Page 60 of A Wayward Movement

The guard didn’t answer him, his words directed to Alina instead. “I must insist that you refrain from using magic craft on the prince,” he said in a hard voice. “If you do so again, we’ll be forced to take you into custody.”

Xavier made a noise of angry protest, but Alina’s moment of defiant control was over.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was breathless, her eyes wide. “I didn’t mean to be threatening. It was only intended as a joke.”

“You did nothing wrong, Alina,” Xavier said, still glowering at his guards. “My nursemaids need to remember their place.” He assumed his sternest voice of command. “Which is at a respectful distance.”

The guards withdrew under the force of his glare, although they remained more focused on Alina than was necessary. The worst part was that she’d become subdued, her fire extinguished for the moment. They kept walking, skirting around the unstable quarry and examining the final row of cobaltite molds. These weren’t currently in use, and looking more closely, Xavier realized that several of them were cracked. He was just examining one when a yowl of disapproval preceded the sudden appearance of Zuzu.

The anzu seemed spent by her flying efforts, and when Xavier held out his arms, she landed in them with a flop. Her reproachful eyes made him laugh.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he told her. “You’re the one who wandered off, not me.”

He looked up to find that Alina had gone further than he realized, her steps taking her away from the final row of molds and toward the open desert. She was alone, his guards hovering close by him.

“Where are you going?” he called.

She half turned her head as she replied, but it wasn’t enough for him to catch her words before the wind snatched them away. He moved toward her, and one of his guards cleared his throat.

“Your Highness, I don’t think you should leave the camp alone.”

“So come with me,” he said coldly, still angry about their earlier behavior. “Isn’t it your job to ensure no harm comes to me?”

Not waiting for a reply, he jogged forward, Zuzu swaying on his arm as he caught up to Alina.

“Where are you going?” he repeated, once he was alongside her.

“I could have sworn I saw movement just past the broken molds,” she said, her eyes fixed on unremarkable sand ahead of them. “But when I got closer, there was nothing. Just some scuffles in the sand. Then I saw it again, but every time I look properly at whoever it is, I lose sight of it again.”

“Whoever it is?” Xavier repeated. “You think someone is hiding out here?” He scanned the area. Where could someone be concealed?

“I don’t know,” Alina said. “It might be nothing. I just wanted to investigate. I won’t go far.”

“There!” Xavier pointed, his attention caught by a glint from up ahead. “Did you see that? Like the sunlight reflecting on metal fastenings, perhaps.”

“I didn’t see it,” Alina said eagerly. “But I believe you. Should we check it out, or get more guards?”

“We’ll lose it for sure if we delay,” Xavier said. He glanced behind him, reassuring himself that the two guards were close. “Let’s just go a little closer.”

Zuzu gave a dissatisfied mewl, but she remained in place as they hurried across the sand. The wind was setting in steadily, the top layer of sand blowing against their ankles in a near-constant assault. It was disorienting, and Xavier knew it could make retracing their steps difficult. They shouldn’t go far, even with his pair of guards.

When they reached the place he’d seen the glint, there was no sign of anything. Alina looked uneasily around, her brow furrowed in concern. Following her gaze, Xavier was startled to see no sign of his guards.

“Where are they?” he murmured.

“I don’t know,” said Alina. “We should head back, right?”

Xavier agreed, some instinct prompting him to reach for her. Alina started when his hand closed on hers, shooting him a look of inquiry.

He gave a lopsided smile. “I don’t want to lose you, too.”

She nodded, still looking unnerved, and her fingers relaxed in his. The sensation did something strange to his midriff, but he had more pressing concerns. Like the fact that he couldn’t actually see the refinement site. They must have traveled further than he’d realized. He started forward, only to have Alina’s grip tug against him.

“Where are you going?” he protested.

“It’s this way, isn’t it?” she said.

Xavier shook his head. “I think it’s this way.” They came to a stop, both uncertain. Xavier raised his voice, calling his guards by name.