Kingdom of Sea and Stone

Roan escorted us into a supply room in the base of the fortress, where we were outfitted with Galethian saddles and heavier clothing for cold nights.

“This should fit you,” Roan said, handing me a fur vest that looked suspiciously like his horse’s coat. Talin and Grig were sifting through weapons with Kester, and Zadie was being taught more of her horse’s commands by another Galethian.

I took the vest and rolled it up, tying it to one of the many straps on the high-pommeled Galethian saddle. “Thank you. And thank you for letting me keep Titania for now. She has made this journey far easier than it could have been.”

“I didn’t let you do anything,” he replied, patting Titania’s cheek. “She chose for herself.” She nuzzled my shoulder, and Roan laughed. “She has good taste.”

I shot him a sharp look, but he had already turned away. “I know why your sister is here. She’s betrothed to Samiel. But I don’t know your story.”

“My story?” I flipped through a pile of saddle blankets for something softer. “I don’t have a story.”

“Everyone has a story.” He leaned up against the wall, folding his arms and watching me intently. He had more scars crisscrossing his forearms, and I couldn’t help thinking that they would be a source of shame back in Varenia.

“All right, then,” I asked, mildly discomfited. “What’s yours?”

Roan didn’t seem ruffled in the slightest. “I was born and raised in Galeth. I come from the eastern border, where I quickly became the best rider in the region.” He wasn’t boasting, I realized, just relaying the facts. “When I was ten, I was sent to the capital to train, and at seventeen I became the commander of Fort Crag. I’ve been there three, nearly four years.”

“Ah, that kind of story. Yes, I suppose I do have one of those.”

Talin approached before I could continue, his expression curious, though his tone was more suspicious. “Everything all right?”

“Of course,” Roan said, pushing off from the wall. “I think we’re all set to leave. Aren’t we, Nor?”

I ignored him. I’d seen this kind of male posturing between Talin and Ceren back in New Castle, and I knew that my participation had very little to do with it. We all mounted, and I was happy to find that Zadie’s gelding got along well with Titania. It seemed a bit of a risk having a mare in the group, but Xander was a well-trained stallion and Titania was not the kind of mare to put up with unwanted attention. The other horses were all geldings and posed no competition to Xander.

We rode back across the valley, over the foothills where we’d spent the night, and into a small mountain range that fortunately didn’t ever seem to grow to its full potential. Roan was the only Galethian to accompany us, and our numbers were even now, with four men and two women. We rode two abreast for most of the day, but Titania often seemed to gravitate to Roan’s gelding, to my frustration.

“Are you feeding her treats when I’m not looking?” I blurted at one point. We were making our way through a dry riverbed, and Titania hung back as if deliberately waiting.

“She knows Duster, that’s all,” Roan explained. “Landrey and I were lovers.”

My cheeks reddened instantly at his frank declaration, but I forced myself not to look away. He was obviously trying to shock me.

I could hear him chuckling, and my embarrassment was quickly replaced with annoyance. I tried to kick Titania forward, but she only flicked her ears back at me.

“You wouldn’t like it if someone was thumping you in the rib cage either, Nor.”

“Fine.” I dropped my reins and folded my arms across my chest. “So, you and Landrey were lovers. You don’t seem particularly concerned for her.”

“Landrey can take care of herself. She was going to be made commander of Fort Blight before she left.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Your forts certainly have charming names.”

“We’re not trying to attract visitors,” Roan said dryly.

“Why was Landrey in Riaga?” I asked, sensing there was very little that offended Roan.

“I’m not sure. To trade, maybe. We sell our leather goods there, but she could have been hoping to buy something, or learn more about the situation in Ilara. We don’t get a lot of information this far north. At least not until Samiel arrived.”

“Is he all right?” I asked. “My sister has—”

“He’s fine. We would have told you if he wasn’t.”

I glared at him. “You haven’t told us much of anything.”

“We don’t even know you,” he said. “You’re lucky we let you in at all. We rarely allow strangers across our border.”

“You let Sami in.” I turned to look at him. His profile was as chiseled as a rock face. “Why?”

“He was brought by one of our men. Sami knew more about King Xyrus and the Ilareans than we ever could, and we knew he’d be killed if he remained in Ilara.”

He hadn’t said that Sami was free, but at least he was safe. “Thank you.”

Roan turned his dark eyes on me, his gaze disturbingly hawklike. “For what?”

“For letting us across the border, and for protecting us.”

He nodded. “You and your sister are welcome in Galeth. Talin and the Ilarean guards will have to face the council.”

I was about to say something in Talin’s defense but bit my lip at Roan’s hard expression. My pleas on his behalf were worthless.

“Are you lovers?”

I turned back to face Roan, only to find he was looking ahead at the trail again. “Wh-what?” I sputtered.

“You and Talin. I thought I detected something between you, but perhaps I read the signals wrong.”

I was so flustered it took me a moment to find words. Of course there was something between us, but it wasn’t defined. And whether or not we were lovers was none of Roan’s business. “No. I mean yes. You’re wrong.”

He arched an eyebrow and laughed before clucking lightly to Duster. “Come on. We have a lot of ground to cover before nightfall.”



* * *



We reached a large rustic cabin just before dark. I had spent the rest of the ride next to Zadie, avoiding Roan’s amused glance. I had the feeling that whatever he meant by lovers was not the same thing I did. Or at least, it was not considered taboo or forbidden before marriage the way it was in Varenia and Ilara. Yes, Talin and I had kissed and slept side by side, but we hadn’t done anything beyond that. He had made it clear he wouldn’t until we were wed, and considering we hadn’t been alone together in days, romance was the last thing on my mind. Or had been, until now.