The Faerie Prince

Chapter Twenty-Two

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Breakfast is a picnic beneath a bower of trees that sprinkle us with the occasional handful of star-shaped yellow flowers. Very pretty, until they begin landing in the food. Afterward, we're sent to observe the Royal Guard running through a few training exercises, which is when Ryn and I manage to escape to do some more exploring. I'm still a little high on all the not-just-friends feelings coursing through me, and it seems to be resulting in some reckless behavior. Like happily wandering around the palace grounds when we're clearly not supposed to be doing that right now.

We find two lakes that have no stone structures built nearby, and another courtyard attached to the palace with a pool full of young faeries splashing about. On the other side of a maze constructed from low bushes, we come across a pond with a stone bridge. But after examining every stone, it's clear there's no sign or symbol that points to something hidden.

I think of the sheer size of the palace grounds—so big it would take hours and hours to reach the other end—and start to feel a little panicky. "What if we can't find her hiding place in time?" I say to Ryn. "I've waited years for this opportunity. It's never going to happen again."

"We'll search all night if we must," he says, and I have to fight the urge to take his hand and squeeze his fingers. He seems just as determined as I am to find my mother's hidden belongings. Maybe it's because he's still trying to make up for the past, or maybe it's because the alternative—hanging out with other graduates watching guards train—is too boring. Either way, I'm grateful beyond words.

We leave the pond and bridge behind us as we climb a low hill. "You know, your mother's exploration time was probably also very limited when she was here," Ryn says. "Don't you think it more likely she'd have chosen a hiding place closer to the palace rather than further away?"

I stop climbing and rub the back of my hand across my forehead. I'm overheating in my long pants which, as Ryn pointed out last night, might be a little too tight for a summer's day. My tank top keeps my arms exposed, but it isn't enough to cool me down. "That could be true. Do you think we should head back and look around the palace?"

"Yes, I do. So far we've only walked through the palace, not around it. There might be smaller pools we haven't seen yet."

"There's also a greater chance of someone important seeing us and sending us back to our group."

"Afraid of getting in trouble, V?" Ryn flashes his cocky smile.

"Hardly," I turn around and make for the palace. "I just don't want Mission: Exploration to be cut short."

We walk back without saying much. There's been a lot of silence between us today. Not an awkward silence, but rather one that suggests we're both a little preoccupied. Every now and then I catch him watching me, but I don't ask why. He'll probably try and get me to spill my feelings on seeing my father-who-wasn't-my-father last night, and I'm not going down that road. Crying in Ryn's arms was weird enough without having to talk about it now.

We skirt the palace, keeping to the surrounding trees and hoping no one will notice us as they lean out of their decorative white balconies. We pass a fountain outside a room where a group of faeries are practicing musical instruments. I sense a spell weaving its way through the trees toward us, tempting my feet to start dancing. I hurry on with Ryn close behind me. That fountain was too small to be hiding anything anyway.

"Hey, I think I hear more water," Ryn says.

He's right. "Yes, but where is it? I don't see anything."

The sound of falling water becomes louder as we approach what looks like a leafy wall of tightly interwoven branches. It seems to be concealing a semi-circular area against the edge of the palace wall. "A private garden?" Ryn suggests.