The Morning Flower by Amanda Hocking

Author:Amanda Hocking
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781250204295
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

27

Fairy Tales

It had been less than two weeks since I had last seen him, at the Midsommar celebration when he’d given me a cryptic goodbye before absconding with Eliana into the night.

He looked just as good as I remembered, not that I should be surprised, and not that it even mattered. He was tall and slender, so he cut a slight profile, but his dark bedroom eyes made him captivating. That and the ease with which he carried himself, so that each movement felt casually impressive, like watching a prima ballerina doing mundane tasks.

His wavy hair hung loose above his shoulders, thick and untamed. His cavalier smile faltered, and that’s when I realized how long I had been standing there, holding a peach and staring at him.

“Who are you?” I asked, wanting to hear him say his name himself.

“Jem-Kruk.”

I shook my head, confused, disbelieving. “From the fairy tales?”

“What?” His face twisted up in confusion.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, then I looked around, scanning the market for anyone else. “Is Eliana here?”

“No, she’s with her sister.” He paused a moment before adding, “She’s safe.”

“Can I see her?” I turned to him. “Where is she? What’s wrong with her? Why are you here?”

“You have a lot of questions, and that is entirely understandable in your position,” Jem-Kruk said. “Why don’t we go somewhere and talk?”

“Why?” I stepped back from him. “How do I know it’s safe to go with you?”

He held up his hands, his palms out toward me. Several brassy, jeweled rings adorned his fingers, and a thick scar ran across the beige skin of his right palm.

“We’ll go someplace out in the open,” Jem said. “I know of a quiet place nearby, and I’ll answer as many questions as I can.”

“Okay,” I relented.

I tightly gripped the strap of my hobo bag and I followed him down Wapiti Way, and we headed southeast. When we passed the woolly elk barn, I realized he was leading me on the same path the elk took when they were herded through the city to and from their various pastures.

That was where Jem-Kruk was taking me, beyond the cramped, provincial city center to the outskirts. We were still within the walls, but there was more room to breathe. A small orchard grew alongside the wooden fence that surrounded the pasture, and the Forsa River cut through the lush grass. The trees were all Sommar plums, and their big pink blossoms were in full bloom.

The giant woollies were lazily grazing, some of them lying in the shade of a tall oak tree, younger calves frolicking around them. Jem leaned against the fence, and I made sure there was distance between us when I leaned on the fence.

“You really don’t trust me?” he asked, looking at the space I had created.

“I don’t know you,” I said evenly. “And I don’t know if you’re good to my friend or not. All I know is that you’re here and she isn’t.”

He exhaled and nodded. “Fair enough.”

“I want to talk to Eliana.

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