Daughter of Alvar (Redemption Saga, Book 2)

Chapter 11

"What about you?" Rift asks me, dealing out our next hand. "How is life with your twin brother?"

"You mean my beloved twin brother, heir to Underland's throne?" I ask dramatically, picking up my cards.

"I'm sure that's not easy," Rift says, grinning at me impishly, "The town talks of Kalvar living the rich spoiled life with women fawning over him wherever he goes."

"He's good-looking and knows it," I grumble.

"Did you hear of the days when King Saul kept a harem in the palace?" Rift asks. Our game continues, and his cards are obviously better than mine this round.

"I did," I say, shuddering at the memory of when Father had described Saul the tyrant and his palace of horror. "My father spoke of how beautiful virgin girls were herded into his palace for his menagerie."

"Do you ever get uncomfortable with knowing Kalvar is adding a third wife? I know it's causing some to say he believes women are trophies just as Saul did."

A prickle of defensiveness for my brother rises in me. I know Kalvar has a personal relationship with Elle and Ava, and it is unfair to compare him to Saul and his rape victims. "There is a HUGE difference between an agreed-upon relationship and Saul kidnapping virgins."

"Agreed," Rift says, "but why does he need to marry to create an alliance?"

"You sound like my mother," I laugh, my defensiveness cooling. "I'm not saying I am excited about my brother's next marriage, but it's his choice, and Princess Sylvia knows what she's getting into. They've been corresponding for a while. Besides, legally, my brother can only have four spouses at most, so there's at least an end in sight."

Rift chuckles, and then he studies my face, leaning forward till he's close to me and his eyes are focused on mine, "Are you happy at the palace as a princess?"

"No," I say, surprised. I'm bluntly honest about this with him. "I'm not happy living in the palace." But I quickly add, "It's not that I'm ungrateful. It's just that I've been a freak all my life, and everyone has been afraid of me. With that fear comes a great deal of isolation. You wouldn't have any idea... but I feel untouchable in the worst possible way."

"No," Rift says, his voice dipping seriously. "I think I know exactly what you're talking about." He places a hand on mine, and it's as if the power of arlite sizzles between us. "Maybe you're not meant for the mundane palace life like your brother, Kyla. Look at you! You're meant for adventures beyond any mortal man's comprehension. You don't want to be shut in a palace making diplomatic decisions. You have the world at your fingertips."

"Why do you say that?" I ask, shyly looking up at him from under my lashes. Why does he bring out vulnerability in me? With those words, I'm practically spellbound.

"You're selling yourself short. You're letting them decide what you are when you have all the power in the world to decide for yourself," Rift tells me. I lean forward on the table to get closer.

"Rift?" I ask, our lips are a moment from each other, but neither of us moves.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to see me again after tonight?"

"Yes."

He plays his last card—a win for him.

I sigh and get up from the table, taking his hand as I do, and pulling him to the door with me.

"Where are you taking me?" Rift asks, his eyes alight with amusement.

"Let's go and have an adventure right now!" I exclaim giggling.

"Sure!" Rift says with a boyish grin. "Where do you want to go?"

"To the waterfall! I haven't been there since before my father left.." My voice trails off. He used to take me there because I loved it so.

"A romantic adventure, then?" Rift teases.

"You wish," I laugh with him.

"The waterfall isn't far from here. We have to follow this river," Rift offers, and he follows the river that flows past his house. "I have to warn you; there are jungle cats and wyvern that are known along the way, especially at night like this."

"Not a problem," I say, fearless. "Show me the way, visiting lord of the north!"

Rift rolls his eyes. "Are you ever going to let me live that one down?"

"I'll let you know when your punishment is through," I say, sticking out my tongue.

We travel along the bank of the river, hopping across stones and laughing like we're two children playing together. I haven't had this much fun since Elle, Kalvar, and I got in trouble for sneaking mytonirs from the royal stables and riding into town disguised as commoners where we attended a street fair. Of course, that incident hadn't lasted long enough because someone recognized Kalvar and the royal guard came to get us.

The sound of roaring water echoes closer as the river widens. Right before we reach the clearing, Rift grasps my hand and pulls me into the brush.

"What is the—" I begin, but he presses a finger to my lips.

"Shh!" he whispers, holding me in place. "Someone is already there." I move to pull from his grasp, but he's stronger than any man I've encountered before—save my Father.

"Is this all the payload we get?" A man's voice complains gruffly.

Rift had been right, and I give him an acknowledging glance, which makes him release his hold on me.

We creep up through the brush until we can view two individuals, a gobli and a human, taking barrels out of the basin of water below the roar of the waterfall. They load the barrels onto a great elafont, a creature with massive tusks and a long trunk decorated with red and black bands. The barrels are marked with the same colors.

"Just perfect," Rift growls under his breath and ducks his head into his hand to rub his temples. "It's Hassan's crew."

"You know them?" I ask and observe the two people have weapons holstered to their waists. The gobli is a male covered in tattoos, and the man is covered in similar tattoos, balding, with fingernails sharped to points.

"Yes," Rift says. "But I thought they were both dead."

"Why would you think that?" I ask.

"Because they got in trouble with my mother."