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“Away with you!” he said. “Damn pests!”
Sirena’s wonder shrank before my eyes. That’s when I realized what the problem was. She didn’t like to be surrounded by guards—to be fair, who did?
“Can’t you go anywhere without them?” Sirena said in a hushed but annoyed tone.
“With the recent conquest, they think they need to watch me more closely,” I said.
“I understand in a busy city,” Sirena said, “but it doesn’t seem very dangerous out here.”
“It might not at the moment but there are plenty of armed brigands, kidnappers, and highwaymen who might do us harm.”
Sirena pursed her lips.
“Well, I can’t see any brigands or kidnappers out here,” she said. “If I can get them to leave us alone for a while, would you go with me? We don’t need to wander far.”
A smile curled my lips.
“Sure,” I said. “But I can’t see how—”
“Leave it to me,” she said.
She took my hand and led me over the crest at a jog. Her skin felt so soft I daren’t squeeze too hard.
She led me to the first rowboat tethered to the shore and, using our bodies to block the guards’ view, kicked both sets of oars from their fastenings on one side, letting them slip into the water. They floated toward the middle of the lake.
“Let’s get in this one!” she said, hopping into the next boat.
It wobbled beneath our feet. She dropped down on a plank board and seized a set of oars.
“Let’s go!” she said.
Sirena began to row before I even got situated and almost pitched over the side. I took the bench behind her. Her rowing style was a little… unorthodox. I tried to make up for her lack of coordination but it proved impossible. One minute she rowed leading with her left arm, the next minute, she rowed with her right.
I reached forward and pulled on the oars and fully extended with my legs, using every inch of power I possessed. Sirena tried to help but only succeeded in knocking us off course. It made me smile and I didn’t say a word.
“My lord!” Zes called out to us. “Wait a moment! The oars have come loose…” He turned to one of his subordinate guards. “Hurry up and grab it, you fool!”
“I can’t, sir!” the guard said. “It’s too far out for me to reach!”
“Then go swim after it!” Zes said.
“We can push off the shore with the other oars,” the second guard said.
“How about we move one of the oars on that side to this side?” the first guard said.
“Whatever you’re going to do, just hurry up!” Zes said. “They’re getting away!”
We powered around the corner as the guards scooped the first oar from the water.
“Quick!” Sirena said. “Let’s get to the nearest shore!”
I did as she asked. She leaped out the moment we came to a stop. Then she shoved the boat off the shore and pushed it so it floated into the middle of the lake.
She took my hand and led me through the trees and undergrowth. She had no idea where she was going, so I took the lead. We came out on the other side of the forest and scaled a steep incline. We were puffing and panting by the time we reached the top.
I pressed my hands to my head and breathed heavily.
“Were you always a naughty girl?” I said.
