Burning Bridges (3 page)

“
Shadow says you want to show me something?
”
I asked, turning my attention away from Miss Bluejay
’
s house.

“
That I do. It
’
s nothing bad, don
’
t worry,
”
Ezily replied, watching me from the corner of her eyes.

I shook my head and watched Teagon, an old frie
nd of mine, zip by on his horse wagon
. He tipped his hat, a sign of respect to a Royal, and was on his way.
“
I
find a hard time believing that
,
seeing as how every time I wander off with you two, I end up in trouble with Mother.
”
They giggled.

“
You say that as if it
’
s a bad thing, sister.
”
Shadow stopped at a parlor, grabbed a red, ripe apple, and took a juicy bite out of its flesh. I rolled my eyes, hating the way she paraded around the place misusing our titles.
The vendor said nothing, but looked on with distaste.

“
You could pay for that, you know?
”
I said.
“
I would believe those
people
have a reason for being out here other than to offer you free food.
”

“
How so?
”
Shadow took another hardy bit from the apple. It was pointless, so I let it go.

“
Stop the bickering, knuckle heads, and follow me. You
’
ll want to see this, Echo.
”
Ezily raced ahead of us, her boots scuffling at the dirt as she weaved between throngs of people, not caring who she bumped into.

“
Wait up, Ez!
”
Shadow screamed. She tossed me her apple and ran after Ezily.

Disgusted, I dropped the half eaten core to the ground and left it there to lie in the soil.
“
I don
’
t suppose you expect me to eat that!
”
I shouted. But Shadow and Ezily were long gone.

I swear, sometimes those two act as if they are five years old.

Sighing at their pathetic game, I slipped off my shoes, lifted my dress at the hem, and scurried after them. At least I was decent enough to apologize when I tipped over someone
’
s basket or knocked them to the ground. Though, t
hey didn
’
t seem to mind one bit. T
heir mouths hung open wide as they gawked at the Princess in awe
, something that had long begun to bother me
.

“
You two have got to show me how you run like that,
”
I slurred, resting my hands on my knees. Shadow and Ezily were
sitting
on a bench, their faces dressed in a coolly manor as if my lungs weren
’
t about to burst from my chest.
“
Now,
this
‘
thing
’
had better be good. I just ran across the market barefooted for this.
”

“
Quit whining,
”
Ezily retorted with a shake of her head. She got up and moved over to the big tree that accentuated the central park area of the market. It was then that I noticed the big target painted on the tree
’
s trunk.
“
I
’
ve decided t
o teach you a few things about a
rchery.
”

I gasped, m
y eyes immediately
going
to Shadow.
“
You
’
re kidding? Without Father
’
s consent?
”

Shadow shrugged a shoulder indolently and pulled her bow and arrow from the sheath on her back.
“
What he doesn
’
t know won
’
t kill him. The geezer is so busy dictating the Haven that he won
’
t notice you
’
ve obtained a few skills.
”
She handed me the bow and I nestled the arrow within it, aiming for the target on the tree.

“
If you hit me, I swear to the gods I
’
ll pluck every one of those pretty little hairs out of your head and sell it to M
iss Bluejay for her new recipe. W
ho
,
by the way, made your birthday cake last year,
”
Ezily
said
, moving away as far from the target as she could get.

Shadow laughed, but I was too focused to bother with either one of them now. I couldn
’
t even believe I was holding an actual Tigress bow, the one thing I
’
d
been dying to get my hands on since I saw Shadow take out her first boar when I was five. I felt rejuvenated—alive—as my fingers shook timidly to get the right aim. Even though I didn
’
t know the first (or last) thing about shooting a bow, I was eager to see how well I could do.

“
Keep your chin up, never look at your hands. Your elbow should be in accordance with your shoulder. Feet slightly apart and never—and I mean
never
—take your eyes off the target,
”
Shadow instructed. As she adjusted my posture, I felt somewhat prideful.

“
Oh,
”
shouted Ezily, briefly breaking my concentration.
“
Don
’
t forget to, you know, not
kill me
.
”
She looked at Shadow.
“
That
’
s not on the top of the list, really?
”

Shadow smirked, and then patted my shoulder as a signal to go whenever I was ready.
“
Have at it. But seriously, don
’
t kill her. She
’
s my ride back to Siphon
’
s City.
”

“
I heard that!
”
Ezily bellowed, but she ducked as soon as she saw me stretching back the bow and taking aim. My arms shook ferociously and beads of sweat began to break out on my forehead. Closing my eyes shut and taking a chan
ce on a whim, I released the arrow
and sent it flying.

