Page 47 of The Lost Art of Finding Where You Belong (Lost Arts #2)

So he made friends with the dappled mare, whose name was Lily, suggesting she probably hadn’t been named by Renny.

He mounted up. Lily danced around a little, and Perian brought her smoothly under control.

Whatever reason Brannal had for not bringing Prince Horsey, he had at least not stuck Perian with a mount who wasn’t a good match for him.

“Ready?” Brannal asked.

There was still something… playful about him, an expression on his face Perian wasn’t used to seeing.

“Ready,” he said cheerfully.

Whatever they were doing, Brannal was excited about it, and that was enough for him.

Brannal took the lead until they were out in the royal park, surrounded by the splendor of the summer afternoon.

“Race you!” he called out.

And then he put his heels to Warrior’s flanks and was gone. Even as Perian gaped at him, he nudged his mare into a gallop as well.

“You’re a cheating cheater who cheats!” he yelled, even though Brannal couldn’t hear him. (Perian also couldn’t blame him for getting his own back.)

Lily wasn’t as fast as Prince Horsey, but he hadn’t yet met a horse who could match him. She was still fast, and Perian leaned low and streaked after Brannal. She made up good ground, thundering along in Warrior’s wake.

He stroked her neck and focused on his target.

“You’re doing so good,” Perian told her. “Let’s show that cheater how we do things, all right?”

They rode and rode, galloping through the countryside, and even though Perian was losing this race, the ride was a joy .

He narrowed the distance between them by a good measure, but Perian was still behind when Brannal began to slow. They were soon side by side, and then they were walking again.

“You’re a cheater!” Perian exclaimed, but he was grinning too widely for it to seem like much of an insult.

Brannal was smiling too.

“And you’re always the best sort of challenge. Warrior needed to stretch his legs.”

Perian raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Oh, so that was all Warrior ’s fault, was it?”

Brannal patted his stallion’s neck and cheerfully sacrificed him. “Entirely.”

Perian shook his head and tried to look disapproving.

He’d been so intent on catching up that he’d scarcely noticed when they’d moved from grass to an actual road. They’d gone north and west, where he and Prince Horsey didn’t ride as often. It wasn’t until the sun shone in his eyes that he realized just how low it was in the sky.

“Wait a second,” he said. “Where are we? Are we going to make it back to the castle before dark?”

“No, we’re not,” Brannal told him simply.

Well, at least Perian was still a decent judge of distance.

“Are we… sleeping outside?” he asked.

Because he was definitely up for some outdoor sex, but with no supplies, he wasn’t really excited about the idea of spending the night out here.

“Wait and see,” Brannal said cheerfully.

Perian promised himself that even if they did end up sleeping on the ground, he was going to love it because Brannal had set this up and was so happy about it.

A small town sprang up ahead of them, and they were soon making their way through it. There was a main street, with an array of little shops, and it looked like there was an inn… which they were stopping in front of?

Perian dismounted when Brannal did, turning to look at him.

“Surprise!” Brannal exclaimed, looking so very hopeful . “I thought you might like a few days away together.”

Perian just stared at him for a moment, the realization washing over him.

Brannal had planned this. He’d arranged for people to take over his duties at the castle while he was gone.

That was why Renny had been smiling like she had at lunchtime, why she’d been so noncommittal to Perian’s comment that he would see her tomorrow.

“You planned this!” he exclaimed belatedly. Which… obviously. He laughed as he realized. “You didn’t want the stable hands here to have to deal with Prince Horsey.”

Brannal made a bit of a face, then smiled. “I was worried it wouldn’t go entirely smoothly, and I didn’t want you to have to spend the next three nights in the stable with your horse. I have plans for you?”

It trailed off into a bit of a question at the end, and it occurred to Perian that he hadn’t really responded properly.

He flung himself forward, and Brannal caught him. Perian kissed him, then started pressing kisses all over his face in between words.

“This is amazing! You’re the best! Thank you so, so much! Oh, you’re going to get so much sex!”

Brannal was laughing and hugging him. He even picked Perian up and swung him around, Perian clinging and laughing giddily. (No one had ever done that to him before. It was amazing .)

“I’m so glad you like it,” Brannal said, looking relieved and happy. “Come and see everything.”

