She didn’t know what to say. James had never before offered to walk her home. For one brief moment she wondered what her parents would think if she showed up on the arm of the prince. They would probably be appalled to find out about our clandestine meetings conducted without the benefit of a chaperone.
“No, I can manage,” she muttered.
They rose to their feet, he still clasping her hand. “Pearl, everything will be all right.”
“For you as well.”
His fingers lingered on hers as they pulled away from each other. She watched him walk quickly away until he was lost to her sight. She stood, rubbing wonderingly the hand that he had held. Ten years and he had never held her hand like that. What made him start now?
In the morning Pearl had trouble meeting Mary’s eyes across the table. She had barely slept, her emotions being in such turmoil. She wasn’t very hungry, and the aroma of boiling fish was making her nauseated.
“Hello in there!” a voice called from outside the cabin. Pearl jumped as Mary and Finneas looked at each other in bewilderment. They rarely received visitors, and none this early.
“Hello, yourself!” Finneas boomed as he started to stand.
A figure darkened the doorway, and Pearl caught her breath as she recognized James. He was without his finery, wearing only the simple clothes he normally did for their walks on the beach.
“I hope I have not disturbed the house,” James said.
His face was a study in innocence as he said it. It was a ridiculous sentiment, though. Given the time of morning it would have been impossible for a peasant not to disturb the house, let alone the prince of Aster. For a moment there was shocked silence as Finneas and Mary realized who he was.
“Your Highness!” Mary gasped, rising and curtsying.
Finneas bowed deeply. “You honor us with your presence. Would you care to sit, milord?”
Pearl felt an urge to start laughing. It was unreal seeing him standing there in her home in front of her parents. All the times she had agonized over wanting to tell them about her friendship with him, and yet she had always felt compelled to keep silent. Now he strode in as nonchalant as though he had breakfast there every morning.
Mary suddenly noticed that Pearl hadn’t risen to pay respect to their prince. “Pearl,” she hissed. “Greet our guest.”
A smile twisting her face, Pearl complied. She rose to her feet, curtsied nicely, and said, “Good morning, James.”
Mary and Finneas both gasped at her familiarity. She had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. She sank back down into her chair, her legs feeling weak.
James was grinning from ear to ear. “Good morning, Pearl. I trust you slept well.”
The familiarity of the question made her blush. He had asked her such things before, but never in the presence of others.
She drew a shaky breath. “Horribly, and you?”
“About the same, I’m afraid.”
Mary and Finneas stared back and forth between the two, horror and disbelief mingling on their faces.
“Good sir, I believe I will take you up on that offer of a seat,” James said.
Finneas hastened to bring a chair to the table for him, and he took it with grace.
“Would you like breakfast, my lord?” Mary asked.
“Only if everyone else is still eating.”
It was settled. Mary and Finneas slowly reclaimed their seats after setting a plate of food before him. They picked up their own forks, but didn’t eat, just continued to stare.
Pearl had no idea what James was up to, but she was sure that if she let herself laugh she would never stop. The secret of their friendship would now be known to her parents, and although the thought made her a little sad, it mostly brought her relief.
James attacked his food with gusto, and Pearl wondered if he had skipped breakfast or was just being polite. “This is wonderful. You are an excellent cook.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Mary stammered.
After he had consumed half his food, James put his fork down. “I suppose you are wondering why I am here.”
“The thought had crossed our minds,” Finneas answered.
“I have some things I need to discuss with Pearl this morning.”
“With … Pearl?” Mary asked wonderingly.
James nodded. “You see, for years she has been my friend and loyal adviser. I can tell from your shocked faces that she has never told you of this. Please do not blame her, for she was only doing as I asked. I swore her to secrecy years ago and I am greatly impressed that she has kept her word.”
Pearl glanced at her father’s astounded look and nodded. James’s smile only grew broader.
Realization dawned in Mary’s eyes. “When you are walking on the beach?”
“Just on Tuesdays,” Pearl quickly told her. “At least, normally.”
“Why Pearl?” Finneas questioned.
“The best reason in the world. She is a good listener. Also, she doesn’t have any notions about what a prince should and shouldn’t do—at least not until recently. She always shows me a fresh perspective. At any rate, I came by this morning because I need her advice and it cannot wait until next week. I decided that it was time to meet you as well, since there is no longer truly a need to keep our meetings a secret.”
He laughed. “It’s funny. I feel like I already know you both. I’ve seen you both before, and Pearl has told me so much about you and has been such a large part of my life for so many years that I feel as though I know you.”
“I wish we could say the same,” Mary said with a weak smile.
For a moment there was silence at the table. Pearl clasped her hands in her lap, trying to hide their shaking. “When he was little he used to sneak out of the castle and he didn’t want anyone knowing where he was going,” she explained.
“Three hours of freedom once a week isn’t too much to ask for a child, is it?” James questioned.
“No,” Finneas hastened to reassure him. “It must be horrible for a child not to have any time to himself to play, to constantly be watched over, and to be cooped up.”
