“But wait. My guards will stop us,” Rayne said.
“Indrid is our guard for the day. Gretchen agreed to it. She just doesn’t know we are going to The Ponds.”
The Ikarus arena was quiet. Only men raking the sand and gravel pit were there, cleaning the perimeter. A bloody path led down a tunnel to the cells where the cats were held. The stadium had seen another glorified battle of criminals the previous night.
The giant beasts rose to their feet on sight of Anna and Rayne.
“What if the cat master puts out a public alert when he finds out Apollo is missing?” Rayne asked, leading the cat out of the cage by her tight collar. He loosened it.
“I think Monte will know that we took her when he finds his key missing. He might feel more comfortable knowing Apollo is with us since your usual guards won’t be,” she winked. “Monte knows that nothing would dare defy ‘that beast’ as he calls her. We’ll be protected.”
“He would have a heart attack if he knew we were going beyond the kingdom walls without supervision,” said Rayne.
Anna smiled. “Then let’s not give him one,” she said, winking.
“It’s our special place. I don’t want to be banned from leaving the kingdom.”
“We won’t be,” said Anna.
Rayne stopped and looked back at the other cat. “I wish we could take Maul too. I feel bad leaving him in here alone.”
“There will be people around. When he listens to you as good as Apollo, we can take him. Maybe next time,” Anna said.
It wasn’t often that Rayne wanted to leave the castle when he wasn’t in class at the library. If the king were to venture around, officially, Ikarus guards would have to escort him if he did. But Anna would sneak him out from time to time to go just with her. The boy would always disguise himself in public, pulling the hood of his black cloak low over his eyes. Mostly, if they didn’t visit The Ponds, he liked to walk around the top of the kingdom wall to stare across the world. Aside from Gretchen and Montague, Anna had spent the most time with the boy.
Just midway down the plateau, on a flat break in the sloping rocks, Anna spotted Indrid near the confines of a small cave along the path. He looked tall and broad. She always thought he was handsome. But she never told him that.
Indrid hugged Anna and kissed her on the cheek. Rayne remained with Apollo at the edge of the brush.
“There he is! I can’t believe it,” Indrid shouted, “I’m surprised the sun didn’t come out.” As Indrid approached, the angle of his view revealed Apollo through the thick stalks of woodgrass. He jumped back, startled. “What the—”
“Relax,’ said Anna. “We’re going to stay downstream by the cattail marsh. She will be fine. You’ve seen how she listens to Rayne. Besides, it’s the king’s order. Right?” she said, looking to Rayne with lidless eyes, hoping he’d interpret the language on her face telling him to go along with her.
“Right,” said Rayne.
Before Indrid approached Rayne, he turned to Apollo and bowed, careful not to make eye-contact, not until the cat replied with the same sign of respect. Once Apollo bowed back, the tension in Indrid’s expression vanished.
“My lord! My king! How may I serve you? Eggs, fish, berry juice? Anything you desire! More books?” Indrid laughed. “By the time you claim the throne you will be a walking history book.”
Anna hit Indrid across his firm chest. “Stop teasing!” She knew that he was trying to make Rayne relax.
“I’m just glad that he came. It’s nice to see my stepbrother outside rather than crammed in the library basement from dawn till dusk,” Indrid said.
“I promised Anna that I would,” said Rayne, walking out from the brush with Apollo leashed and by his side.
“Though, I bet Monte is happy about that. Burying yourself in books, I mean. He says that an illiterate king who listens and learns from others is far more valuable than a literate king who refuses. With being literate and having the drive to learn, I can only imagine what you’ll accomplish,” said Indrid.
When Anna saw Rayne smile, it made her smile.
“He will be an amazing king,” Anna added. She caught Rayne’s stare. They both had dragon-green eyes.
“Come,” Indrid said, taking her hand. “Walk with me.”
Trailing behind them, Rayne climbed onto Apollo’s back and followed. Anna felt bad about leaving him out of conversations, especially when it was just the three of them.
“You look beautiful,” said Indrid.
Anna blushed. She looked to her feet.
By the way he spoke to her, looked at her, and the way he acted around her, Anna knew that Indrid had intimate feelings for her. She loved him, but as a family member. And yes, she liked to be called beautiful. But too many compliments that she couldn’t reciprocate made her feel bad. For eight years, they’d spent their childhood together. He felt to her more like her older brother.
“Now, we’ll never see each other.”
“Why? What do you mean?” Anna asked.
“You’re on my watch, and if I let that beast come with us to The Ponds, Montague will make sure to keep you from seeing me,” Indrid said in a resentful tone.
“No. My cousins would make sure of that.”
Indrid stopped in the middle of the path. “Is that what you want?”
Anna tilted her head. “Of course not! Are you serious?” she asked, half-frowning.
His lack of rebuttal affirmed that he was. Indrid continued walking.
“They won’t find out,” she said, following him.
Indrid’s face became serious. Anna could tell that something else was bothering him.
“The last time I saw my father, he wanted me to play chess with him. I never told him, but I hated that game. I thought
