The Frostwoven Crown (Book 4) (63 page)

He wondered if Banden was all right, if he would ever find the Peacebringers and find a way to end the war without killing. Garrett laughed to himself at the naivety of the thought and, just as quickly, felt ashamed for thinking it naive.

He sighed, looking away toward the south again, hoping that Shortgrass and the others would find their way home. Was Lampwicke there already? Would they tell her about what had happened? Would she even recognize Garrett if she saw him again now?

Somewhere inside the estate house, a band began to play, and Garrett’s thoughts drifted into the past once more.

“You’re going to miss the dance,” a girl’s voice spoke from behind.

Garrett turned to see the Girl in Brown, only she wasn’t wearing brown now.

She smiled shyly at him, her fingers fidgeting at the long skirt of her sky blue dress. She seemed awkward and unsure, her hand now going to tug at the neckline of her strapless top, her bare shoulders hunching together as if she were trying to withdraw into the dress like a turtle into its shell. She wore a single purple flower tucked behind her left ear where she had pulled back her short brown hair. She laughed nervously as he stared at her in amazement. She shifted her weight on the toes of her matching blue slippers.

“You look beautiful!” Garrett exclaimed.

She blushed red and looked away. “Thanks,” she said.

“I’ve never seen you in a… like this,” he said.

“But… you have seen me before?” she asked, lowering her face and then looking up at him again.

“Yeah… I have,” he said with a smile.

She walked to the edge of the balcony beside him and leaned out to breathe in the night air.

“Aren’t you cold?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Aren’t you?”

Garrett laughed at the absurdity of it and leaned against the balcony as well.

“I see you didn’t take my advice about getting out of the city,” she said.

“No,” Garrett answered.

“I’m glad you didn’t,” she said.

“I had to stay,” Garrett said, “People here needed my help.”

“I know,” she sighed, “I’m sorry I didn’t believe in you the way I should have.”

“What do you mean?” Garrett asked.

“I mean, I knew there was something special about you,” she said, “but I didn't trust it… I didn’t believe it was real… I should have believed in you. I could have helped you instead of...”

“What?” Garrett asked.

She looked at him and smiled again. “I’m glad you stayed,” she whispered.

“I’m glad you came back,” he said.

Her eyes fell and then she looked out across the shadowy gardens and rooftops of the heights. “I just wanted to see you again,” she said.

“I’m glad,” he said.

She nodded and smiled at him again.

“I like your dress,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said, “I stole it this morning… On a whim really. I didn’t exactly plan on coming to the party… then I just thought…”

“What?”

“It’s stupid,” she said.

“No it’s not,” Garrett said, “just tell me.”

“I just thought…” she said, “I wondered if, just for tonight, we could pretend that we really know each other… like we’re just two normal people at a party… like tomorrow we’re going to wake up and have breakfast and talk about how much fun we had together… like it won’t all be gone again as soon as we close our eyes.”

“I’d like that,” Garrett said.

She sighed and leaned close to him, and Garrett put his arm around her.

“I don’t know why I keep doing this to myself,” she whispered.

“You weren’t meant to be alone,” Garrett said.

“Yes, I was!” she scoffed, “That’s the problem.”

“If you were really meant to be alone,” Garrett said, “They wouldn’t have given you a name at all.”

“What good does it do if no one knows it?” she demanded.

Garrett smiled sadly at her.

“I don’t know,” she said, pulling away, “Part of me wishes that the dragon
had
destroyed the city… that I had finally died, and it would all be over… but then a part of me says
this is enough
… that these few moments that I steal with you are enough… that it’s worth all the emptiness in between.” She walked a short distance away and twirled, letting her skirt fan out and then bounce back into place as she turned to face him again.

“But it’s not enough!” she said, shaking her head, “I don’t want to be forgotten… if you can’t remember me, then I don’t want to be here at all! Can you understand that?” She looked at Garrett, her flawless brown eyes filled with pain.

“No,” Garrett said, “there’s no way I can understand it… The only thing I can do is to promise that I'll never forget you again… not ever.”

“But you can’t promise that, Garrett!” she cried, “You can’t!” She turned her back and walked toward the end of the balcony with a bitter sigh.

“Yes, I can, Haven,” Garrett said.

She froze mid-step. “What did you say?” she whispered.

“I'll never forget you again, because I know your true name now,” Garrett said, “Annalien told me.”

She turned slowly to face him, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Garrett crossed the balcony to reach out and take her hand in his. “I'll remember you tomorrow,” he said, “I'll remember you the next day… Haven, I will remember you until the end of time.”

She looked down and then up again, her lips trembling as she struggled to speak.

Garrett lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss upon her knuckle.

“You wanna dance?” he asked.

Haven broke down in tears and wrapped her arms around Garrett, clinging to him as she wept.

The first breath of winter swept down from the mountain, smelling of ash and snow, but she did not feel its chill, only the warm glow of something that she had never dared to dream that she would possess.

Garrett’s adventures will continue in Book Five.

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