Kingdom of Sea and Stone

“I’m not sure,” Talin admitted. “But judging by these foothills,” he said, gesturing north, “I’d say mountainous.”

Grig muttered a curse. “That means it will likely be cold as well.”

“The hardier the Galethians are, the better for us,” Talin said, patting Grig on the back. “Assuming they’ll help us, of course.”

We all knew what a big assumption that was, and the closer we grew to Galeth, the more I worried they would refuse. If we came all this way and abandoned our parents to Ceren for nothing, I didn’t know how I’d ever forgive myself.

“Do you need any help, my lady?” Osius asked Zadie, who was using a branch to sweep a small clearing for our bedrolls.

She wiped the sweat from her brow, smiling. “No, thank you. We’re just about ready.”

Zadie had grown used to the trousers and boots, though we both longed for a bath. Even our bodies were changing. I had always been strong from swimming, but this was the first time I was both exercising and getting enough to eat. When I removed my tunic to change into my shift at night, I was shocked to see muscles in my upper abdomen where I had once only seen ribs.

“I’m going to check on the horses one last time before heading to bed,” I told the group. Titania and I had developed a bond that even I could tell was unusual. She had taken to kneeling down so I could mount without a boost from Talin or a rock. She anticipated my needs, so I rarely had to signal with my hands or legs. Most of the time, I didn’t even need to use my voice or adjust my weight. She was one step ahead of me, the smartest horse any of the men had ever seen.

“There you are.” I held out a handful of grass that I’d plucked on my way over. She was perfectly capable of getting her own, but I liked feeding her. She had the softest muzzle, and she never nipped. She lifted her face to mine, blowing softly against my skin, tickling me with her whiskers.

Then, without warning, she swung her body to the side, standing rigid and alert.

“What is it, girl?” I couldn’t hear anything but the usual nighttime sounds. The other horses were still munching contentedly on the tall grass, and the birds and insects still chittered.

But I trusted Titania. If she felt something was wrong, I wouldn’t ignore her. Reaching for the knife in my boot, I knelt down and crept toward the road. We were far back, having learned our lesson after Shale and Ella found us. Feeling foolish, I pressed my ear to the ground as Osius had taught me, not sure what I was expecting to hear.

I walked back to Titania, who was still straining against her lead. Afraid she would hurt herself, I untied her and started back to camp, when I heard a high-pitched whistle in the distance. It was so quiet I almost wasn’t sure if I’d heard it, but Titania’s ears were pricked as far forward as they could go, and I knew I hadn’t imagined it.

A moment later, I heard another whistle, followed two seconds later by another.

Without me having to ask, Titania knelt down and I scrambled onto her back. My fingers had barely wound themselves in her mane before she took off toward camp. We had been found.



* * *



We burst into camp a moment later, nearly knocking Osius off his feet.

“Gods, Nor! What are you doing?” Talin shouted. “You could have hurt someone!”

Breathless, I swung down from Titania’s back. “There are riders out there.”

His hand flew to his sword hilt. “What? How do you know?”

“I heard them signaling to each other. At least three people.”

Zadie was already grabbing our belongings. “How much time?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I couldn’t tell. I just know they’re close.”

Talin and I threw our most necessary belongings into our saddlebags and rushed back to the horses. I tried to be as gentle as possible while saddling Titania, but my heart was pounding and my hands were clumsy. Fortunately, she was as solid as a stone, not even flinching when I tightened the girth.

Finally, the sound of hoofbeats on the road reached our ears, unmistakable. There had to be twenty horses, at least. That many people could only mean one thing: Ceren’s guards had caught up with us.

“Can we outrun them?” Grig asked.

“We have to try,” Talin said with a grunt as he swung into his saddle.

Osius mounted, and Zadie climbed up behind him. Within moments, we were flying through the woods toward the road. Our route would give our pursuers an advantage, but we had no choice. I hoped the fact that they had clearly been riding hard for a while would help make up the difference. We had been making good time, but not at the expense of our horses’ health.

I glanced over my shoulder. I still couldn’t see the men, but there was no question we were being pursued. “What if the Galethians won’t let us cross the border?” I cried.

“Then we’re doomed.” Talin freed the Galethian flag from his saddlebag, dug his heels into Xander, and surged ahead. The other horses followed.

We’d been galloping for several miles when I glanced back and saw the first rider behind us. They were gaining. It was one of Ceren’s guards, clad in black armor with the Ilarean crest—the profile of a young woman inside a heart, with two daggers crossed behind it—on the breastplate. Titania was breathing hard, but only sweating lightly. I could see that the other horses were struggling, though, as the elevation increased. The road was getting worse, too, as if it was rarely used or maintained.

Talin looked back and swore. “Maybe the men and I should turn and fight,” he said, lifting the Galethian flag above his head. “You and Zadie could make it at least.”

“No! That’s out of the question, Talin.”

We were winding our way up a mountain pass, and I could see why the Galethians had chosen this as their border. They could funnel anyone attempting to cross through this pass and pick them off from above.

I looked up at the mountains on either side of us. “This is a trap, Talin.”

“I know. But not for us, I don’t think.”

“What makes you say that?”

Talin jerked his head to the left. We were moving so fast I barely caught a glimpse of the rider among the rocks on a gray horse. She had a crossbow fitted against her shoulder, but she hadn’t fired at us.

I risked a glance back just as she loosed the arrow, picking off Ceren’s first guard.

“Who are they?” I called to Talin, who was ahead of me now that the road had narrowed.

“Galethians, if I had to guess.”

“Why are they helping us?”

“I have no idea, but I’m not going to question it.”