James smiled. “I should have had you speak with my father years ago.”
It was Finneas’s turn to flush red and drop his eyes.
“So, would it be all right if I borrow Pearl for the day? I promise I’ll have her back by late afternoon.”
Mary and Finneas exchanged glances. Finally Finneas spoke. “We would be honored to have our daughter advise you, Your Highness.”
“Wonderful! Now, let’s finish our breakfast, shall we?”
The rest of the meal was eaten in the same awestruck silence. It was just as well, for Pearl’s thoughts were far too many to allow her to speak coherently. What could James want to talk about that couldn’t wait? It had to be drastic to bring him here. She felt sure that it had something to do with both their impending betrothals, but she wished she knew what it was.
When everyone had finished eating, James pushed back from the table and rose to his feet. “Thank you for your kind hospitality.”
“Should I send a midday meal with you, my lord?” Mary asked as she stood.
“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”
“Thank you for honoring our home with your presence,” Finneas replied.
James’s smile vanished and his voice was sincere as he answered, “It is an honor for me to be here and to meet the people who have raised and sheltered my friend.”
While Mary quickly put together some bread and cheese, Pearl braided her hair and put on her shoes. She finished just in time for Mary to hand her a bundle.
“I hope it’s enough,” Mary whispered with a worried frown.
Knowing Mary’s tendency to provide more food than was needed, Pearl squeezed her hand. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
After James said good-bye to Mary and Finneas, he and Pearl headed out the door and walked quickly toward the beach. The day was warm and fair, and Pearl breathed in deeply, fi
lling her lungs with the salty air.
“Well, that went well,” James commented, his face expressionless.
Pearl laughed. “I cannot believe you did that.”
“Are you sorry that I did?”
“I guess not. It just feels odd.”
“There’s no going back now.”
It was a strange comment, and when she glanced at him she saw a gleam in his eyes. She decided to let it drop as the beach came into sight. A small, dark object stood out against the light sand, and Pearl craned her neck trying to see what it was.
It looked like a boat, and disappointment washed over her. Of all the days for someone to show up on our beach!
James picked up speed and headed straight for the boat. “I thought we might actually go out on the water today instead of just sit by it,” he said, glancing at her.
Fear wrapped itself around her heart and began to squeeze. “I … I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she stammered.
“It’s a wonderful idea. If I can’t get you to go into the water, I can at least get you out on the surface. And, technically, since you won’t be in the ocean so much as on it, you’ll be safe.” He smiled. “I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”
She looked back at him with wide eyes. “Well, this is a day of surprises.”
“That’s the plan,” he answered cryptically.
He took her hand and pulled her toward the boat. Her heart skipped a beat at his touch even as she struggled to make sure she didn’t trip. Once they reached the boat, Pearl deposited the bundle of food in it.
“You get in and I’ll push the boat out into the water,” James instructed.
“Should I help?” she asked, terrified that he might say yes. She hadn’t so much as put a foot in the ocean since the night Finneas had found her.
“No, a lady should not have to get her feet wet.”
“I’m not a lady. I’m just me, Pearl,” she protested.
“I thought we’d been through this already. We really do not know who or what you are.”
“But—”
He held up a hand to silence her protests. “No. Today, Pearl, you are a lady, a princess, and someday the whole world shall know it.”
She scrambled into the boat. Once seated, she tried to tuck her skirt around her and sit up straight. If he wanted her to be a princess, couldn’t she at least pretend for a little while? It’s just the two of us; what harm can it do?
He pushed the boat into the water and once it was a few feet out, he hopped in and began to row. Still struggling to pretend that she was a princess, Pearl bit her lip to keep from offering to help again.
James kept rowing until the little boat was quite a distance out from the shore and the water was peaceful. At last he stopped rowing and secured the oars. Leaning back, he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply.
For a long time neither of them spoke. Pearl stared down into the water, watching all the shifting colors of blue and green and wishing as she had many times before that she could dive beneath the surface and explore the depths of the sea. What secrets would she find there?
“What are you thinking?” he asked at last.
She looked up to see his blue eyes studying her intently.
She shrugged. “Silly thoughts.”
“Tell me.”
“I was just wishing that I could dive down and swim with the fish, see their world.”
He nodded as though it was the most natural wish in the world. He always seemed to understand her. For one wild moment Pearl wondered what it would truly be like to spend her life with him. She dropped her eyes, afraid he might read something in them that she did not wish him to know.
He did not let her retreat, though. He leaned forward. “Pearl, look at me.”
She complied reluctantly.
“You always duck your eyes when you talk to me and I hate it. Is it because I am a prince or are you hiding something from me?”
She felt a guilty flush creep up her throat, and her cheeks began to burn.
“I mean sometimes I think I know everything there is to know about you, and other times you seem like a stranger to me.”
“Sometimes I seem like a stranger to me too,” she admitted.
