"Where are we exactly." Nadia questioned Falcon.
"A little further east of Shrine Mimosa."
"How can you tell?"
"I just can. I told you, I am good with directions."
"Nobody is that good. I bet you are just saying random things and I don't know any better." Nadia shot back skeptically.
"No , Miss. I am that good." She waited for a laugh but none came. He was serious.
Nadia rolled her eyes. But she did believe him.
It was a steep climb. She was glad she had worn boots. They were slightly wet but they provided good grip and with her already week arms, it was the only source of balance she could provide herself.
Falcon was exceptionally attentive to her. He walked only a few paces in front and kept telling her where to step and what to avoid. It was as if he knew the caves inside out like the back of his hand. Which couldn't be true. He hadn't been here that long. Was he really that good?
"How did you even find this?" Nadia queried.
"A lot of searching. Trial and error. Seeing the telling signs. They are always there. Once you really look everything becomes clear." Falcon answered in a matter-of-fact tone.
Nadia wasn't sure she would have founded all this even if she had looked her entire life.
The path they were walking on was narrow and their flashlights fell on one rock and then another. The ceiling of the cave only a few inches taller than Falcon 's. It was a cramped fit. Heavy immobile boulders which could crush anyone in an instant. She pushed the image from her mind. Not now. She was glad she wasn't claustrophobic.
She only focused on Falcon 's back and his instructions.
It was taking all her will power and her decency was running away from her head with every single step. His shirtless back and broad shoulders were very very distracting. His back was glistening under her flashlight with sweat and water dripping from his wet hair, moving in an almost hypnotic rhythm. Flexing and relaxing.
She chided herself, it was not proper to stare at someone. Yet her eyes kept dragging themselves to his back without her realizing it.
She was glad her clothes were freezing wet. Otherwise she would have burst into flames by now.
His hair was plastered on his back and went below his neck. And his trousers were closely hugging his body. He must be cold too but he didn't let on at all. Either he was faking bravado or he was too focused on what he was doing.
Nadia kept her eyes down. She shouldn't ogle at others. It wasn't polite.
She looked at herself. Her jacket was wet and clinging to her body and so were her trousers. Outlining her unflattering bulky body. She groaned inwardly and wished she wasn't drenched after all.
"How does he know?" Falcon spoke shattering the silence of the cave and bringing her from her thoughts.
"What"
"The governor"
"Governor? How does he know what?" Nadia was utterly disoriented.
He looked behind him slightly but kept walking.
"How does he know when someone plucks a fruit or cuts a tree or hunts an animal."
"Nobody knows for sure. He probably has spies in South Kua. People working for him. When someone breaks the law it takes him little less than five minutes to send a soldier to arrest the offender."
YOU ARE READING
The Caged Princess(Book 1)
Fantasy"If her head wasn't stuck under water she would have wailed and cried. Her body trembling. She had no sense of self. Hardly noticed that the water's temperature had dropped further to a freezing degree. "There was just one thing. One solid thing. T...
