by Chandra Ryan
Several horses raced in the distance, their hooves beating against the ground until they had gone far enough that there was only silence. But still, Kavin stood at the ready for a minute longer.
“They’re on the run, but I think we injured two of them.” He reached down to Sara’s horse and ran a hand over the animal’s nose. “She’s still alive.” Kavin’s hand swept down the animal to its neck before finding the dart lodged there. “Probably just a sleeping dart.”
Taking the calm as an all clear, Sara stepped out from behind the plants and went to her horse. Sure enough, the animal’s chest rose and fell rhythmically, and its heartbeat was strong.
“I’m going to need a crossbow.” She needed to be able to protect herself.
“I’m sure the weapons master will see to that as soon as you get to King’s Keep.” He began pulling the saddle and packs off the sleeping horse. And, not one to wait for an invitation, Sara fell into step next to him. It took a considerable amount of effort and struggle, but when the other teammates joined them, they were finally able to start unloading the mare.
“And what do I do until then?” she asked as she untied another pack.
“You rely on mine. It’s why the king sent me.”
“But I could—”
“This isn’t open for discussion, Sara. I’ve been given my orders, and I intend to follow them.” His icy, take-charge tone left no room for argument.
“Fine, no crossbow until we get to King’s Keep. But if there’s a close-range fight…” She wasn’t a damsel in distress, and it would kill her if that was the role he’d relegated her to.
“You’d damn well better have my back. I didn’t spend those summers training you for the fun of it.”
She smiled as she took the last pack off the horse. “I think we can both agree on that.”
The saddle was dumped on the side of the road, but the rest of the packs were quickly distributed between the remaining mounts.
“When she wakes up, she’ll make her way back to the keep,” Kavin said, motioning toward the mare with a nod of his head. “But it looks like you’ll be riding with me until we get to the next stable.” Kavin mounted his horse and then held a hand out to her.
Sara looked at him for a moment then to his saddle. It was roomy, but there was no way it could be mistaken as a double saddle.
“Come on, Sara. We’re in a hurry.” He thrust his hand out to her again and this time she took it as she placed a foot in the stirrup. The night swung around her as he lifted her and placed her on his lap. And, while she still could, she wound her fingers through the horse’s mane and held on tightly.
With an arm wrapped around her waist and a hand holding the reins, Kavin clucked his tongue on the roof of his mouth and they set off again.
Now, not only did she have the night wind rushing past her and the thunder of the horse’s hooves on the road, but she also had Kavin’s strength wrapped around her and his muscular thighs rocking under hers in time to the horse’s movements as they sped through the night.
She’d had her fair share of fantasies about him as a girl but they were nothing compared to the thoughts racing through her mind now. His hot breath tickling her ear, the scratch of his stubble brushing against her cheek at random intervals, and the feel of his solid chest against her back were a powerful combination.
Even more so as he pulled her tighter and clucked his tongue against the roof of his mouth for the horse to speed up.
“I’m not sure how much time we have until the attackers regroup,” he explained.
The hairs on her arms stood on end as he spoke the words into her ear and a chill swept down her back.
“Hold still, this isn’t as easy as it looks.”
She could’ve sworn there was a smile in his voice as he issued the teasing rebuke, but she did her best to stay still. It was difficult, though. As was not thinking about the man who held her securely against his body.
Fortunately, as the towering, leafless black shapes of the trees in the Black Woods came into view, he began slowing the pace. She could only hope it meant they were going to be stopping soon.
“We’re making camp in a small clearing just before the woods.” Again, his words made her shiver ever so slightly. “Are you cold, Sara?”
Was it her imagination or was there a dare in his voice?
No, she was definitely not cold. But not having the luxury of his ear, she had to settle for shaking her head in answer.
“Good.” His breath caressed the side of her neck, making her stomach flutter and her heart race.
She started to fidget, but a squeeze of his arm around her waist stopped her.
“Not a good idea. We’ll be at camp soon. Just hang in there for a little bit longer.”
She nodded back to him, but wasn’t sure how much longer she could sit without stretching her aching muscles, especially with her back still hurting from being thrown. It was torture even without the completely inappropriate, yet devilishly delicious thoughts of Kavin that insisted on popping into her head every time she let down her guard.
Squirming against him again, she tensed her thighs and then allowed them to relax. It helped a little with the pain, but the soft growl it evoked from Kavin was enough to warn her not to do it again.
Fortunately, just as her muscles began to scream for movement, he slowed his horse to a walk.
“We make camp here tonight,” Kavin shouted, guiding his mount to the side of the road. “Set up tents, then Shemeek, you’re in charge of food; Kemah, you’re in charge of water. There’s to be no fire tonight, so cold rations. I’ll take the second shift at guard. Shemeek, Kemah, and Jar, draw straws to see who’s covering the other shifts. Oh, and Jar, help Sara put up her tent.” He picked her up and lowered her carefully to the ground before dismounting himself.
