Dreamscape: Saving Alex (21 page)

“That’s an amazing
thing to do,” I said.

He shrugged. “Not
really. It’s just what we had to do. It’s not that special.”

“It is,” I said.
“You just don’t understand that. I’ve never seen such teamwork or generosity.”

We stood in silence
for a moment, watching the flurry of activity. I finally broke the silence.
“Thank you for showing me all this. I mean it. This camp, your home, it’s truly
special.”

“You’re welcome.
But there’s more.”

“More?” I asked.

He answered my
question with a mischievous smile. “Much more,” he said, leading the way to the
nearest tree and grabbing ahold of the rope ladder. He climbed down through a
small opening between the bridge and the tree and looked up at me. “What’re you
waiting for?”

I shook my head and
climbed down after him. The noise increased to a roaring din around us. I
nudged Arrow and plugged my ears.

“Another reason why
I enjoy it up there,” he yelled. “It gets loud down here, especially now with
the preparations.”

“Preparations?” I
asked.

He pulled on my
sleeve, bringing me closer.

“On your right,” a
man yelled, carrying an armful of shields as he clanked past us.

I twirled and saw
more men scurrying by with piles of armor and weaponry, the elders barking out
orders. Sweat rolled down their red faces as they stacked boxes and rolled
barrels in front of the stockrooms. Children barely old enough to walk followed
the older boys, dragging spears behind their wobbly legs. Everyone seemed
occupied with their tasks, but none of them were so busy that they couldn’t
stop to stare at me.

“Don’t forget, we
all got word that you were coming. They’re naturally as excited as I’ve been.”

I bit my lower lip
and regarded them more closely, noticing the smiles tugging at their lips and
the way they tried not to be obvious with their stares, quickly turning when I
met their gaze.

“Don’t make that
look,” he said. “You knew this was coming.”

“Yes, but…”

“I told you that
you’d have all the support you needed. This should put you at ease.”

I swallowed hard
and forced a smile. “You’re right. It’ll be fine.” But everything inside me
screamed that I was in over my head.

“Now let me finish
showing you camp. Over there, next to the practice meadow, is the stables, and
on the other side are the quarters.”

“Uh-huh,” I said, trying
to listen to everything he described. Half his words slipped over my head as I
soaked in my surroundings.

He grabbed my hand
and raced across the pathway to the other side of the camp. The practice meadow
was an open field surrounded by hay bales, stacked two and three high, with old
wooden barrels overflowing with spears, arrows, and swords. At one end, a group
of men gathered, adjusting their bows, while at the other end, two younger boys
adjusted new targets—hand-painted caricatures of a man with a dark mustache and
black crown.

“Over here,” he
said, pulling my attention away from the field. “This is your tent. I hope you
don’t mind that I had them set it up for you. It’s not much, but it should have
everything you need. And if
anything
is
missing, just come find me. I’m right next to you.”

“Thanks,” I said,
hoping my face didn’t
look
as red as it
felt.

“It’s nothing. I
just figured after everything…” His voice trailed off.

When I looked up,
he was staring behind me with an excited grin. I turned to look, and my stomach
dropped. Three heavily armored men walked towards us. Their armored
breastplates swung in sync with the weapons hanging from their sides.

“I want you to meet
the generals.” He waved the men over and pulled the package of papers we had stolen
from Baron Marix out of his vest pocket.

“Generals,” he
said, warmly clasping hands with the tallest of the armored men. “It’s been too
long.”

“Well worth the
wait,” the general said, nodding at me. “Is this who I think it is?”

“Yes. Generals
Amos, Tanner, and Gerding, please meet Alex, our Golden Hero.”

“My lady,” General
Amos said, kneeling and lowering his head. “It’s an honor.”

The other men
followed suit, their armor clanking as their knees hit the ground.

I spared a quick
glance at Arrow. A slight grin quivered on the edge of his lips.

“Please don’t. It’s
my pleasure.” I reached forward and grasped General Amos’ hand, blushing as
each man took a turn kissing the back of my knuckles.

“Now that that’s
taken care of,” Arrow said, “General Tanner, has there been any news from the
north?”

“There have been
rumblings from everywhere, not just the north. You’ve heard the rumors?”

“They’re not
rumors,” Arrow replied, his lips tight.

“I’m so sorry. I
was afraid of that,” General Tanner said. “We have another issue too. We’ve
heard
from more than one group that the money didn’t reach
their targets.”

I gasped at his
words and covered my mouth. Could he be talking about the boxes I’d taken?

