Aerity and Harrison rode fast along the tree line that separated Kalor and Zorfina. Several times they’d passed traveling Zorfinans, who watched them with interest or suspicion, but nobody tried to stop them. Twice they’d run into a Zorfinan border patrol and had to explain their situation. Aerity was thankful for those moments to pass along the dire information to local authorities.
Water was scarce on the Zorfinan side. On the rare occasion when they came across a dawdling stream, they drank until they might pop, then filled every container they had.
They’d opted to ride through the night, much to Harrison’s dismay. The chill of the night air, along with sheer determination, had kept Aerity awake. And now in the late morning sun, lack of sleep was finally catching up to her. Several times she’d slumped forward as they rode, only to be awoken by the wiggling creature in the pack in her lap. And the princess couldn’t help but notice that the pack was much tighter and a bit heavier; the little beast had grown overnight. Now he poked his sleepy head out and licked across his enormous teeth with a long, pink tongue. His big, black eyes stared up at her.
“I think he’s hungry,” Aerity called. She patted Jude’s wide neck. “And the horses are tired.”
Harrison slowed his horse and they pulled to the side of the path among short, stout trees and brush. He eyed the creature warily as Aerity climbed down and tugged it from the pack. It immediately bounded into the bushes, sending birds scattering upward.
“He needs a name,” Aerity commented. She scooped a handful of oats into a cloth bag and fed Jude.
Harrison’s voice was gentle. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea to name it, Aer. It seems harmless now, but it’s not a pet. We have no idea what to expect of it.”
Aerity watched as it prowled low to the ground and then pounced on a bush. Some birds escaped, but the little beast grabbed one in its mouth midair and set to chomping it with ferocity, feathers flying. Aerity pulled a face.
“I can’t help but think that if we raise it not to be a killer of humans . . .”
“Some things are in an animal’s nature.”
He put a hand to her shoulder and she nodded. For now, the furry monster was hers to care for. She understood Harrison’s need for caution, but she couldn’t worry about that right now. She let the horses rest as long as possible and then stood.
Aerity made a clicking sound with her tongue. “Come along. You’ve had your breakfast.” She took a swig of water from her pouch as the creature came cantering up. “Can you pass him up to me once I’ve mounted? He’s getting a bit . . .”
“Large?” Harrison lugged him up into his arms as Aerity took to Jude’s back. Then the creature licked Harrison’s cheek, and the man craned his head away. “Ugh. Don’t get used to the taste of me, furball.” Harrison looked down into its face. The beast lay comfortably on its back in Harrison’s arms, happy to be cradled. His tongue lolled to the side. “By the seas, you are rather cute in an ugly sort of way, aren’t you?” Harrison sighed and passed him up to a giggling Aerity.
They rode on for hours. In the afternoon, Harrison held out a hand and stopped, signaling Aerity to do the same. He seemed to be listening. In the distance, she could scarcely discern the sounds of a running horse.
“Into the forest!” Harrison pointed to the Kalor side where they’d be better hidden. They rode until they were far enough in to still peer out.
Minutes later a fine horse with two riders pulled up and halted abruptly where they’d left the path. Aerity squinted. The man seemed to be pointing at the ground, trailing his hand toward the forest where they’d fled, as if he were tracking them. Aerity’s heart gave a pound.
“Wait a moment,” Harrison whispered. “Is that . . . ?” He stared hard a moment longer and then his face beamed. “Tiern Seabolt!”
“What?” Aerity sat up straighter, and as she looked she surely recognized the straight brown hair, pulled back, and the Lochlan tunic. And he seemed to have a lad with him . . . with a hair covering?
Harrison burst back through the forest with Aerity on his heels. They were greeted by Tiern’s arrow pointed straight at them. But the lad in front grabbed his arm and shouted, “That’s Lieutenant Gillfin! And Aer!”
Aerity recognized the voice immediately, and it wasn’t a lad at all.
“Vixie!”
The sisters slid from their horses, Aerity less graceful with the creature in her arms, and they sprinted for each other. But when they got close, Vixie shrieked and jumped back, pointing.
“What the seas is that?”
“Oh! Don’t worry, it’s . . . Furball. He’s only a babe. We saved him. Or stole him. Both, really.”
“But what is it?” Vixie’s face was scrunched in confusion and disgust. Rather than explain, Aerity set down the creature and hugged her sister senseless.
“I have so much to tell you,” Aerity whispered into Vixie’s head covering. They clung for what seemed like forever. Then they pulled away, surveyed each other, and said simultaneously, “You’re filthy.”
Aerity laughed, but Vixie’s face darkened quickly. Warning bells rang in the older sister’s ears.
“What is it, Vix? Why are you here?”
Vixie’s eyes watered. “It’s Mum and Papa. They’ve been kidnapped by Kalorians.”
Aerity felt the ground tilt beneath her and a heady rush of blood. She grasped Vixie’s shoulder. Both Tiern and Harrison leaped down to join them.
“Kidnapped?” Harrison went straight into military mode, his eyes alert. “Do we know for certain they’re still alive?”
“Nay,” Tiern said. “We only know they were taken nearly a week ago.”
Aerity was going to be sick. She pressed a hand over her stomach. “What of the rest of the family?”
“Is Lady Wyneth well?” Harrison broke in.
“We don’t know,” Vixie said weakly. “We left to find you before it happened. The Kalorians had just shown up. We weren’t there for any of it. We just heard of the kidnapping from two soldiers in Dovedell.”
“Oh, seas.” Aerity’s eyes roamed the dirt at her feet, searching for understanding, seeking answers and wisdom. If only she had been there. She felt riddled with painful guilt for abandoning her family at such a time.
“Why were you away from the castle?” Harrison asked.
Vixie chewed her lip sheepishly. “I was coming to search for you all. But that doesn’t matter now, does it? Aer . . . you’ve got to act as ruler until they are found.”
Her gut clenched further. Ruler. All eyes were on her as they processed that information. Her mind reeled. Lochlanach had been attacked by an outside force. The throne was empty. The kingdom vulnerable. And only one person could rightly rise up and fill it.
Her.
Determination rang out inside her, clearing away all doubts and fears before they had a chance to surface. She had no time for any of that. Aerity clicked her tongue and patted her thigh. “Come, Furball.” The creature obeyed and she scooped him up. “We have to go.”
“But what about all the things you have to tell me?” Vixie asked. Aerity looked from her sister to Tiern, whose lips were pressed tightly as if holding back a slew of questions for her.
“It will have to wait.” Aerity lifted Furball onto Jude’s back, then grasped the saddle and heaved herself up. “Home needs us. Now.”