She would’ve argued that she could put her tent up on her own, but she didn’t exactly trust herself to speak. Not after the wave of relief that rolled through her as soon as her feet touched the ground. It left her too lightheaded with joy to censor anything that might slip out. And since most of her thoughts were of Kavin, the ability to censor was very important right now.
Really, what was wrong with her? It was Kavin. One of her oldest and dearest friends. And she was no longer naïve enough to indulge in the innocent crushes of her youth. Not with someone like Kavin, at least. There was nothing innocent about him.
Collecting her packs from the others, Sara set off, determined to set her tent up and forget all about the nighttime ride. But finding a good spot was tricky, especially since she hadn’t camped in so long she couldn’t actually remember what made a spot good.
In the end, she left the decision up to her stamina. She walked around the clearing until she was about to collapse and her arms ached from carrying the supplies. Then she thankfully threw her packs down and cleared the rocks and sticks away. She’d just gotten the shelter unrolled when she heard someone clear their throat.
“I’m to help you set up your tent.”
It was Jar, of course.
“I’m sure I can handle it. If you’ve got more pressing matters to attend to, that is.” She made sure to keep her tone light and her smile bright as she looked up at him. He was a friend and she didn’t want him to think she was ungrateful, but she’d been taking care of herself long enough that it felt odd having others do things for her.
“Nope. There’s nothing more pressing. You’re our number one priority.” He stooped over and picked up the spikes. “I’ll drive in the stakes. If you put up the poles, we’ll have this done in no time.”
“Deal.” She reluctantly handed him the heavy hammer. She could’ve done it on her own—probably should have. But she’d learned that there are just some fights not worth fighting. And since she was stiff and sore, not to mention mentally drained, she decided this was one of those fights.
Soon the small tent was up and ready for her bedding and blankets, which, surprisingly, appeared not only s
oft and warm, but also clean. She made a small pallet for her bed then poked her head out of the slit that made the door. “Thank you.”
“Glad I could help. Oh wait, I have something for you.” He handed her a small jar of salve. “Rub this into any aches and pains you might have before you go to sleep. It’ll help loosen the muscles.”
“Thanks again.” She might have been uncomfortable about taking his help, but the salve she was honestly grateful for.
“No problem. Now, if you don’t need anything else, I’ve got another tent that requires my attention.”
“I’ll help.” She didn’t know if she had the energy left, but she was sure as hell going to try.
But he was already walking away from her. He stopped and turned back at her with a small smile. “Not necessary.”
“You helped me with mine. It’s only fair I help you with yours.”
“Maybe, but I’ve already got help with my tent,” he said.
Following his gaze, Sara saw Shemeek staring back at them. “Oh,” she murmured to herself.
“Yeah, turns out I’m one of the few people she can stand. Make sure you grab something to eat before you turn in.”
“Maybe in a little while. I want to get settled first.”
“Okay. Just don’t forget or Kavin will be watching you like a hawk all the way to King’s Keep.”
She didn’t bother challenging the statement as he walked off toward his busty blonde. Besides, Sara found the idea of Kavin watching her not entirely unpleasant.
She shook the thought out of her head before it could take root. Kavin had been right. This was going to take some getting used to.
Stepping back into the small tent, she took off her uniform and neatly folded it before dutifully applying the medicine. One thing was certain, she wasn’t going to be getting dressed again until morning. As comforting as the smell of mint was, she didn’t think the thick salve would be good for the leather.
It was, however, great for her muscles. Almost as soon as she’d gotten it rubbed on her skin, it started warming and relaxing her aches and pains away. But it did little for the bone deep fatigue that ate at her.
She just meant to relax a little. Take a moment to enjoy lying down. But the ride had taken too much from her and she drifted off to sleep as soon as she slipped under the cover. It was a comforting emptiness—a black void that welcomed and soothed her frazzled nerves. Unfortunately, the void of dreamlessness never lasted long. And, before she was braced for it, the dream that’d plagued her for the past seven years hit her full force.
Hearing her family’s far off screams, terror raced though her. But she knew she had to act. She stepped out of her room and sheathed her daggers only to be overwhelmed by a dense, gray cloud of smoke in the corridor. Quickly, she dropped down to her hands and knees as she stifled a painful cough and then started crawling. Not sure what was going on, images of the worst possible sort kept popping into her head unexpectedly.
Her rooms were located on the third floor of the vast keep, which left a lot of territory for her to cover before the flames reached her, but she dutifully kept putting one hand in front of the other. She had to make it out.
But when she turned the next corner, she stumbled over the small body of Leavy, her youngest cousin. His jet-black hair was matted with dried blood and his dark green eyes stared absently up at her, unable to see anything anymore. Her stomach rolled at the sight and she had to fight against the urge to retch. Reaching out to his cold body with a trembling hand, she quickly closed his eyes before continuing.
“Sara.” The call echoed off the walls of the corridors, but she couldn’t place where it was coming from. In a moment of terror, she reached for her daggers, only to find they were no longer there. The smoke thickened around her, filling her vision until she could no longer see.
“Sara,” the voice repeated again. This time there was a hand on her arm and, instinctively, she pulled against it.
