Adrift on St. John by Rebecca M. Hale

Author:Rebecca M. Hale [Hale, Rebecca M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Women Sleuths, General
ISBN: 0425246655
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2012-03-05T17:00:00+00:00

24

Caneel Bay

The Amina Princess lay atop her mat on the dusty floor of the lean-to, her eyes tightly shut, her body curled into a ball, waiting for the rest of the meager settlement to retire for the evening. The sun had yet to fully set, but an air of exhaustion soon fell over the camp, and the area quickly grew silent and still.

The surrounding structures bore a closer resemblance to ruins than newly constructed buildings. The jungle’s voracious vegetation had consumed many of the stone walls, filling the roofless rooms with a dense layer of vines.

The Princess cracked open an eyelid and carefully examined the shed’s sleeping occupants. One of the humped forms sighed out a snore. From another came the involuntary grinding of teeth.

Summoning all her hunting skills of stealth, she rose from the mat and quietly crept outside, ready to begin her nightly explorations.

She allotted a few hours each evening for sleep, either immediately following sunset or just before daybreak. Despite the lack of rest, her strength and power continued to build. Any tiredness she experienced was overcome by her growing sense of independence and her increasing curiosity for the island that had become her new home.

With every step that increased her distance from the decrepit lean-to, her spirits began to lift. During this limited time span, she owned herself, and a small ray of hope began to swell in her heart.

Each trip, she grew bolder and ventured farther afield. At this point, she had covered almost the entire north shore; its hidden trails and secluded coves were all mapped in her memory.

Sometime soon, she would leave the camp’s wretched confines and not come back, but she wasn’t yet prepared to make that permanent break.

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