Shipwrecked by Alex Paul

Author:Alex Paul [Paul, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: neanderthals, pirates
Publisher: Alex Paul
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

A leap of faith

My sour mood turned to anger and now my attendants hide from me while I weep in my room. It’s easy for them to be full of cheer, they are not getting married! Soon I will be committing my life to a stranger. There are so many men who repulse me that it seems inevitable that I will not love him. If only somehow I had a glimpse of him and knew I would feel something, like the young officer on Asher’s ship. High cheekbones, chestnut hair, a powerful build. I could have loved that man. But he is lost with Asher while I sail to a strange country. I must make peace with those who attend me, I have no other friends.

—Diary of Princess Sharmane of Tolaria

“Asher, you’re faster and lighter than me!” Arken shouted. Even though Asher might fall to his death, Arken couldn’t help but thinking this was funny, that the only problem Asher had in jumping the opening was his fear. Although, if the gap was wider, Arken wasn’t sure how confident he’d be either.

“I know. Be ready to catch me.” Asher returned to the start.

“Ready!” Arken yelled as he braced his legs and bent his knees slightly.

Asher shook his arms, took a deep breath, and his legs began pumping as he sprinted toward Arken, who braced his legs in readiness and held out his arms. Asher reached the opening and jumped far too high. Arken reached out but didn’t want to grab at Asher’s legs. Arken glanced up at Asher, who had a puzzled look on his face for a brief second as he flew past. Arken turned to run along the branch and follow Asher’s flight.

Asher was fortunate since the branch he intended to land on ran straight along the path he was taking in the air. Asher hit the limb running so fast he was unable to slow down and ran into the tree trunk with a resounding smack.

Arken grabbed Asher before he fell backward to his death. He eased his limp body to the wide branch and laid him on his back.

“Asher, wake up!”

Asher’s eyes opened in a few seconds.

“Ahh!” Asher screamed. Then he saw Arken. “I’m not falling.”

“I grabbed you,” Arken said in a serious tone.

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you.” Asher sat up and rubbed his forehead. “I did it.”

“What?” Arken asked.

“I made the jump.”

“A little too much.”

“It was easy. I can’t believe I hesitated at all. This will make our lives so much easier getting around the forest like this.”

“I hope so.” Arken turned to lead them through the light-dappled green world that had become their new safe passage.

No more gaps impeded their movement. They remarked with delight at the ease of traveling in a straight line over tangled vegetation that blocked their way on the forest floor. The farther they went, the better they became at finding a clear path through the branches and leaves.

“So why does Gart hate you so much, Arken?” Asher asked as they made their way through the forest.

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