He shook his head and sighed. “Well, that’s not what I wanted to come out here to talk to you about.”
“What did you want to talk about?” she asked, her heart beginning to beat faster.
“I think I have a solution to our problems.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” he said. His eyes grew soft, and he took her right hand in his. “Pearl we’ve known each other for a long time, and you are my best friend.”
“And you are mine.”
He squeezed her hand and stared into her eyes. “There’s something I want to tell you.” He leaned toward her, and she held her breath.
“What is it?”
Suddenly his eyes went wide and he seemed to be staring at something just behind hen “We’ve sprung a leak.”
For a moment she wasn’t sure what he had said, and then it hit her as she felt cold water seeping into her shoes. She looked down to see the bottom of the boat rapidly filling with water. She turned and saw it bubbling up between a crack in the wood on the floor behind her. Quickly she scooped up the bundle of food and pulled off the outer cloth. She tried plugging the crack with it even as James picked up the oars and began to row.
“There’s nothing to use to bale out the water,” he called to her.
She nodded grimly as the water kept seeping in. She tore some cloth from the bottom of her skirt and continued to try to stop up the leak, but it was no use. The water was creeping past her ankles, and the boat was sitting lower and lower in the water. She could feel herself panicking. I’m not safe, I’m not safe, she kept thinking over and over as the water lapped at her legs. “It’s not working,” she finally said, turning toward James.
He nodded grimly and pointed toward the shore. They had made a lot of progress, but it was still quite a ways off. “I’ll get us as close as we can, and then we’ll have to swim for it.”
“No, the water … I can’t!”
“Pearl, I will not let anything happen to you. I’m a strong swimmer, and together we will make it back to shore. Trust me.”
“Is this another one of your surprises?”
He gave a sound that was half laugh, half grunt as he continued to strain at the oars. “Afraid I can’t take credit for this one. This is definitely not how I envisioned this boat ride ending.”
She tried to stop herself from imagining how he had wanted it to end. There would be time enough for that later. Still, her heart was racing and she wasn’t at all sure the sinking boat was the cause.
“You going to be okay with your heavy skirt?” he asked as the water crept up her calves.
“I’ll manage.”
“Okay, relax and you’ll be all right. Jump away from the boat so it won’t pull you under when it sinks. Kick with your legs and move your arms back and forth like you’re grabbing something in front of you and pulling it toward you. I’m going to be right behind you. Just shout if you get in trouble. We’ve only got a few more seconds. Get ready to jump.”
She nodded and poised herself. Terror wrapped its icy hand around her heart and began to squeeze. He abandoned the oars and stood up beside her. “On the count of three. Ready? One, two, three!”
Pearl jumped as far away from the boat as she could. She hit the water and a second later heard another splash as James joined her. She panicked and flailed her arms about wildly. She started to cough violently as water entered her nose and mouth. What had James told her? Relax. As she bobbed up and down in the water, she thought, I should have let him teach me to swim. I wish I could swim.
She stopped flailing wildly and began to move her arms back and forth rhythmically. She made a little bit of headway. James was right. He had been right about her skirt, though, too. Wet, it weighed so much more and slowed her down. She kicked f
ree of her shoes and that at least helped. Focusing on the land, she started to kick.
The water became more rough the closer she got to the shore. She started to panic again, but a memory stirred. She had once seen James carried into shore by cresting waves, riding on their peaks on his stomach. She fixed the memory in her mind, studying it, remembering the way he had started to move just a second before the wave hit him.
The waves began to crash around her and she swallowed seawater. Her arms and legs felt as if there were dead weights attached to them. As she turned, she spied a large wave coming that she judged would make it all the way to the beach. Moments before it reached her she started to swim again. The wave caught her and lifted her up. It carried her all the way to the beach and she ended up on the sand, where she coughed and gasped for air.
She crawled farther up the beach, away from the waves crashing around her, and then finally collapsed. She lay for a minute, catching her breath and gathering her strength. I’m alive! she thought. Relief and gratitude flooded through her as she grabbed fistfuls of sand and let it run through her fingers. Finally she struggled to her feet.
“James, we made it” she called. She moved her hand to her throat to stroke her pearl and reassure herself that she hadn’t lost it in the ocean. It was warm to her touch, but as her fingers twisted about it, it slowly regained its coolness.
There was no reply, and she glanced down the beach in either direction. Nothing. Panic began to swell in her as she cast her eyes back toward the sea. There was nothing, no dark figure, not even the remnants of their boat.
James was gone.
Down, deep down, in the darkness of the ocean, Kale and Faye swam. He smiled as he watched her flit around the sunken ship. She shone bright against the darkness of the wreckage. Her glowing hair reflected against her silver scales and made it easy for him to keep an eye on her.
He laughed at her antics. His sister was only a year younger than he was, but he felt much older. She was fearless and full of passion, never hesitating to pursue what she wanted. He admired her joy. For years his own heart had been too heavy to allow him to play.