“That problem’s
been solved. It was all a misunderstanding. Everything’s in place now,” Arrow
said.

“Are you sure?” the
larger man asked, rubbing his forehead. “We can’t have many more mishaps.”

“Amos, don’t worry.
Everything’s in place.”

“But the word from
the north says Berkos is on the move,” Amos said.

“Then we have
nothing to worry about. We’re ready. For the first time in five years, I feel
we have an honest chance.”

General Gerding
smiled and patted him on the back. “We never doubted you, Prince Atiro. We knew
you’d find her and bring her here.”

“Prince?” I whispered,
jerking my gaze to Arrow.

Arrow shifted his
weight to his left leg as he looked at me. “I can explain. I didn’t—”

Prince...my mind
rolled over that thought until my voice found something to say. “Didn’t what?
Why would you keep that a secret?”

“Does it matter?”
he asked, searching my face.

“Well, no,” I said,
wanting to scream ‘yes!’ I
could
n’t help
but
think
of
all
the things I had said, all of my stubborn outbursts.
Humiliation didn’t even begin to describe the feelings rushing through me. I
wanted to hide.

“I told you they’d
had my brother. That was
all
that
mattered,” he said.

“You never said he
was a prince,” I countered in disbelief. Was he really trying to downplay this?

“The king,
actually. He and Queen Elin ruled the kingdom together before Berkos imprisoned
them.”

“King?” I squeaked.
“Didn’t you think I needed to know?” General Amos coughed.

Arrow glanced over
at the generals and rubbed the back of his neck before looking back at me.
“Well, now you
do
. Alex, we’ll have to
finish this later. Men, let’s go over the details in my tent.”

The generals nodded
and followed Arrow down the dusty path.

“Now I
know
...” I mumbled, watching the dust settle behind them.
I stumbled to my tent in a daze, securing the tent flap behind me and leaning
against the pole, throwing my head back. “Now I know…”

Who was I kidding?
I knew nothing.

A prince? The thought left me stunned and sick at
the same time. I sat down on the cot at the far end of the tent, trying to
articulate what bothered me most. Was it that he hadn’t told me? There were
plenty of secrets I had kept from him. I could hardly hold something against
him when I was just as guilty of it. So if it wasn’t that, what was the issue?

I took off the green hat and twirled it around a finger.
Deep down, I knew what the problem was, and I hated to admit it. Here I was
again, attracted to a guy completely out of my league. After Brian, I swore I
wouldn’t do it again, but I couldn’t deny that I was falling for Arrow.

It was bad enough that he was so good-looking, but
a prince too? If he were a warrior, like I’d thought, I could deal with that.
There were plenty of cute football players at home. Even if he were a builder
or a tradesman, I could wrap my mind around it. But a prince? That was beyond
me. I wasn’t some princess or damsel in distress for him to rescue. Not even
close.

I threw my hat
behind me and ran my fingers through my hair, jerking through each tangle
faster and faster, until the luster of my hair shone. A quick glance in the mirror
told me not to stop. I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me.

Deep lines circled
my eyes, and my freckles hid under a layer of dirt. My clothes, frayed from the
journey, looked exactly like I felt. Faded and broken. I was tired of feeling inadequate.
It was time to change. First, I needed out of the costume.

I unhooked the
dagger from my belt and shook myself out of the tunic. It dropped with a thud
by my feet. I kicked it under a table with my foot and took a closer look at my
leggings. Ripped at the knees and dotted with holes along the shins, they
weren’t worth trying to save. The dagger sliced easily through the thin fabric.
I cringed as I peeled the pants off, wincing as they clung to old wounds.

As I stood there
in
nothing but my torn white shirt, I still didn’t recognize myself. I wondered if
I ever
would
again. The girl from home
and the girl who entered the dark forest were mere shadows of who I was now.
Tears slid
down my cheek
, but it took too
much energy to stop them.

My vision blurred,
and my gaze strayed around the room. Arrow had been right. Everything I
could’ve ever needed was here. The table beside me held a full basin of water
and lavender oil soap, and next to it sat a stack of green and gold fabric.

When I reached for
it, the fabric slid across my hands, luxuriously soft in a way the first set
was not. Golden thread work detailed the deep collar on the tunic and the hem
of the leggings. My mom always said that clothes made a person. It turned out
that she was half-right.
My first outfit was nothing more than a
costume, perfect for dress-up
. But this one was
different. It felt right, and I was ready to wear it…when I was clean. I rubbed
out a smudge from below the delicate trim and put it back on the table where
I’d found it, grabbing a cloth from the edge of the basin.