“
Don
’
t close your eyes! Shadow, why is she—
”
Ezily was cut short when a loud thud resonated from the tree.

I
slowly
opened my eyes
to see that Shadow had closed
hers
as well. But a smile quickly took form on her lips
and she squealed,
“
I knew you have
my genes!
”
She ran over to me and gave me a strangling
hug. As she twirled me around,
through the blur of my dizziness
,
I could see where the golden arrow stuck out from the timber. White, yellow, blue—and right where the arrow had struck—bull
’
s eye.

“
You did it!
”
Ezily screamed, running over to us.
“
You didn
’
t kill me!
”

Shadow finally set
me back on my feet.
“
Never mind
that, Ez, the girl can shoot.
”

“
Do it again,
”
Ezily
added.

I wasn
’
t sure if I looked excited from the outside, but I knew on the inside I was
vibrating with anticipation
. Even more so, I was eager to try it again. 

“
Er, no time for that. She
’
s got to be back for her dinner with the Prince in ten minutes,
”
Shadow said, glaring at her pocket watch.
“
No need for both of us to get in trouble, eh?
”
She looked down at my dress.

I didn
’
t want to look down at myself, for I already knew
what I would see
. Most of the curls in my hair were
already
spilling down my back, rather than staying tucked nicely in the bun Everlae had made
. Truthfully, I really didn
’
t care.
“
Oh, please can we
stay just a little while longer?
I think I could get really good at this archery stuff,
”
I begged.

Shadow
’
s face went terrifyingly solemn as she looked at Ezily.
“
Sorry, she can
’
t miss this. Another time?
”

Ezily nodded, her black tresses posed in odd directions, and said,
“
Of course. Another time, Echo. I
’
ll show you what I can do with a switchblade.
”
 

I smiled reluctantly and followed Shadow through the gates of the market and back onto the Royal te
rritory. Shadow said nothing, and
neither did I, but I felt the unspoken words
suspend
ed
in the air
between us
.

We were never to speak of this, not even to Everlae.  

We
stumbled through the back door of the kitchen minutes later and Shadow tried to sneak me up to my chamber to change. Although, we should have known Mother would be lollygagging
around the house
, supervising the
maids
to make sure they didn
’
t spit in the food.

“
My dear child!
”
Mother exclaimed, her palms pressed to her cheeks.

I gave her a smile despite the fact that I knew I probably had twigs sticking out from my frizzed hair.
“
Hello,
Mother.
”
I glanced around the kitchen
and caught
Everlae
’
s attention. As soon as she set her gaze on the hair she had just recently done, she dropped the pot of water
in her hands to the ground
, eyes unblinking and mouth agape. The water spilled everywhere,
but she didn
’
t seem the least bit worried.

“
What were you doing?
”
Mother asked. I opened my mouth to speak, but she raised her
palm
to me.
“
Forget I asked. Prince
Noah
is in the dining hall waiting and you come home dressed like
a forest animal
? Shadow, what is the meaning of this?
”

Shadow scratched her neck and p
retended to be unaware.
“
Hm
? Oh, I
’
ve no idea, Mother. You know the children these days.
”
She pecked Mother on the cheek before disappearing up to her chambers. I shot her with a look so dark I
’
d wished she would have seen it.

If only eyes could speak.

“
Mother, I—
”
I began.

“
I don
’
t want to hear it, Echo.
Head upstairs
,
I
’
ll
have to fix you up myself.
”

Mot
her rushed me up to my chambers and
,
scrubbing me down with unusual smelling soaps,
re-curled
my hair so that it appeared
suitable for the occasion again
and brought me back down to the dining hall. I tried to talk to her, but she shushed me and said we
’
d talk later. Knowing exactly what that meant, I kept my mouth shut.

Before we entered the hall where the assemblage was being held, Mother asked me to retrieve the special bottle of wine she kept for special occasions such as this one. I hurried into the kitchen, making for the wine room, when I ran straight into something blocking the doorway.
I blamed it on my worrying thoughts of Mother and the impending punishment I knew I was sure to get. Mother was a talkative person, so when she hushed you or refused to talk, you knew all hell was going to break loose the moment she had you alone. Unfortunately, her silences were becoming occasional with me.