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“I’d pick the red ant hill. At least I’d still have my eyes.”

We both laughed and picked up to a near jog. Home was just around the bend.

Raina rushed out to greet us. She smelled wonderfully of thyme and yeast and fresh fry bread. She threw her arms around me and pulled me inside, only giving Revel a cursory thank you. I managed a wink and a smile before she shut the door on him.

“Raina, he came to pick me up.”

“Did he? I thought Austri was going out to fetch you.” She waved her hand. “Doesn’t matter. My little Rafi is home, safe and sound. I’ve been so worried. Come, there’s fry bread and fresh jam. You must be exhausted after the long journey. I confess I wasn’t expecting you for hours. You two must have been pushing that donkey to its limits to get home so quickly.”

I opened my mouth to let her know we didn’t exactly arrive home in a wobbly wagon but decided she might be angry at Revel if she heard the truth. “Yes, we flew down the path. We left earlier than expected, too.”

Raina paused for the first time since she’d yanked open the door to greet us. “Oh, was it that terrible Prince Fenrick? I suppose you couldn’t wait to get out of Regnamoor. Sit, I want to hear everything.”

She was anxious to hear about my visits, but I was just as anxious to forget them entirely. I certainly didn’t want to go over all the details. “How about I give you a quick summary? I’m tired, and I can’t wait to take a nap in my own bed and forget all about this … at least for now.”

Sympathy washed through her gaze. “My poor Rafi. I wish I knew how to get you out of this terrible predicament. It’s all such a shame. You belong here with us. Did you get a sense that at least one of the princes would make a decent match? Solamere is lovely. I’ve only been there twice, but it was quite the sensory treat. And they wear such beautiful clothes.”

“It’s very elegant and pretty to look at, but it is also not me. I didn’t belong there. I actually felt more at home in Regnamoor, because it’s more like Norvale.”

Raina’s face lost some color, and her chin dropped. “You’re not thinking of becoming Prince Fenrick’s wife, are you?” A visible shudder ran through her.

I reached across for her hand. “Don’t worry. I don’t want to be wife to either prince. I don’t know what to do.”

Raina lips rolled in, signaling she had something to say that I wasn’t going to like. I already knew what it was.

I nodded grimly. “I know. I have to pick one, or I will be hunted down by both regions and put to death. What a horrible conundrum I’ve been placed in. No wonder Mom decided to leave Troikana altogether.” I’d been on my little self-pity rant and almost missed that Raina’s expression had grown even darker. “There’s something you’re not telling me, and considering the mess I’m in, I can’t imagine what it is. Maybe I don’t want to know.”

Raina stood up without a word. She walked to a drawer in her kitchen and pulled out a piece of rolled parchment. “This came yesterday.” She handed it to me. “You have to return to the Triumvirate in ten days and give them your decision.” I glanced at the fancy inked script. The message was short and just as Raina noted. I had ten days.

I rolled up the paper and tossed it aside. “Just great.” Raina was still wearing a mask of stone. “Oh, wow, there’s more.”

Her softly piled gray bun shifted as she shook her head. “No, there’s nothing more, but I’m worried, Rafi. You will pick one prince, and the other will have to give up his title.”

It took me a second to comprehend her meaning. “I will be especially vulnerable these next ten days because my death is the only thing that will save both their titles.” Saying it out loud caused the color in Raina’s cheeks to fade to white. “Don’t worry, Raina. I will not venture farther than town for the next ten days, and in those ten days, maybe something miraculous will happen to break me out of this doomed dilemma.

Twenty-Nine

“I’m off to the village. I’m meeting some friends for tea and cakes. Are you planning on getting out of bed today?” Raina asked, sounding much like the annoyed parent of a teenager. “I made some cornmeal muffins for Revel. I realize I was rude to him yesterday. I was just so happy and relieved to see you. Why don’t you get dressed and take them over? I left you a few for breakfast. I’ll be back in a couple hours.”

Without waiting for an answer or a goodbye, she pulled her round face and rosy cheeks out of the room. Seconds later, I heard the front door snap shut.

Since the dragons had found their life’s blood again with the sunflowers, the sky above Norvale was much bluer. As I gazed out the window, a few thunder clouds had drifted over the mountain range. They’d settled onto the mountain peaks like fluffy hats. It looked like a nice day for a walk to Revel’s farm. Just thinking about seeing the man sent a swirl of physical and emotional reactions through me. He’d rather inadvertently told me he loved me, and hearing those words from his lips seemed surreal at the time. I wondered if he regretted saying it. I supposed it was impossible for me to consider the words true, since I’d never had anyone love me before, at least not in the relationship sense. It seemed ridiculous to think someone could fall in love with little ole me, especially a man like Revel.

I pushed off the covers and sat up but instantly rested back. The room felt as if it was spinning. I closed my eyes as a rush of nausea rolled through me. Was it my middle ear? I’d had the problem before. I waited for the dizziness to ease and sat up slowly. A few good deep breaths, and I was feeling better. The spinning and nausea had gone. I was sure it was the stress of everything I’d gone through.

I bathed and pulled on a fresh dress, a dark green one with a simple cut that had become one of my favorites. Every time I put on one of my mom’s dresses, I instantly closed my eyes to travel back to a time where she was wearing it. I could only see the scenes through her eyes, but it pleased me greatly to know I was moving around in the same dresses. I was slowly learning how to use my mind travel powers, at least to travel back in time. Usually, it required me touching or seeing or hearing something that linked back to that time. I hadn’t quite honed my ability to see into the future yet. Raina insisted that would come soon and naturally.

I nibbled a corn muffin but was mostly too giddy about seeing Revel to finish it. I picked up the basket that Raina had left for him. She’d placed a handwritten apology note on top. It was sweet and typical Raina.

I stepped out into the fresh air. I’d had a brief moment of dizziness while getting dressed, but it passed quickly. I was sure it was my middle ear. Being in the brisk air also helped erase some of the grogginess that a long night of heavy sleep had left behind. I’d almost slept too much if that was possible, and I refused to believe that it was.

People were out in their gardens and fields planting and harvesting all the amazing produce they grew. I recognized the newbie sunflower plants in many gardens. Most people had parceled off a substantial part of their garden just for growing lion’s bane. Soon the town would be alive with large yellow and brown sunflowers dancing in the breeze.

The butterflies in my stomach grew more active as I turned along the path that would take me to Revel’s farm. There was a good chance he wouldn’t be home, and I’d just leave the muffins on his doorstep. I hoped that wasn’t the case, but I prepared myself for eventual disappointment.

There was no disappointment. I stopped on the path to catch my breath, and it had nothing to do with the walk. Everything about Revel Greyhart left me breathless. Morning sun poured down on his streaked hair and tanned skin. His thin, white drop-sleeved shirt was open at the throat. He was pushing a wheelbarrow of stones toward a wall he’d started around his lion’s bane garden. He’d told me he was determined to protect the crop with its own fortress. He spotted me coming up the walkway and set down the barrow. He reached up and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and raked his fingers through his long hair to tame it back. He walked toward me looking like a gorgeous, feral god. It seemed even the trees and plants on his farm turned to watch him lumber past on those long, muscular legs.

“Heart be still,” I whispered to myself, but it was no use. It couldn’t be still with the vision in front of me. I couldn’t stop myself. My body ached to be in his arms, and my heart and head told me I’d never be happy with anyone except him. I ran toward him, threw my arms around his neck, and he just as quickly placed his hands around my bottom, so I could wrap my legs around him. My mouth pushed urgently against his. He smelled of soil and greenery and everything that made him magnificent.