A strange
satisfaction rolled over me as the water darkened. I scrubbed, watching the
suds
clear
a path across my face. My
freckles peeked out, and I smiled. I scrubbed until my face and arms
were
raw.

The clothes felt as
luxurious on me as they had between my fingers. The smooth silk slid over my
body, and the golden threads glittered in the mirror’s reflection. I still
didn’t know who looked back at me: Alex or the Golden Hero, or some magical
blend of the two. It didn’t matter.

I grabbed two
oranges and a couple of rolls off a silver tray and peeked out the tent door.
Did Arrow remember that was the first thing he’d offered to me, or was it a
coincidence? It had to be coincidental. I peeled and bit into one of the
oranges before my doubts could sour the sweetness.

The Grove continued
along its frenzied pace. People walked by with loads of armor, and kids giggled
as they chased each other on the field. Everyone had a place to be or a job to
do. The ebb and flow of their movements and the soft rustling of the branches
above me lulled me into a hypnotic state.

The moment of peace
surprised me. I hadn’t felt such calm since arriving in Lockhorn, and I refused
to squander it. For the first time, nothing—not my parents, not the
game—dictated what I needed to do. I could sleep, I could explore, I could do
anything. The possibilities rattled in my head. What to do first?

I peeled the second
orange and looked up at the trees. As rickety as the bridge was, I wanted to cross
it again. I finished the orange and let the tent flap close behind me. It felt
good to have a plan of my own making.

I jumped into the
crowd, weaving a way through the rowdy kids and around the busy shopkeepers,
barely missing a larger man as he stopped in front of me with a wooden barrel.

“I’m so sorry,” I
said as I passed him. His back tensed as he released the barrel and stood up.

His demeanor
changed the moment he saw me. His anger melted into an apologetic gesture. “No,
my lady, it’s my fault,” he said, waving me along. “I’ll keep better watch next
time.”

I stared at him,
puzzled at the sudden change.

He bit his lip and
covered his heart with his hat, timidly approaching me. “If it’s not too much,
my lady, may I ask a favor?”

“Of course,” I
said.

“When it’s time to
go, can I ride alongside you?”

“When it’s time?” I
asked, confused.

“When it’s time to
ride, I’d be honored to be by your side.”

I nodded. “Yeah, of
course. If it’s up to me, I’d be honored to have someone of your strength with
me.” His smile stretched his face, and he beamed with childlike enthusiasm.

“Thank you, thank
you, my lady,” he said, bowing as he walked away.

This hero thing
amused me. It still didn’t make much sense, but I supposed if my life had been
devastated like theirs, retribution would be my main focus too, and I’d embrace
anyone I thought could help. Luckily for me, it wasn’t, and my focus still
remained on that bridge, dangling at the far end of the path.

I bounded past the
edge of the training field, noticing how one end had been commandeered for
wagon repair. It was hard to miss Boris’s loud laugh as he swiped the wagons
with dark green paint. Trilling around his loud bursts of laughter, softer
giggles drifted towards me. I covered my mouth when I saw their source.

Three girls ran
around the wagon, dragging braided vines behind them. They wore smiles and new
dresses, and I almost didn’t recognize them. Almost. The bruises and scars on
their arms told a story their smiles couldn’t hide.

“That’s not what I
meant, and you know it,” a voice boomed behind me.

I spun around.
“Arrow?”

“Prince Atiro,
wait!” General Amos yelled, running onto the path behind him. “There’s still
much to discuss.” He stopped and crossed his arms.

“There’s nothing
more to discuss. I’ve given my orders.” Arrow’s words rang clear on the quieted
path.

General Amos
scowled and threw his arms up in frustration before turning back towards his
tent.

Arrow’s eyes hid
beneath his dark hair, but I could see the scowl in his tightened jawline. I
looked up at the bridge and sighed. That could wait.

“Arrow, wait up,” I
yelled, racing back across the street towards him and the training field.

The path cleared
before him as he jumped over the hay bales surrounding the field. Men and women
scattered to the outer edges, and the group painting wagons at the other end
stopped to watch, leaning against the hay and propping themselves atop wooden
barrels.

Arrow’s anger
transformed into focus. He grabbed the closest bow and pointed
down
the field. Even without a posted target, his arrow
flew straight. One after the other, blinding shafts of color flew through the
air, toppling the highest bale with the arrow’s force. He seamlessly turned and
focused on the second target, knocking it over with the same accuracy and
speed. And then the next, until all the targets were turned over.

