Page 13

Chapter 13

Poor Girls

P haris

The old man was sharp.

While he kept his unseeing eyes pointed straight ahead, I’d noticed him several times leaning toward our horse, listening in on my conversation with Raewyn.

Conversation that had strayed far too close to the line. I couldn’t seem to keep myself from going there with her. She was simply too stimulating for her own good—or for mine.

The folded blanket, by the way, did no good whatsoever. I’d hoped its presence between us would make the ride more comfortable and less torturous.

We rode for several hours, alternating between a gallop and a canter and a trot. We were making good time, and the farther we got from the royal city, the easier I breathed.

I’d been hoping when we got far enough away we’d be able to use the roads where travel was smoother, but some of the villagers had seen us leaving Waterdale.

It wasn’t practical to stop and sway all of them, and there’d been no time. That meant my father and his troops were most likely aware now that we were a party of five.

Much more noticeable than a man and a woman on a horse.

An Elven man traveling with a human woman, two little girls, and an old man would stick out unfortunately.

We’d be too memorable, and when Father sent out scouts, which he would at some point soon, I didn’t want to give the travelers using the roads anything to report.

We’d have to do it the hard way, traveling to the deep south without the benefit of roads.

“At least it’s a nice night,” Raewyn said, speaking my thoughts aloud.

“A fortuitous absence of rainstorms,” I agreed, looking up at the array of stars and the bright moon overhead. “No caves in these parts.”

And now my mind was back in that cave where I’d held her against me for hours, listening to her breathe, drinking in the warmth and softness of her as she wore nothing but my thin shirt.

Where I’d used the reflective surface of my flask to watch her change back into her own clothing.

What are you doing, idiot?

I could not allow myself to have these thoughts. Raewyn was the woman my brother loved.

Stellon and I had always been completely loyal to each other. Nothing had ever come between us—until she had shown up.

It was pointless anyway. I was taking her as far away as I could from Seaspire, my home. The place where my life and all the people I loved were.

Once I deposited Raewyn and her family somewhere in Sundaris, I’d leave them and their new horse behind and return to my own world.

Or would I?

If one of the villagers really had recognized me as being the one aiding the “fugitive,” it was going to be awkward to explain to the King.

And unlike Stellon, I would know where Raewyn was. That was dangerous for her.

Perhaps I could find someone with memory-altering glamour to erase my experiences from this trip.

A flash of unwillingness blazed through my body. I didn’t want to lose my memories of Raewyn.

Idiot.

“Look! Puppies!” one of the girls cried, jerking me out of my hazardous thoughts.

Turi was pointing to a fox trotting across the moonlit field, followed by five kits.

“Those are red foxes,” I corrected. “About eight weeks old, I’d say.”

“Can we play with them?” the child asked, looking over at me with big, hopeful eyes.

I actually felt some regret having to tell her no.

“I’m afraid not. They’re not tame,” I explained. “At their age, the babies aren’t dangerous, but their mother is. She’d attack us if we tried to touch them. Foxes are cute, but they can be vicious when provoked.”

“I thought all Elves were vicious,” Tindra said. “But you seem tame.”

I barked a surprised laugh. It was the first time in my life someone had referred to me as “tame.”

“Tindra,” her father began to scold, but I interrupted.

“No, it’s fine, Wyll.”

To the girl, I smiled and said, “You’re right, little one. You have nothing to fear from me. I think your big sister is something of an Elf-tamer.”

Tindra laughed, and the sound was joined by the tinkling laughter of the younger girl.

“You’re funny,” she said.

“Funny,” her little sister echoed.

Now that they’d started speaking to me, it seemed as if they’d never stop. The girls peppered me with questions as their horse walked alongside mine.

“Why are you so big?” Turi asked.

“I’m a full-grown man,” I said.

I felt a shiver pass through Raewyn’s body in front of me—she must have been cold, though the night air felt pleasant to me.

Drawing the ineffective blanket from between us, I unfolded it and draped it over her shoulders.

“And Elves are larger than humans in general,” I explained to the little girl.

“Are you very, very rich?” Tindra asked.

It wasn’t something I ever talked about, but there was no harm in answering the little human.

“Yes, I suppose I am. Or at least my family is.”

“Do you live in a castle?”

“I do, yes,” I said. “In Merisola. And we have a few others scattered about that we visit occasionally. I even have one of my own, north of here not far from the Nordica border. I have my own staff there, my own private space.”

Raewyn turned back to look at me over her shoulder. “I didn’t know that.”

I cracked a grin. “There are all sorts of things you don’t know about me, little Wyn.”

She whipped her head back around to face forward and didn’t respond.

“Are you Raewyn’s boyfriend ?” Turi asked in a sing-song tone and giggled with her tiny hands over her mouth, as if she knew she was asking an inappropriate question.

“No,” Raewyn answered before I got the chance. “We are just friends.”

“Raewyn’s never had a boyfriend,” Tindra informed me in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Is that right?” I asked, getting perverse enjoyment out of the way Raewyn’s posture stiffened.

