The Rebel Prince (The Season Series #3)

Chapter 32: Part 2

We spent two more days travelling through the dense forests of the Delbosque lands. The temperature dropped as we climbed steadily towards jagged grey peaks in the distance, their caps crowned with snow. Even though I'd guessed before, now I was certain that we were headed for Vareinne – the only mountains on the continent that stood as tall as the ones before us were the Centinelas, or the Sentinels, as I'd been taught. The natural border between Ardalone and Vareinne, with only a few well-travelled passes between the staggering peaks.

"Perhaps we ought to consider that Dulciana will have posted additional troops at the passes to ensure you cannot escape via land to Vareinne," I said over dinner one night, after the peaks of the Sentinels range had first come into view.

"We aren't headed to one of those passes," was all that Frederico said in reply. He had been decidedly frigid towards me since our discussion in his tent about Beatriz. Thankfully, I wasn't the type to take such a reaction personally. I'd have felt much the same if some meddlesome, foreign prince was spending far too much time with Anne. Though I would have relented if he'd proven to be half as clever as I was.

"He's angry with me," I said to Beatriz the next morning, during our practice session. She hadn't removed her shirt since the last time, much to my chagrin.

"He'll be fine tomorrow," she said, then darted a look over at me as if she'd accidentally let something slip. I cocked an interested eyebrow, blocking the strike she thrust forward in an attempt to distract me. I snared her staff with mine, locking it against the ground.

"Tomorrow?" I prompted. She tugged at her staff once, twice, then gave up and pushed a piece of hair from her face. She was close enough that our panting breaths mingled, her eyes finding mine and rooting me to the spot.

"You're in for a surprise, idiota. But I won't steal Frederico's thunder and spoil it for you just yet."

"Perhaps I can convince you otherwise..." I trailed off, my eyes having fallen to her lips. They curved into a smile. The temptation to lean over and close the space between us overruled my better judgement to keep my hands to myself while in view of the rest of the camp. But before I could act, she kicked my legs out from under me, laughing when I tumbled, swearing, to the ground.

It had been like that since she'd laid her head on my shoulder a few days ago, when we'd nestled beneath a cloak together. I'd now grown convinced that this was how Beatriz flirted. She was not the type to dimple prettily and offer up a coy compliment. She was the type to knock me flat on my back and gloat about it. Though she seemed to like it most when I somehow managed to best her.

The day after Frederico's lecture, Rafael had been the one to train me, he and Beatriz arguing in hushed tones before I arrived and they stopped. Ever since, Beatriz had been the one to come fetch me, before the sun – and Rafael – had even risen. I wasn't one to complain about the early rise, especially if it meant more time with the princess whose brother seemed intent on keeping her away from me.

Beatriz' words proved true later that day. We'd spent the better part of our journey travelling uphill, until the trees suddenly fell away to reveal a plain stretching out towards the sheer cliff face of the Sentinels. I ran wary eyes over the newly felled tree stumps, wondering why the forest had been cleared here. When I turned my gaze to the cliffs, I could have sworn I saw something move.

"There's someone up there," I said, when a face popped up beyond the rock I'd been watching before darting back down again. Beside me, Rafael seemed unconcerned, much like Beatriz and Frederico before him.

"I mean it," I continued, insistent now.

"We know, idiota," Beatriz replied.

As we approached the cliff face, I realized that it was not a solid sheet of rock as I'd thought from afar. Instead, a narrow pass, barely big enough for ten to ride side-by-side, cut through the rock, camouflaged upon our approach by the odd angle of entry. Frederico did not hesitate, glancing back at me with the smirk I'd only ever seen him wear in Relizia. He chuckled upon noticing that my hand had strayed to the sword belted to my hip, riding through the narrow path flanked by sheer rock without a moment's hesitation. The rest of us followed down the pass that twisted and turned through the rocks before letting out to another field, this one surrounded by mountains.