Between Two Worlds [Excerpt Only] | NOW A PUBLISHED NOVEL

Chapter II

THE AFTERNOON SUN filtered through the budding branches of the aspens, silver shadows snaking over the carpet of last autumn's leaves. The cold, damp ground kissed my bare feet as I skipped out of our village, but I scarcely noticed.

As I wound my way up the last hillrise that lay between our valley and the fields, my curiosity only grew. What did Telyn wish to tell me so secretly? Most of my guesses involved some sort of passionate declaration, but I could only wait to discover what it was.

'Thou hast come early.' Telyn's voice sounded over my shoulder and I whirled to see him approaching, the neck of his tunic darkened with sweat from working in the fields.

I smiled awkwardly, unsure if he was jesting. 'At least I came.' I felt my response foolish. My heart was racing faster than a horse on open moorland and I could do nothing to calm it.

He smiled warmly as he reached my side. 'Aye.' Then he glanced around, as if to assure himself that we were alone.

'What didst thou wish to tell me?' I prompted, when he did not speak.

Telyn's face flushed. 'First, Enid, thou must promise not to speak of this to anyone. Nothing is certain yet, and should word of our meeting be known, it might prove harmful to our reputations, regardless of our innocence.'

'I promise,' I vowed solemnly, more curious than ever.

The corners of his mouth twitched upward in a smile. 'I know thou wouldst not tell, but I wished to be certain.' He paused before continuing, looking at the ground as if to avoid my gaze. 'My father has given me freedom to choose my own bride.'

My heart leapt into my throat and I clenched my hands, trying to calm the turmoil within me.

Telyn raised his dark head and smiled again, but the playful light in his eyes became something deeper. 'I have yet to ask thy father, but I wish to wed thee.'

My world came to a standstill, hearing nothing but my pounding heart. My mouth fell open. 'Truly?' I forced out at last, my ears burning at my lack of a swift response. The silence crescendoed into birdsong and windless rustling among the bracken, but I only cared about the dimpled smile on Telyn's face and the sunlight shining in his grey eyes.

'Aye, Enid, truly.' He placed his hands on my shoulders and I could hardly contain my excitement. I never knew such happiness would be possible for me. Of course, he would still have to ask my father for my hand, but the time for thinking about that would come later.

'I can scarce believe it,' I whispered, feeling as though my face would break from smiling.

He laughed, not in mockery, but from joy that we both shared.
The laughter died in his throat as he caught sight of something behind me. The color drained from his face and his hand flew towards the sheathed dirk on his hip, his other arm drawing me protectively towards himself.