Page 55 of A Yulean Sister’s Guide to Getting Kidnapped

“I see,” I said.

They were both there, dressed very similarly, sipping their tea that I always thought tasted like dirt. It hadn’t seemed like they were in conversation, but it was clear they would have more things to talk about. The pair of them looked… correct, even though Bramwell had left the ties of lower nobility behind a very long time ago.

“We should get going soon,” I said. “We’ll need most of the day probably.”

“So, we’ve stopped? Excellent,” he said, getting organized to leave his things.

“We’re at port?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said. “We’ll only be docked the day.”

Her sudden giddy reaction shocked me. She stood, swishing towards me. “Perfect. I could use a dress or two I don’t need help into. Oh, and some shoes, and a few more sewing supplies. Some of these things need patches.”

“You’re not coming,” I said.

She paused her rambling thoughts and turned to me, arms crossed. “And why not?”

It felt like these gowns of hers took up so much extra space. Like we were standing much closer than we actually were, and the proximity always made me feel… something I didn’t want to examine too closely.

“We can’t be seen with the kidnapped princess,” I said.

“I’m not a kidnapped princess,” she said. “As you’ve said many times before. I’m a guest. We’re also in a different kingdom. I’m not heir, so people don’t know me as well.”

Other excuses danced on the tip of my tongue. “We aren’t going shopping,” I tried. “You’ll be bored to tears.”

“Fine, no shopping,” she said, being uncharacteristically reasonable. “I just need to stretch my legs.”

I was grasping at straws for any reason to say no. Bramwell was no help, just watching us volley back and forth. He was back to his stone face, which was especially unhelpful now that I knew he had more in his repertoire.

“I… fine. But you stick close, and just follow us to the library.”

Her smile was radiant, like a flower that had just fully bloomed to see the sun for the first time in spring. “I’ll get ready.”

She was off, her dress swooshing against the floor as she went, and her heels clicking loudly. There was no moving in silence in an outfit like that.

When turning back into the room, Bramwell was staring at me.

“What?”

He shook his head, but the corners of his mouth were turned up ever so slightly.

“I didn’t say a word, Captain.”

Chapter 18

Sage

Imade my way up to the deck, my body suddenly flashing with nerves. This was the first time I’d been near the water since the incident. Well, I technically was on a ship, but without seeing the water, it was easy to forget. It was interesting what your brain would do to protect itself.

But now I was going to have to see evidence that I was on the water, and I wasn’t sure I could do it. I briefly considered saying never mind and turning back around, but then what did I argue with Shadowhart for in the first place?

After a few minutes standing at the stairwell, my stubbornness won out against my fear, and one by one, I took the steps up to the main deck.

The first thing I noticed was the thick, salty air that always accompanied the ocean, and the sun. I’d been sitting near windows, but the direct sunlight I received was different.

It also wasn’t… as bad as I thought it would be. The deck was so big, that unless I went to the edge, I couldn’t see the water, and the city was in front of me.

“There you are,” Shadowhart said, scaring me out of my thoughts. “We need to go.”