Page 33 of Spirit Trials (The Spirit Kingdoms #1)

I stare at the table, unsure what to say to make this right.

“Look, I own up to my mistakes. I should have told you what we were doing. I shouldn’t have left in the middle of the night.

I shouldn’t have taken food from you.” I lift my eyes to his.

“But you shouldn’t have killed that guy.

He was really nice. We were just talking and—”

“Oh, so that’s what you’re really upset about? That I killed the guy you were flirting with?”

“I wasn’t flirting. He was—”

“Spare me the details. He touched what’s mine, and he died for it.”

I go very still. “What’s yours?” I repeat with raised eyebrows.

“Because last time I checked Prince Rysden , I am not a piece of property to be owned.” I stand up from the table.

“I will repay you for every ounce of food we took from your kitchen, not that you need it,” I mumble.

“But because it’s the right thing to do. ”

“I don’t care about the food.”

“Well, your actions speak louder than your words. You’re obviously very upset that we stole food from you.” I put up a hand to stop his reaction. “Which is understandable.”

“Would you listen to me? I don’t give a—” He takes a breath and runs a hand through his hair.

Then he levels his gaze at me. “I don’t care about the food.

I care that you might have gotten killed over something so idiotic.

” I bristle at his words. “Like it or not, you are in my care and under my protection.”

“That would be a not from me,” I interject.

He takes a deep breath. “Noted.”

“I need to go get my friends.”

“You’re not getting your friends tonight.”

“I can’t just leave them there,” I argue.

“Yes, you can, and you will. Besides, that’s their home.” Before I can argue, he concedes. “I’ll take you in the morning to get them.”

"Uh, I don’t think you’re going to be welcome. You killed one of their own tonight,” I remind him.

“Do you think I care whether I’m welcome?”

I take in his sheer presence and the aggression coming off him. “That would be a negative. I’m pretty sure you don’t care what anybody anywhere thinks of you.”

He eyes me. “I used to not.” His quiet words unsettle me, and I search for what he means by them, but he continues.

“Do not leave here without protection. Ever. And I realize by telling you that, I’m basically inviting you to do it.

But Farrah, if you want your friends to stay here, you’d better follow my rules.

Since you don’t care about the consequences to yourself, I will apply those consequences to your friends.

You follow the rules, they can stay. You don’t follow the rules, they can’t stay. ”

I frown. “I can follow the rules.” He cocks an eyebrow. “When I want to,” I add.

“Exactly. Now, tonight, you need to get some sleep. We’ll figure out about getting your friends tomorrow.”

Sensing that he’s done with this conversation, I ask what I’ve been wanting to.

“Can I ask you something?” He tenses but gives me a nod.

“Why do the banished live so awfully?” His entire demeanor relaxes, making me wonder what he thought I was going to ask.

“They live in such poor conditions. Why don’t they hunt?

Why don’t they make better homes for themselves.

I’m not trying to judge, but our village is way better off than they are, and we literally live in the middle of nowhere. ”

“They’re not allowed to hunt on the king’s lands, nor are they allowed to cut down trees or use any other resources on the king’s lands.” I stare at him in shock. “How do they survive?”

He shrugs. “You’ll have to ask them.”

“Your dad is an awful person.”

He doesn’t try to deny it. I stand up and push my chair in. “We’re going to have to do something about him.”

His eyes snap to mine. “No, we are not. My dad is a force you don’t want to reckon with.”

We’ll see. “ I’m going to head to my room. I’ll see you in the morning bright and early so we can get going.”

I don’t sleep well for what’s left of the night, though I should be exhausted.

I can’t shake the emotion from everything I saw tonight—the absolute need of the banished, their terrible homes, their lack of security and food.

It angers me all over again. I have no idea what I’m going to do about it, but I know I’m going to do something! That’s for sure.

I’m dressed and ready to go a few hours later. I pace the entryway until Rysden comes down. “Did you sleep at all?” he asks.

“Nope. Let’s go.” He doesn’t say a word as we head out the front door. I walk ahead of him to the stables. “Which one can I ride?”

“Now you’re asking?” I bite my tongue, so I don’t say something I’ll regret. I really need to go get my friends, and if this is the only way I’m going to be able to do it, then I need to hold my peace, so Rysden won’t refuse to take me. “You’re riding with me.”

“Seriously? Rysden, I know how to ride!” So much for biting my tongue.

“ I know you do, but I don’t trust you. You either ride with me, or we stay here. That’s my offer; take it or leave it.”

I bite my tongue hard enough, it draws blood. “Fine.” I march over to his horse and pull myself up and over easily. I wait quietly while he does whatever it is he’s doing.

But then I can’t take it anymore. “What in the whole wide world are you doing?”

He lifts an eyebrow. “You need to develop patience.”

One, two, three, four...

He smirks, as if he knows exactly how crazy he’s making me. Before I can throw something at him, he adds, “I’m waiting for the guys.”

I scowl. “Do you not go anywhere by yourself?”