First, they made sure the horses were well-settled. The stable looked to be in tip-top shape, everyone well cared for. And since Lily wasn’t as difficult as Prince Horsey, the stable hands were actually able to do their jobs and take care of her.

Perian patted her velvety nose and then headed inside with Brannal.

They were promptly greeted by the innkeeper, a solid, plump woman with dark hair, sharp green eyes, and an evident love of bright colors.

Her coat and vest were both patterned, and her shirt had been dyed a vibrant orange which matched the large square beads in her hair.

Even her trousers were dark red. She clearly knew who Brannal was, because she bowed low and thanked him for his patronage, then offered to show them around herself.

It was nothing like the large inn Perian had been staying at in the city before he’d moved in with Brannal, but it had plenty of small-town charm. There was a tap room that was clearly patronized by the inhabitants of the town as well as visitors.

There were private rooms, and the innkeeper showed them the one Brannal had already reserved for them, up on the second floor.

Perian immediately preferred it to the noisy public room.

It had its own fireplace and a solid wooden table that looked like it would seat six but wouldn’t be utterly ridiculous just for the two of them.

There was a couch by the window and two chairs in front of the fire.

Everything was a little bit dated but meticulously cared for.

“It’s lovely,” Perian said. “It looks as though you care for it with so much love.”

Brannal smiled almost as brightly as the innkeeper. The woman explained how all the meals had been ordered and would be served here in this room, and that they wouldn’t be disturbed at all, but they had only to request anything they wanted, and it would be brought to them immediately.

Perian eyed Brannal, because that seemed like an invitation to have sex here if ever he’d heard one. Brannal winked at him, and Perian had to suppress a grin. He had no idea if the innkeeper knew their plans, but he would assume Brannal was paying well enough to excuse any impropriety.

And then it was up another floor to the bedrooms, where the innkeeper bowed them in to what she assured them was their very best room, and she hoped they would find no fault with it.

“I know it’s not what you’re used to in the city.”

Perian spun around, taking in the sitting room and the glimpse through a doorway of the bedroom.

Everything was bright and airy, the leaded window reasonably large.

There were armchairs by the fire, fresh-picked flowers in a vase on the mantel, and a landscape painting hanging above it.

Everything looked scrupulously well cared for.

“It’s charming!” he assured her. “It looks so comfortable.”

The innkeeper beamed again and gestured to a screened off area.

“Water needs to be heated for the bath, but we’ve got the tub up, and you’ve only to let us know when you’d like to use it,” she assured them. “There’s a water closet for your other needs.”

“I’m sure it’s perfect,” Perian agreed.

“Can I get you anything else?” the innkeeper inquired. “Shall I have dinner set out in the parlor?”

Brannal nodded. “In half an hour, please.”

She bowed again. “Certainly. Just let me know if you require anything at all.”

“Thank you,” Brannal said.

“Enjoy your stay.”

And then she was gone, the door closing quietly behind her.

“Would you like to freshen up before dinner?” Brannal asked.

But there was that gleam in his eyes.

“Are you categorically opposed to the smell of horse?” Perian asked, slinking closer to him.

Brannal was smiling outright now. “Why, do you think there’s something more interesting we can do in the half hour before dinner?”

“Oh, I think we can come up with something ,” Perian suggested.

They didn’t even make it to the bedroom, but they were definitely both more relaxed by the time they headed down to the private parlor, where exactly as promised, dinner had been laid out for them. (They might have been a couple of minutes late, but who was counting?)

The food was plentiful and delicious, and Perian was just so excited that they were here .

“No one’s ever taken me on a trip like this before. It means a lot. Thank you.”

Brannal smiled back at him, eyes bright, expression soft. “I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. I know at the castle I have to be Summus perhaps more often than you would prefer. But I want you to know that I’m trying to be just Brannal as well. I want to spend time with you and make this work, Perian.”

Perian sucked in a breath, swallowed, and smiled wide. “I want that too. So much. And I do understand about the importance of your duty, I promise.”

There was a tap on the door, and no one entered until Brannal called for them to do so. It was dessert and tea. There was an absolutely gorgeous fresh-out-of-the-oven mixed berry pie with a crumble topping.

Perian shoved it into his mouth so fast, Brannal watching with amusement.

“It’s so good,” Perian groaned. “Do you think we can steal the cook and install them at the castle?”