“Quiet woman. For the love of light, it’s just me.”
The command ripped her out of the dream, but adrenaline still pumped through her, leaving her tense and ready to fight.
“Wake up,” the deep voice said. It was Kavin’s voice.
She forced herself to take a deep breath and open her eyes. “Kavin, what are you doing here?” She cleared her throat to dispel some of its sleepy thickness as her eyes darted around the dark tent, trying to adjust to the inky blackness of night.
“I needed to talk to you, in private.”
Finding him in her tent made her lightheaded and breathless. She was, after all, completely naked under the blanket, and he was close enough for her to touch if she only reached out. And she wanted to reach out. But his manner was all business. And she wasn’t about to make a complete fool of herself.
“Okay.” She made sure to hold the blanket to her chest as she sat up.
His gaze skimmed over the cover, but then he brought his focus back to her face before speaking. “When I told you about the king and the game, I wasn’t completely forthcoming.”
She tried to push a piece of hair out of her face but the movement caused the blanket to slide open at her side, revealing much of her bare waist and hip to the cold night air. Slapping the cover back into place, she cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”
“The king’s concerns are more specific than I led you to believe. He’s convinced those no longer loyal have a plan to take the throne.” He reached out to gently tuck the offending lock of hair behind her ear.
“Thank you.” But she quickly shifted away from his touch. Having him so close with nothing more than a blanket covering her made it hard enough for her to think clearly; his touch would make it impossible. “He doesn’t think I’ve got anything to do with this plan, does he?” Her brow pulled tightly as she frowned.
“No, of course not.”
“Then I still don’t see why you’re in my tent in the middle of the night.”
He sat back suddenly as if she’d slapped him. “I wanted to be honest with you. I wanted you to know the real reason the king sent for you.”
She missed his closeness, but it was easier for her to think with some space between them. “And the real reason he sent for me is because he believes there’s a plot to take the throne?” Even half asleep, it seemed rather farfetched. Succession was regulated by rules and procedures to protect the kingdom from petty attempts of one family trying to steal the crown from another. There had to be an official challenge for the throne. And either the challenger’s magic was declared the strongest and they were named heir, or they were sent on their way. There was no plotting. The Oracle wouldn’t allow it. The failure of the last man who tried proved that.
“Yes.”
“And has there been any proof of this plot?”
“There was the attack tonight. Someone tried to stop you from leaving Keep Drake.”
“I’m betting that has more to do with me returning to court than any plot for the crown. A lot of royals benefited from my family’s downfall. I can imagine some of them would like nothing more than for me to stay out of their way.” That some saw her family’s demise as a blessing made her stomach burn with anger, but it was the truth and she had to acknowledge it.
“Either way, the king is certain this plot exists and that the evidence is there. It’s just a matter of finding it.”
Maybe it was because she hadn’t really been given a choice in joining the guard. Maybe it was because they’d been in such a rush to leave Keep Drake. She wasn’t sure. But whatever the reason, she hadn’t fully considered what it was that the king was going to expect from her until that moment. “I’m to read people’s minds to discover the proof of this plot, aren’t I?”
“Yes.”
Her stomach tightened at the idea. “I’m not certain I’m comfortable with that, Kavin. Just because a person covets the crown doesn’t mean a crime has been committed. And think of all the other things I would be uncovering. It would
give the king power he should never have over the other royal families.”
“He doesn’t care about who’s bedding whom or if the lords and ladies are reporting every penny in their books, Sara. He just wants to make sure none are plotting against him.”
“And he’s never going to use my gift for any other purpose?” she asked skeptically. “We both know better than that.”
“Your distrust of royalty has been earned, but he’s a good man. More than that, he’s a good king.”
A snort of disbelief slipped out before she could stop it.
“It’s the truth. He gave me a life when my family disowned me.”
“Because you were useful to him, just as I am now.”
He pulled even farther from her. “I joined the guard when I was eighteen. He had no idea what my gift was going to be at the time.”
“Magic isn’t the only way for a person to be useful. Though I’m sure that you were going to develop a gift didn’t hurt. I’ve yet to see one they couldn’t find some way to exploit.”
“You’re wrong.”
“I hope I am. Sincerely, I do. But have you ever known of anyone in the game not to use all their pieces to the fullest?” She took a deep breath to collect her thoughts. “If there’s a traitor, I’ll find them. But I won’t let him use my gift for his personal gain and I won’t throw suspicion on anyone if envy is the only crime they’ve committed.”
“You don’t have to worry about that, Sara. I give you my word, it won’t happen.”
“Yours is the only word that’s ever had value.” He had, after all, walked away from everything instead of playing their games of manipulation and power. “Don’t give it lightly.”
“I don’t. The king is an honorable man.”
“And if you’re wrong about him?”
“I’m not.”
“But if you are?”
“Damn it. If I’m wrong… I don’t know.” He threw his hands in the air in frustration. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. But I promise you, I would never serve under a corrupt king.” The conversation was weighing on Kavin heavily. It was apparent to her even before he started rubbing his temples with his fingertips.