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Authors: Gail Carson Levine
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battlement. A wind ruffled my hair, a dry wind straight from the western desert. Was this the shifting wind?
I wished Father were like Drualt. If Drualt’s daughter had the Gray Death, Drualt would catch a specter and force the cure out of it. He’d sit on a dragon’s hoard and refuse to budge till the dragon answered him. If Meryl were his daughter, he’d carry her in his arms till he found the cure. He’d give it to her on the spot, and she’d be the first to recover. If Meryl were his daughter, he wouldn’t let her die.
My next thought stunned me, although it was obvious. If I had caught the Gray Death instead of Meryl, she would have begun her quest the moment Milton pronounced my doom. She wouldn’t be weeping in Bamarre castle and pinning her hopes on a weak king or a foolish theory.
I should have acted as she would have. I should do so now. I had already wasted six days, perhaps a third of the life Meryl had remaining.
But she would have known what to do. She’d thought about this quest and had studied monsters her whole life. I had no idea where to go, and a monster would slay me before I’d gone ten miles. I might as well leap off this battlement. What good would it serve for both of us to die?
Even if I weren’t slain, there was scant chance of success, and I’d miss her last days. She wouldn’t want that. She’d want me at her side.
I looked down at the farmland spread below me—the ripening cornfields, the cattle, a herd of pigs. I could see no hint of the troubles that plagued us.
After she died, my grief would be boundless, and my fear too, without her to protect me. And how would I live knowing I’d done nothing to save her?
She was going to die without having the adventures she’d longed for, all because of her promise to me. She’d postponed her dreams just to set me at ease.
How could I fail to help her, at least to try to help her?
I looked out again at beautiful Bamarre. The day was fading, and the western sky was pink. Haze softened the outlines of the Kilkets to the north. A few clouds cast moving shadows over the pastures around the castle and over the deeper green of the pine forest by Lake Orrinic.
A breeze blew in from the Haun Ocean, salty, moist, bracing. I raised my arms in welcome and put out my tongue to taste it. I breathed three deep breaths.
I would try to save Meryl. Most likely I’d die, but nonetheless I would seek her cure.
Chapter Twelve
----
I TURNED AWAY from the battlement and left the tower. On my way downstairs I decided to tell Rhys first. Bella wouldn’t want me to go, and I didn’t know what Meryl would say, but Rhys would help me if he could.
He was in the dining hall, sitting with Father’s councillors. I sat in my usual place and gazed at him, hoping to catch his attention. I didn’t have long to wait—he looked my way almost instantly. As soon as he did, I stood and left the hall, hoping he’d follow me out.
He did. “Princess Addie? Did you want me?”
I nodded, and opened my mouth to tell him I was going on the quest, but the words didn’t come. As soon as I told him, I’d really have to go. I smiled weakly. This was ridiculous.
“Are you feeling well?”
I nodded again. “I . . . I decided . . . I’m going to search for the cure.”
Rhys looked startled. He said nothing, but he looked at me intently.
I couldn’t read his expression. “Am I doing right? Do you think I should go?” Why was I asking? I was going.
“I only wish I could go with you. When will you leave?”
Oh, how I wished he could come! “At dawn. When do you have to go to the citadel?”
“My summons will come at midnight.”
“Do you think I should go?” I repeated. I half hoped he would give me a reason to stay home and be safe.
“I do think you should go, but . . .” He raised a hand, then let it drop. “But I’ll worry.”
I was glad. I was a complete fool over him, but I was glad he’d worry.
“I may be able to join your quest, for
I wished Father were like Drualt. If Drualt’s daughter had the Gray Death, Drualt would catch a specter and force the cure out of it. He’d sit on a dragon’s hoard and refuse to budge till the dragon answered him. If Meryl were his daughter, he’d carry her in his arms till he found the cure. He’d give it to her on the spot, and she’d be the first to recover. If Meryl were his daughter, he wouldn’t let her die.
My next thought stunned me, although it was obvious. If I had caught the Gray Death instead of Meryl, she would have begun her quest the moment Milton pronounced my doom. She wouldn’t be weeping in Bamarre castle and pinning her hopes on a weak king or a foolish theory.
I should have acted as she would have. I should do so now. I had already wasted six days, perhaps a third of the life Meryl had remaining.
But she would have known what to do. She’d thought about this quest and had studied monsters her whole life. I had no idea where to go, and a monster would slay me before I’d gone ten miles. I might as well leap off this battlement. What good would it serve for both of us to die?
Even if I weren’t slain, there was scant chance of success, and I’d miss her last days. She wouldn’t want that. She’d want me at her side.
I looked down at the farmland spread below me—the ripening cornfields, the cattle, a herd of pigs. I could see no hint of the troubles that plagued us.
After she died, my grief would be boundless, and my fear too, without her to protect me. And how would I live knowing I’d done nothing to save her?
She was going to die without having the adventures she’d longed for, all because of her promise to me. She’d postponed her dreams just to set me at ease.
How could I fail to help her, at least to try to help her?
I looked out again at beautiful Bamarre. The day was fading, and the western sky was pink. Haze softened the outlines of the Kilkets to the north. A few clouds cast moving shadows over the pastures around the castle and over the deeper green of the pine forest by Lake Orrinic.
A breeze blew in from the Haun Ocean, salty, moist, bracing. I raised my arms in welcome and put out my tongue to taste it. I breathed three deep breaths.
I would try to save Meryl. Most likely I’d die, but nonetheless I would seek her cure.
Chapter Twelve
----
I TURNED AWAY from the battlement and left the tower. On my way downstairs I decided to tell Rhys first. Bella wouldn’t want me to go, and I didn’t know what Meryl would say, but Rhys would help me if he could.
He was in the dining hall, sitting with Father’s councillors. I sat in my usual place and gazed at him, hoping to catch his attention. I didn’t have long to wait—he looked my way almost instantly. As soon as he did, I stood and left the hall, hoping he’d follow me out.
He did. “Princess Addie? Did you want me?”
I nodded, and opened my mouth to tell him I was going on the quest, but the words didn’t come. As soon as I told him, I’d really have to go. I smiled weakly. This was ridiculous.
“Are you feeling well?”
I nodded again. “I . . . I decided . . . I’m going to search for the cure.”
Rhys looked startled. He said nothing, but he looked at me intently.
I couldn’t read his expression. “Am I doing right? Do you think I should go?” Why was I asking? I was going.
“I only wish I could go with you. When will you leave?”
Oh, how I wished he could come! “At dawn. When do you have to go to the citadel?”
“My summons will come at midnight.”
“Do you think I should go?” I repeated. I half hoped he would give me a reason to stay home and be safe.
“I do think you should go, but . . .” He raised a hand, then let it drop. “But I’ll worry.”
I was glad. I was a complete fool over him, but I was glad he’d worry.
“I may be able to join your quest, for
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