“We’re poor,” the little girl explained. “No one wants to marry poor girls.”

My heartbeat slowed, and there was a sudden ache in my throat. I wanted to go back to that stupid village and thrash everyone who’d belittled Raewyn and her family.

“I don’t think that’s true,” I said. “Not based on what I’ve seen. Why, your sister was the most popular woman at the entire First Night Ball, and no one asked about her family’s financial situation.”

“Because they all assumed I had money,” Raewyn said sourly. “They were operating under all sorts of illusions.”

“Illusions only go so far. The real soul of a person always shines through, don’t you find?” I said.

Though the words were murmured too quietly for the younger girls to hear, Raewyn heard me, and she shivered again.

Perhaps it wasn’t the cold after all.

“Would you marry a poor girl, Pharis?” Turi asked.

“That’s enough questions,” Raewyn told her. “Let’s ride in silence for a while.”

I didn’t let the child’s question go unanswered though.

“I’ll marry anyone I want to marry,” I said. “And no, a woman’s wealth and family status would have no bearing on my choice. That would be determined based on whether we were a good match.”

Tindra nodded in satisfaction then faced forward and obeyed her sister.

After riding for a few hours, we stopped to rest near a stream. As soon as we dismounted, the horses went to it, lowering their heads for a drink.

I did the same, sitting on a flat rock that protruded into the streambed. I dipped my hands into the cold flow several times and brought the makeshift cup up to my mouth.

Raewyn’s sisters scrambled over to the side of the water, attempting to do the same. The littlest one leaned out too far for my liking.

Jumping up to grab the back of her dress, I lifted her onto safer ground.

“It’s a bit dark out for a swim, Pollywog. That current is swift. Wait a minute. I’ll get some water for you,” I said.

I filled my canteen and offered it to her. The two girls took turns drinking from it then handed it back to me, and I carried it over to their father.

“Thank you,” Wyll said after drinking his fill.

Wiping his mouth, he asked, “Will we go much farther tonight?”

His face was drawn tight. Was he fatigued from the ride already? I was planning to go until daybreak.

“Several more hours yet until sunrise. Are you tired?” I asked.

I had noticed him slumping in the saddle a bit, but I’d assumed he’d just been drowsy. Looking at him now though, I wondered if it was something more. He looked like he might have been in pain.

“Fine, fine,” the man said, straightening. “Just a bit out of practice, is all. Ready to go when you are.”

Obviously overhearing, Raewyn came over and put a hand on her father’s arm.

“Papa, are you okay? Is your back bothering you?”

“No, hale and hearty as a youth, I am,” he said.

She didn’t look convinced. “You have to tell me if the pain is coming back. It’s possible Sorcha might have—”

Wyll cut her off. “I said I’m fine. Stop coddling me, girl.”

She blinked several times at his harsh tone but said, “Very well.”

Wandering over to Cimmerian, she stroked his head and neck.

Just like Dargan, he didn’t merely tolerate her touch, he seemed to revel in it. He even nuzzled her with his nose in a way I’d seen him do with no one but me.

“You have a way with horses,” I said softly.

Raewyn jumped, apparently not realizing I’d followed her and was standing behind her.

“I don’t know about that, but I do like them,” she said. “Why did you change mounts? Was Dargan tired?”

I nodded, stepping over to stroke Cimmerian’s side.

“He was, and he deserves a long rest after that ride of ours. This guy here was fresh and ready to go.”

“He’s beautiful. They both are,” she said, directing her comments and her gaze to the horse instead of me.

“And they both seem to have an affinity for you,” I commented.

It made sense—they were brothers.

“I’ve never seen such fine horses,” Raewyn said. “What breed are they—if that’s the right word?”

“They’re Friesians. Stallions. I’m a fan of horses in general, but Friesians are my favorite because of their intelligence and calm demeanor. They’re a dream to train. I’ve raised both of mine since they were foals.”

“It’s funny to think of you having pets,” Raewyn mused, finally sliding her eyes over to me.

“Funny? Why?”

“Well I always saw you as so foreboding and brutish. With your horses, you’re almost… tender.”

She looked up at me, her eyes wide as if she was afraid she might have offended me.

I smiled down at her and murmured, “I can be gentle when I want to be.”

Raewyn took a sudden breath and turned away, walking quickly toward the stream. I trailed after her and dipped my canteen in, refilling it and offering it to her.

“No thank you. I’m not thirsty,” she said.

Then she began babbling in a way I’d never seen her do.

“We have a pet goat. Her name is Daisy. She’s a little love, but we had to leave her behind, unfortunately. I’m not worried about her. Katricia—she’s my friend—will take care of her I know, and Daisy will be very helpful to them. Her milk makes the most delicious cheese. Well, perhaps not as delicious as the cheeses in the palace. Stellon brought me some every day, and I had no idea there were so many kinds—soft cheeses, hard cheeses, mild and sharp and…”

She’d hardly stopped to take a breath. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I turned her to face me.

“Raewyn, look at me.”

Finally she stopped talking, and her eyes came up to meet mine.