He doesn’t answer, and I’m back to waiting again. I hate waiting. “You know, I would’ve thought you’d be really good at patience seeing as you need heaps of it to be a good hunter.”

I cock my head. “How do you know I’m a good hunter?”

A smirk graces his lips, and my eyes dart there for just a moment. A stupid move. “I know you can hunt, Farrah. You can do a lot of things...pretty much whatever you set your mind to.” He says all this without looking at me; he’s working with some kind of leather strap.

“Was that a compliment?” I ask in shock.

“Can somebody please tell me why we’re leaving so early?” Lox asks, entering the stable. I look over at him and see his mussed hair and can’t help my grin, especially when I meet Rysden’s gaze and see he’s just as amused.

“I forgot how much you love mornings, Lox,” I say with a grin.

Hector and Jamik both show up a few minutes later, and then we all mount up.

Jamik brings an extra horse that I’m assuming is for my friends.

We begin the ride through the city, and I take it in on this early morning.

It’s so different than at night. The sun makes everything bright and cheerful.

I watch as people begin their daily chores and start their day.

There are only a few peddlers in the market area, but I know that won’t last for long.

I let my eyes enjoy the sights as I take in the smells.

If I wasn’t in such a hurry to find my friends and make sure they’re okay after the craziness of last night, I would almost ask to stop to just absorb it all.

Life here in the city is vastly different than life in a village.

There’s a kind of charm; I’ll have to admit.

When we get to the gates, the guards wave Rysden and his men through the huge double doors.

Thankfully, Rysden picks up the pace. As much as I hate not being on my own horse, I can’t help but enjoy riding Noctis, Rysden’s horse.

He’s fast and strong and a joy to ride, not that I’d tell Rysden that.

He pulls on the reins long before we reach the area where the banished live.

“What are you doing?” I ask. “Why are you slowing down?”

“Jamik’s going to scout it out for us,” Rysden says.

“It’s fine,” I start to say.

“Farrah, we won’t be welcome. I killed one of theirs last night.” I swallow hard as memories come flooding back. “The only way we are going to do this is if you stay with me the entire time.” I nod. “I need a verbal agreement, Farrah.”

“Okay, yes. I promise to stay with you...unless...”

“Farrah,” he growls.

“Well, what if something happens and I need to go...I don’t know...pee or something?”

“You don’t do anything without me and that includes peeing. Am I clear?” He pauses a moment. “Or we can just go right back to my house.”

“First of all, your home is a castle; you need to call it that. Secondly, fine.”

“Fine what?” he pushes.

“I’ll stay with you,” I give him.

“No matter what?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I turn to look at him and regret it immediately. He's right behind me, and that puts his head only a few inches from mine. “Okay. Fine. I’ll stay with you no matter what.”

He nods as if it’s settled. Thankfully, Jamik comes back a minute later. He meets Rysden’s eyes and nods. “Okay, let’s go. Stay close.”

“Pretty sure I can’t be any closer," I mutter under my breath.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Rysden says in a low voice. Was it my imagination or did he shift closer?

I push aside thoughts of Rysden and focus on finding my friends.

Hector rides ahead of us. I wasn’t sure what to expect but not Harper and Kinsley standing at the edge of the banished community, clearly waiting for us.

I hop down, ignoring Rysden when he growls my name.

I run to my friends and pull both of them into my arms. “Are you both okay?”

“Farrah, we were so worried about you,” Kinsley says. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, but I’m so sorry about what happened last night.” I meet Harper’s eyes and see the anger there. “I’m sorry about Maritus. I know he—”

“Don’t say his name,” she snaps. I accept her rebuke. I know what it’s like to lose somebody. “He wouldn’t be dead if not for you.”

“Harper!” Kinsley says in shock.

I swallow. “I know. I—”

“You don’t know anything. You should have never come here. If you hadn’t, he wouldn’t have died. It’s your fault he’s dead.”

Her words ricochet through my head, and I take a step back.

Something solid meets my back, and somehow, I know without looking that it’s Rysden.

“If you want to be angry, be angry at me. I’m the one who killed your friend.

Farrah did not. But let me remind you that your friend held a knife to her throat, one he planned on using.

I won’t apologize for killing him.” I wince at his callous words.

“Harper, I—”

“Leave,” she cuts me off.

I stiffen. “What?”

“Just leave. We don’t want you here, and we certainly don’t need you.”

“Harper,” Kinsley says in a wide-eyed whisper.

“It’s fine,” I tell Kinsley, swallowing hard.

“Are you coming with?” I ask Kinsley.

Kinsley glances at Harper, and I know she’s already made her decision.

I bite my lip. “Okay. Let me know if either of you need anything.” I turn and walk away before they see my heart breaking.

When we get back to the horses, I walk right over to the extra one Jamik has a lead on.

He doesn’t say a word when I climb on its back.

I know when Rysden joins our group, but I don’t look over at him.

I will him to let me be. Thankfully, he does.

“Let’s head back.” That’s all he says before we leave the banished and my heart behind.