Read Online Rescuing Rapunzel by Candice Gilmer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Candice Gilmer
Ads: Link
voices–giggles, more precisely–echoed in the courtyard and Kiki turned and glanced out the main entrance of the stables. “Drat,” she muttered. “You did not see me.” She slid past Ovet’s stall and headed for the opposite end.
Nick shook his head and, if he were anywhere but in the stables, he would have yelled his sister’s name just to draw the attention of her houseguests. Fortunately for her, Ovet and the other horses saved her this time.
He continued his task, working in careful, practiced motions over Ovet’s body. And even though he could brush down the horse with his eyes closed if needed, he had to do something . He had been twitchy since he returned this morning.
Beyond being quite proud of the fact that he had hit Rapunzel’s windowsill on his first shot in the pre-dawn hours, he was also anxious about the present he had left her.
He already had two more in mind for her, and it took all his restraint to keep from returning to the tower to give those gifts. If he had learned one thing from Penn, it was to take things slowly, to drag it out when enticing a lady, for it made the anticipation even more intense. Though if Penn knew he was taking presents to Rapunzel to win her trust, he would never let him forget it.
Still, it seemed the only way. Nick did not want to scare her any more than he already had, yet he had to do something to convince her he did not mean her harm. His name, his noble rank, or even his title as a Charming Noble would do nothing to ingratiate him to her.
He had to get her out of the tower.
Nick had not heard from Bryan. He considered that a good thing, for Bryan would send word if he were returning. By now, he would have reached the border of Gruenewald province. If, of course, Rapunzel’s mother had not changed direction.
Penn was right. The woman could have been heading anywhere.
Which is what bothered Nick the most about the gifts. While they were a brilliant idea, they took time.
And he did not know how much time he had.
He would not leave her in that tower where she could be brutalized. That was not going to happen.
Not as long as he lived.
Chapter 15
I found no more arrows in my windowsill and had not for days.
Comparing Nick to what I knew of the bad men Mother had told me about, to the evil wizards and horrible warriors, he seemed none of those things.
Yet, also, all of those things.
His large build could have been that of a warrior. The angles of his face, which had been etched into my memory, fit the description of the handsomely disguised wizard, yet he cast no spells.
Or perhaps he did. Perhaps that was why I did not hurt him when he climbed into my tower. Perhaps that is why I picked up the stones he had brought me at least once a day, and gazed at them.
I told myself it was because I had never seen their like. I had never walked along a river, to see the stones there. Were they all smooth like these? Did they all shine when held to the light?
My curiosity was piqued, that was all.
It had nothing to do with Nick.
My heart knew better. It had everything to do with Nick. I would not even have them if he had not brought them here.
Reaching over to touch my pillow, I thought, again and again, about the note inside. My finger danced close to the rip I had tucked the note into. The words in it were simple enough, the meaning perfectly clear.
He would come back.
Though I would have to choose to let him up.
Yet all Mother’s stories about wizards and warriors crowded my head, to the point where I did not know what to do.
I did not know if I wanted to see Nick again.
Part of me believed his words, his restraint, his gifts, his smile. Part of me believed Mother, who had always been right.
I glanced at a beam of sunshine coming in my window, brightening a patch of the stone floor. I took in the lines of it, the details, when I remembered something.
She had not seen the lightning bugs. She had said they were not there.
But they
Nick shook his head and, if he were anywhere but in the stables, he would have yelled his sister’s name just to draw the attention of her houseguests. Fortunately for her, Ovet and the other horses saved her this time.
He continued his task, working in careful, practiced motions over Ovet’s body. And even though he could brush down the horse with his eyes closed if needed, he had to do something . He had been twitchy since he returned this morning.
Beyond being quite proud of the fact that he had hit Rapunzel’s windowsill on his first shot in the pre-dawn hours, he was also anxious about the present he had left her.
He already had two more in mind for her, and it took all his restraint to keep from returning to the tower to give those gifts. If he had learned one thing from Penn, it was to take things slowly, to drag it out when enticing a lady, for it made the anticipation even more intense. Though if Penn knew he was taking presents to Rapunzel to win her trust, he would never let him forget it.
Still, it seemed the only way. Nick did not want to scare her any more than he already had, yet he had to do something to convince her he did not mean her harm. His name, his noble rank, or even his title as a Charming Noble would do nothing to ingratiate him to her.
He had to get her out of the tower.
Nick had not heard from Bryan. He considered that a good thing, for Bryan would send word if he were returning. By now, he would have reached the border of Gruenewald province. If, of course, Rapunzel’s mother had not changed direction.
Penn was right. The woman could have been heading anywhere.
Which is what bothered Nick the most about the gifts. While they were a brilliant idea, they took time.
And he did not know how much time he had.
He would not leave her in that tower where she could be brutalized. That was not going to happen.
Not as long as he lived.
Chapter 15
I found no more arrows in my windowsill and had not for days.
Comparing Nick to what I knew of the bad men Mother had told me about, to the evil wizards and horrible warriors, he seemed none of those things.
Yet, also, all of those things.
His large build could have been that of a warrior. The angles of his face, which had been etched into my memory, fit the description of the handsomely disguised wizard, yet he cast no spells.
Or perhaps he did. Perhaps that was why I did not hurt him when he climbed into my tower. Perhaps that is why I picked up the stones he had brought me at least once a day, and gazed at them.
I told myself it was because I had never seen their like. I had never walked along a river, to see the stones there. Were they all smooth like these? Did they all shine when held to the light?
My curiosity was piqued, that was all.
It had nothing to do with Nick.
My heart knew better. It had everything to do with Nick. I would not even have them if he had not brought them here.
Reaching over to touch my pillow, I thought, again and again, about the note inside. My finger danced close to the rip I had tucked the note into. The words in it were simple enough, the meaning perfectly clear.
He would come back.
Though I would have to choose to let him up.
Yet all Mother’s stories about wizards and warriors crowded my head, to the point where I did not know what to do.
I did not know if I wanted to see Nick again.
Part of me believed his words, his restraint, his gifts, his smile. Part of me believed Mother, who had always been right.
I glanced at a beam of sunshine coming in my window, brightening a patch of the stone floor. I took in the lines of it, the details, when I remembered something.
She had not seen the lightning bugs. She had said they were not there.
But they
Similar Books