The crowd grew
until the entire outer edge overflowed with spectators watching him annihilate
his targets. Everyone wanted to see their leader in action. I leaned against
the closest hay bale and bit my cheek. Stray strands of hay poked into me.
Without thinking, I pulled them out and braided the edges, holding my breath
and watching as General Tanner stepped out onto the field.

I half-expected him
to instigate an argument like General Amos had, but he surprised me by
embracing Arrow and taking hold of the bow. The sun glinted off his armor as
the targets were restacked.

“Tell me, which
arrow is the right one?” he asked, smiling at Arrow.

Arrow stepped back
and leaned against the hay stacks. An amused grin lit up his face.

“Do we want the
strong and silent type?” he asked, holding up a black-shafted arrow. “Or
perhaps something a bit more whimsical and fun?” He picked up a red one. “Hmm,
I’m still not sure. Maybe this one?” he asked, offering up a green one.

The crowd yelled
out all three colors. General Tanner waffled between his choices until Arrow
shook his head in laughter. “Choose the green,” he said.

“There’s only one
arrow I trust,” a woman’s voice purred.

The crowd hushed
for a moment, and then burst into louder yells.

“And what Melody
wants, Melody gets,” General Tanner announced to the crowd’s delight.

I looked around for
the mystery woman who called for Arrow’s attention, disappointed when she
remained hidden. I tried to ignore the pit that opened up inside me as another
layer of insecurity hit. I hadn’t thought about anyone else being interested in
him.

“I think we can all
agree, we want an arrow strong and true.” General Tanner fit the green-shafted
arrow into the bow. Methodical and precise, he let go, and the arrow sliced
through the air, hitting its target. “Right on target. What do I get?” he asked
and pulled a woman from the edge of the crowd, planting a kiss on her cheek.

“Oh, General
Tanner,” she said, covering her chest theatrically. As she stood, she brushed
dark waves of hair out of her eyes. The deep blue of her vest accentuated her
eyes and the mischievous twinkle that grew in them when she laughed. The tone
of her voice entranced me. No wonder they called her Melody—she sounded like liquid
music.

I narrowed my gaze,
trying to find an imperfection, but could see none.

“Right,” he said
with a laugh, setting her down. “Maybe my charm will work on another woman.
Anyone else willing to bolster this general’s ego?”

Melody laughed.
“When you put it that way, how could anyone resist? How about I give you a
challenge instead?”

General Tanner
raised an eyebrow. “I like challenges. What’d you have in mind, sweet lady?”

“Just a simple
challenge of skill.”

“No one can best
you with the bow.” He bowed.

“No one can best me
at anything,” she retorted. “But a brave man tries…if the reward is worth it.”

“And what are you
offering, sweet lady?” He leaned towards her.

“Something of
value, of course, good sir. How about the winner gets a date?” She licked her
lips.

His eyes lit up.
“You have a deal, my lady. After you.” He bowed as she strutted forward.

If anyone had
missed the earlier exchanges, they were here now. Even General Amos stood at
the edge, towering over the crowd.

Melody paraded
forward, using the crowd to her advantage. They whistled at her indecision as
she stroked three different shafts before choosing a red one. “One can never be
too hasty,” she purred.

The crowd murmured
their agreement.

She pricked the tip
of the arrow as she walked to the middle of the ground and licked the tip of
her finger. General Tanner leaned against Arrow, practically drooling over her
performance. Her outfit looked like Arrow’s, except for the sharply angled cut
on the vest and the way her leather pants clung to her curves. The bright blue
vest caught the fading sunlight, sending a shadow of feathers and a flutter of
light in all directions. I gasped at the selection of knives sheathed around
her vest. She wasn’t one to mess with.

I found myself
splitting my gaze between Melody and Arrow. He seemed amused at her
performance; a slight smile played on the edge of his lips. I couldn’t blame
him. She had a way of commanding attention. The lump in my throat grew. If I didn’t
think I stood a chance with him as a prince, I knew I didn’t stand a chance
against her.

“General Tanner,
are you sure you don’t want to shoot with me?” she asked with a sideways glance
as she placed the arrow in her bow. “It gets lonely out here by myself.”

“It’s a difficult
choice, my lady. It’s a joy to watch you prepare…but, alas, I am compelled to
answer your every request.”

“Thatta boy,” she
said as he jumped into position beside her.