Chapter Twelve

When it was finally time for them to leave Radzyn, Kalasin almost threw a temper tantrum. She loved it here. She liked the castle and the beach and the freedom…

She sighed gloomily, looking over the rail at the fast-disappearing Radzyn Keep. Silvery shoals of fish danced a little below the surface, and she almost envied them. At least they could stay here for as long as they wanted.

"Don't sulk," Kaddar told her, touching her shoulder. "We'll come back here, you know."

"When?" she asked, lifting her head to the wind. "Summer?"

"If we can. It'll be scorching hot, though."

"Which is why we have beaches."

He sighed. "Arguing with you is impossible, you know. Summer it is."

"Aren't you excited?" she asked, looking up at him. "I wish we could live here year-round. It's as this place was magic."

Kaddar snorted aloud. "Magic? Kalasin, I think you've been out in the sun for a bit too long. I love Radzyn, but I hardly think it has any magical properties. Why do you think so?"

She tapped her finger against her chin. "You saved my life and washed my hair. In the same day. You actually combed your hair six times in three weeks. I managed to convince Great-Aunt Parvati that I was a shy, quiet, reserved fan of poetry, and that we were very much in love. And we hugged. If that's not magic, nothing is."

Kaddar rubbed her shoulder, and she leaned into him. "Shall we try the same trick on Zaimid?" she asked coyly.

He couldn't help but smile. "I'll leave you to figure out the mechanics of that one. I'm going below to rest."

She didn't follow; instead fluttering her fingertips in a wave.

Kaddar retreated into the welcome shade of their cabin. It was small but comfortable, even equipped with a window on the east wall. He could see the side of Kalasin, who was still leaning against the rail, now plucking the petals from a daisy and dropping them into the ocean, laughing to herself.

He shook his head in amazement. Propping his head up, he gazed at her. She was definitely the most odd person he'd ever met, and that was saying something.

Kalasin was irritable, temperamental, defensive, argumentative, suspicious, stubborn, and bratty. She refused to listen to reason, and usually came up with her own twisted logic to fit a situation, regardless of anything or anybody else, and was the strangest mix of clever and absolutely dense.

Strangely enough, she could be compassionate, affectionate, understanding…and trusting. The last was absolutely baffling, at least to him. No matter how many times she yelled at him for being 'perverted' or how many times he had threatened to tie her up to things, lock her in a dungeon, or brutally take advantage of her, she would always bounce back, seeking company or letting him take care of her.

Maybe it wasn't trust. Maybe it was just stupidity.

It had surprised him, when she had forgiven him so easily for making her cry. A few months ago, she would have yelled back, thrown things, slapped him…a few months ago, she wouldn't even have cried. It was almost as if his words had actually had an effect on her.

He rolled over, moodily burying his head in a pillow. Maybe he was the one who had been in the sun for too long.

Speaking of sun, the cabin door swung open, throwing a shaft of orange-purple sunset into the cabin. Kaddar groaned. "Ow."

Kalasin sighed, and the door closed again. "Better now?" She crossed over and sat down, leaning over him. "Are you all right?"

He sat up, cupping her face in both hands. She blinked at him, startled, and he kissed her on the forehead.

"Kyaa!" she yelped, pulling away and falling against the opposite wall with a thump. "What was that for?"

Kaddar smirked at her, and settled back sedately. "I just wanted you to know that you are the most annoying thing that has ever plagued my existence."

A pillow made contact with the side of his head. "I hate you, too! And don't kiss me again, either!" Kalasin stormed out of the cabin, slamming the door behind her.

Kaddar considered being amazed. Or exasperated. Or angry. He settled on resignation, and yawned.

One step forward, three steps back again.

Just the way it should be.

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