The Lost Princess

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Man with the Silver Eyes pt. 3

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"Well, aren't you all quite dull," Faleon muttered, his arms crossed as he looked down at the rest of the group sitting around the fire. They all looked up at him. "Why, you haven't said three words to each other since we left this morning. How did you come about the decision to leave, anyway?"

Amara felt satisfaction in the way they stared at him collectively, blank looks on their faces. Despite all his needling, he had failed to overcome the distrust that still hung between the company and himself.

Faleon rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, looks like I'm gonna have to be the source of entertainment." He cast a beaming smile at Eramire, who looked flustered. But instead, he turned to Earwen and held out his hand. Earwen gave him a confused look.

"I don't bite, Princess."

Thorindir had stiffened, and a muscle worked in his jaw. The scar on his cheek whitened as Earwen slipped her hand into Faleon's. He drew her up and glanced at Nauro, whose face was as pinched as Thorindir's.

"Play us a song on those pipes you've been cleaning since we stopped," he said to Nauro, and he winked at Amara.

Faleon was impartial, paying equal attention to all. The wise rogue.

Nauro grudgingly raised the pipes to his lips. He played a slow song that sounded more like a dirge.

"Come on, my boy. You must know a more uppity tune."

Nauro's eyes darkened, but he obliged.

Faleon was every bit the wonderful dancer Amara remembered. And the way he twirled Earwen about in the campfire light dredged up old memories of her first year with the silver-eyed man. Earwen had looked uncertain at first, but as Nauro increased the tempo, a smile spread over her face, and she laughed as Faleon dipped her. Thorindir's scowl lessened.

Faleon soon turned his attention to Eramire, and Nauro took the opportunity and tossed the pipes to his general and caught Earwen's hand. Thorindir's eyes had narrowed again, but he played the pipes anyway. Amara watched the couples dance. Eramire looked flushed when the song Thorindir played came to an end.

Thorindir traded once again with Nauro. The general held his hand out to Eramire, but she waved Earwen over instead. Amara couldn't read his expression.

Faleon turned to Amara and held out his hand. His eyes smoldered, and memories continued to surge, but she refused to be intimidated into making a scene. She took his hand. He spun her around the firepit so quickly she could hardly catch her breath. It was all she could do to keep up. The song Nauro had selected was faster than the others. The world was a blur of yellow and orange light with black edges, and only Faleon's face was in focus. He had the same predatory smile.

The song ended, and Amara felt unsettled. Faleon, however, had broken through the walls of the others. Suddenly everyone was chatting and smiling. Amara stewed.

Soon she went to her tent while the others sat around the fire. She still had not fallen asleep when Earwen and Eramire came in. Eramire's breathing deepened as she fell quickly asleep.

"Amara?" Earwen's voice was barely a whisper.

Amara rolled over to face the young elf. "Yes?"

"Why do you hate him if he saved you?"

"So many things happen when you fall in love with someone, Earwen."

"Did you really love him?"

"I thought I did."

"Is it hard having him here?"

"Yes."

"You could tell him to go."

Amara laughed softly. "Even if I did, he would still be around. Better to have him where I can see him."

"You don't trust him?"

"No, I don't."

"Why?"

"Because he doesn't trust me. But he is a powerful ally, and I cannot forfeit his help. He could be the difference between bringing Goroth down."

"So you will forfeit your happiness for revenge?"

Amara smirked. "I consigned myself to Oblivion for it. There is nothing I will not do or have not done."

"Tell me what you've done. Tell me what he's done to you."

Amara turned her back on the young elf. She could feel Earwen's eyes on her, and then she heard the gentle shifting of her body. Soon Earwen's breathing matched her sister's, and Amara knew she was asleep. Tears threatened. She was losing her friends before she had even made them. Her allies were becoming Faleon's. He always broke her resolve—the price of letting him close. And now she was hurting again. She hated this feeling of helplessness that came with loving people.

She shuddered and pulled in the bleeding emotions. She would not allow them to hurt her. She would not love them. But she turned and looked at Earwen's peaceful sleeping face and knew it was all for naught. She loved the elf princess—loved her more than any she had met over the broken years since the overthrow. She was so afraid, but the pain was inevitable. She would lose her too, eventually, but there was no going back. The elf girl had stolen her heart with no intention of letting it go.

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*******  Did you guys like this chapter being split into smaller sections, or do you prefer the longer chapters? Does it mess with the flow of the book to split them so many times?