“Is something wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

“No. I just…” Her gaze skittered away and remained averted, focusing on the stream. “I just got uncomfortable for some reason.”

If she’d been able to read my mind a moment ago, she’d have been very uncomfortable indeed. Merely the mention of the word “tender” had sent my thoughts off in inappropriate directions once again.

“I think I might be a little punchy from the sporadic sleep schedule,” she laughed.

“I understand, believe me. I think the horses are rested enough, though. Shall we ride again?” I asked.

She nodded. As we walked back toward Cimmerian, she said, “I was thinking… maybe you could teach me what to do as we’re riding, so I could, you know… learn what I’m doing on horseback. That way we could maybe… switch up the riding pairings from time to time. For the horses’ sake.”

She didn’t want to ride with me.

My lips pressed together in a bitter smile, and my stomach hardened, but my mood instantly rebounded when something occurred to me.

Was it possible her discomfort with it stemmed from the same source as mine did?

Attraction?

A pulse low in my belly replaced the tension, and a sense of lightness caused my limbs to tingle with fresh energy.

Perhaps I was completely delusional, but I was beginning to wonder if Raewyn felt the same kind of chemistry with me as I did with her. Based on some of her body language and reactions today, I was entertaining the notion.

She’d looked at me, too, back in the cave when I was shirtless. Not just a glance—she’d looked .

And once again I condemned myself as a bad brother. Stellon had entrusted me with Raewyn’s safety.

That was all I should allow myself to think about when it came to her.

“Of course,” I agreed as I boosted her onto the stallion’s back. “It’s a good idea. You should definitely know how to ride. After all, Ruby will be yours when we get to our destination. And after you learn, you’ll be able to teach the girls.”

“I never imagined we’d own a horse,” she said.

Looking down at me from atop Cimmerian’s back, Raewyn appeared as though she was about to say something of import, but then she simply said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

I helped her father onto his horse and lifted the girls up to sit in front of him. Instead of placing the reins in his hands this time, I threaded a lead rope through her bit rings and stretched the line out to attach it to Cimmerian’s saddle.

“For this leg of the journey, you won’t have to worry about watching the path, so to speak,” I said to Wyll. “I’ve got a lead line on Ruby here, and she’ll just follow my horse. I thought the girls might start getting tired. It’s fine for them to doze now if they want to.”

“Thank you. Mighty thoughtful,” the old man said.

“I’m not tired,” Tindra protested, but only an hour into our ride, I looked back and saw both little girls sleeping, draped over their father’s protective arms.

“How is he?” Raewyn asked anxiously.

She was supposed to be focusing on guiding Cimmerian the way I’d instructed her, but obviously her mind was wandering to her family trailing behind us.

“Looks like he’s holding up okay,” I said. “You sound worried. What’s his problem? You mentioned his back before.”

Keeping her voice down so she wouldn’t be overheard, she explained.

“My father was badly injured during the Rebellion. Until recently he was in constant pain and barely able to walk upright. Sorcha cured him, but I’m worried it won’t last… since I failed to render payment.”

“You mean since I’m still breathing,” I quipped.

“Exactly. I’m not sure how the Earthwives’ spells work,” she said, “or if they outlast the one who casts them. His pain and disability could return the moment she’s executed.”

Raewyn tensed her shoulders and let them fall.

“Or, if she manages to escape the dungeon, she might be able to rescind the cure.”

I bit my lip, chewing it as I tried to decide whether it would do more harm than good to tell Raewyn what I knew—the Earthwife already had escaped the dungeon.

“Sorcha is far behind us,” I assured her.

“But who knows, her magic might work, even from a distance,” Raewyn said. “I’m afraid for him. She promised that if I failed to carry out… my assignment, things would be even worse than they were before.”

She cast another quick glance back at her family.

“Honestly, they were so bad I can hardly imagine what worse would look like—unless it’s unrelenting agony for my papa.”

There were no Elves with long-lasting battle wounds or chronic pain, not of the physical sort anyway. Our healers were able to repair almost any damage inflicted by violence or injury.

Death was permanent of course, but anything short of it could be healed.

That didn’t help humans like Wyll Hennessey. I could see now how Raewyn could become desperate enough to make an open-ended deal with a witch.

She loved her family as much as I loved mine—two thirds of mine. I couldn’t imagine my father enduring any amount of pain or even inconvenience for his children.

By necessity, our lives had always revolved around his, but I was beginning to lose my tolerance for the way he did things.

As I’d told the girls in response to their inquisition, I was a full-grown man. And whether my father ever found out about my “treason” or not, it was time I manned up and started living my own life.

After getting the Hennessey family settled in a region far from the King’s reach, maybe I wouldn’t return to Seaspire.

Maybe I’d go spend some time farther north at Stormcrest, my own castle by the sea. And maybe, as Stellon had assured me, the right girl would come along for me.

Unfortunately, as Raewyn herself began to doze and eventually to relax back against my body, I was overwhelmed by the gut reaction that the right girl was already here, in my arms.