I’m about to argue, because technically, he’s a prince and I’m still his protector. By protocol, I should be the one to offer up the cot, listening for enemies. But then I remember his words from earlier, about how defending him against Crew belittled him as a man, and wonder if this is yet another of his ways that makes him feel empowered as such.
I decide it is. I simply nod, then move to the cot and lie on my side.
There is much more to discuss and to figure out about the Otherworlders, our countries, and our own predicament. But right now, I’m exhausted. So I close my eyes and hum the song of my childhood as I drift off.
I crack my eyes open as a sharp pain pierces my stomach. Sitting up and hugging my waist, I realize I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast the morning before. My hunger pains are doubling me over. But at least I can deal with this pain.
I stretch and relish the feel of my body moving with more ease and less soreness. Thank you, Alyah.
As my blurry sleep vision clears, I spot Caben in the corner, his back pressed up against the chamber wall. Watching me.
“You snore,” he says, a smile curling the corner of his mouth. “Loudly.”
Annoyed, I say, “Sorry your accommodations are not up to your royal standards.”
This only stretches the smile on his face.
I push off the cot, walk across the chamber, and unlock the metal door. “Come on. I’m starving, and we need to keep up our strength.”
Once we’re back in the master cell, we accept our trays of food—if that’s what you can honestly call it—and find a place along the wall. The grain bread and cheese are dry and bland, but I devour every crumb. Then I guzzle from my canteen, first drinking and then taking another swig to swish around my mouth, spitting it out behind my back.
“Ladylike,” Caben says.
“Again, I apologize that things aren’t to your liking.” I scowl. “Did I sleepwalk during the night and whip up on you? I must have done something to deserve this degree of etiquette critiquing.”
He laughs. “Sorry. I’m just feeling lighter.” He tilts his head. “Relieved, I guess. That we discovered—”
I press my finger against his mouth and peek around the cell. Most of the contenders have moved out to the training ground, but one of the feather brothers, Kaide, lingers near the opening, sending looks our way. The brothers don’t talk. Always quiet. And it’s the quiet ones that worry me.
As I continue to glance around the room, I become acutely aware of my finger still resting over Caben’s lips. They’re soft and warm, and he doesn’t remove my hand. Instead, he holds perfectly still. I meet his eyes and lower my hand, the grooves of my finger taking note of the curves and warmth of his mouth. Then I quickly tuck my hand under my thigh.
“Hurry and finish,” I say, nodding to his meager wedge of cheddar cheese. “We need to get you wielding swords and slinging axes.” And I need to explore and find a way to contact Lilly.
As Caben picks bite-size pieces of hard cheese, eating with a scowl on his face, I recall the outside of the cell. I made sure to study the building before the incident with Lilly happened. It’s much larger than the space we’re given to roam, and I’m sure that means the ring leaders have their own section in this massive place. I just need to find a way to her side.
After Caben and I enter the training area and take up swords and two tattered mats for sparring, I glance around at the large, rock-enclosed room. The Otherworlders build their homes and buildings out of the earth itself. And the earth has caves and crevices and chambers.
Lifting my sword languidly over my head and stretching out my muscles, I continue to search. Then I catch the low trickle coming from the tiny waterfall in the back of the chamber.
There.
The water flows from an underground stream somewhere. I’m sure it supplies the other ring leaders’ contenders with water, too. In order to chamber the water and guide it toward each ring leaders’ section, at some time, someone had to crawl in there. Is there an access point from inside here?
“Kal,” Caben says, snapping my attention back to the now.
I give my head a shake. “Yes?”
“You’re staring off into space,” he says. “And space doesn’t exist down here. What are you thinking about?”
“I’ll tell you later.” I raise my sword. “Remember, don’t get cocky and start taking sloppy swings when you think you’ve beaten your opponent.” I widen my eyes. “Like yesterday.”
His face flushes; the scarlet hue is barely visible in the dim lighting, but it’s enough to bring a healthy glow to his stubbled cheeks. My stomach tumbles.
“Don’t worry,” he says, meeting my blade with his. “I’m a quick study, remember? You’ll not best me again today.” He thrusts his sword forward, trying to catch me off-guard.
Simple man. I shake my head.
I wonder if the goddesses denied males estrogen in order to balance the sexes. They are stronger physically, but clearly lacking in common sense most of the time. He tried this same tactic the day before and it didn’t—