Chapter 7

I sat across the fire from him and watched him in silence. His handsome face was as calm as ever, his blue eyes distant as he looked into the fire. Something in his calmness calmed my own rage slightly. It was no fault of his that he was a prince, so I had no real reason to hate him. Still, I knew he had no reason to love me. Why was he letting me follow him?

I was reluctant to break the peaceful silence, but finally I spoke. “Raneld? Why are you doing this?”

He looked up, lifting one eyebrow in a quizzical arch. “This?”

“Why are you letting me come with you? You’ve no reason to.”

He was silent for a time, and his gaze drifted back to the fire.

“Raneld?”

He looked up again at me with a sudden warm smile. “Do you remember last year’s bonfire leap? Bonfire night will be here again soon, so we’ll miss it this year.”