldn’t waste time resting there. I needed to swim across the bay. If I could reach the shore of the neighboring kingdom of Keshdi, that would put some distance between myself and Hodafez. But could I make it that far? The frozen depths and the murky black water made me shiver as I kicked.
Flipping onto my back, I floated to catch my breath, dragging in deep lungfuls of air. This could work. Holding my bag over my stomach to preserve at least some of the food, I kicked. The thought of sharks or angry Mere below made me push harder.
The silhouette of the castle grew smaller and smaller. It made me expect to see Keshdi over my shoulder each time I looked, but even though I swam on and on, until the burning in my chest grew even hotter than the muscles in my arms and legs, it didn’t appear.
Eventually, I stopped looking back and focused on kicking. If I let myself stop too long, I’d sink.
My strength was giving out when I saw the twinkle of lights on the water and glanced over my shoulder to see the coastal city of Keshdi rising above me. The white sand of the shore glinted in the moonlight.
The last stretch was the hardest. Something brushed against my leg and gave my muscles new life. Heart pumping so fast it burned, I finally felt the sand beneath my feet and waded out of the water.
My legs shook. My bag was soaked through. My shoes and leggings chafed, squelching loudly with every step. I was too tired to peer inside at the damage the water had done to my supplies.
I took two more steps and sprawled out on the shore to rest. But the first hints of the rising sun touched my skin, and panic made me drag myself to my feet and set off through the trees. I could see the town through the branches on my right, but I stayed hidden, pushing through foliage and searching for the nearest path as I dusted off sand. A small dirt road curved up ahead.
It was past dawn now; the sun warmed my skin but I shivered at the thought that in just a few short minutes, my ladies-in-waiting might check on me and find Havah instead. Once they discovered I wasn’t in my room, they’d alert my father. Who would then tell Amir. In the daylight, the cliffs of Hodafez rose close behind me across the bay. Too close.
There was almost no one on the road, besides a woman and her two children heading toward Hodafez. I slipped through the underbrush, heading in the opposite direction and staying out of sight, just in case.
By the time my clothes were nearly dry, the steady plodding of horse hooves sounded on the dirt road. I stopped and hid behind a tree. My legs felt like soggy bread—I couldn’t walk much further. A farmer passed by with a wagon full of wheat held down by a blanket.I have to take the risk.
Slipping out of the woods, I crept up to the back of the wagon, lifted the edge of the blanket, and jumped inside. I nestled into the hay, pulling the blanket over me, and held my breath. The cart didn’t stop.
With a sigh of relief, I let myself relax, just for a moment. It was cramped, but soft. The wheat tickled my arms and neck, but I ignored it. I’d stay here just until we reached the town of Piruz. I knew enough of the high-born families there to feel safe and it would bring me far enough from Amir’s clutches. The sun beat down on the blanket over me, lulling me to sleep. My whole body ached. A nap sounded divine.
It felt like only a minute had passed since I dozed off when the wagon jerked to a stop. Blinking, I frowned at the blanket above me. The air had grown overly warm and the prickly wheat made my sweaty skin itch. How long had I been asleep? I hadn’t meant to still be in the wagon when it stopped.
“Only one more mile to town,” the farmer said. Was there someone with him? Or was he talking to himself? I tried not to rustle as I shifted. The sound of him patting his horse reached me, softened by the blanket. The horse stomped its hoof. “Calm down,” I heard him mumble, “We’ll be there soon.”
Muffled footsteps approached the wagon bed. I held my breath. His hand grasped the edge of the blanket. But he only tucked it into the sides more firmly where I must’ve loosened it, before his footsteps shuffled off. A moment later, I heard him relieving himself.
I held as still as possible when the farmer’s footsteps returned, but he only climbed up and slapped the reins. The wagon lurched back into motion.
How far had he said the next town was? A mile? I should walk the last stretch. I didn’t want to be anywhere nearby when he came to unload the wheat.
Crawling toward the back of the wagon, I peered out from underneath the blanket to find the sun at its peak in the sky. My eyes watered as they adjusted. I’d slept much longer and gone much farther than I’d planned.
With care, I took my bag and slid out onto the ground, landing as softly as I could, crouching in case he heard my fall. After making sure he hadn’t noticed me, I ducked into the trees. A few stray pieces of wheat had spilled out onto the road and others still clung to me. I brushed them off.
Once within the trees, I opened my bag to view the damage the saltwater had done to my food. My nose wrinkled at the smell. Tossing the bread and cheese without looking too closely at the colors they’d taken on, I nibbled at the fruit and nuts that were left, wishing I’d packed more.
The jewels were still in the bottom, along with my crown if I grew desperate. I tried to smile. It shouldn’t take too long to walk the last mile to town. I would get a hot meal there.
This is for the best,I reminded myself again. This was the only way my father could be free of Amir. I just needed to find a place to stay for a while; wait him out.
Though I climbed over fallen logs and circled the underbrush, the horse and wagon were so slow they barely gained any distance from me at all, coming back into sight after every bend.
As I considered stepping out into the road and passing them, now that I was far enough from home, I heard galloping hoofbeats fast approaching.
Two men rode past wearing the colors of Amir’s guard.
