Page 24 of Their Chosen

A fall from this height would more than likely result in broken bones, so I did everything I could to prevent that outcome. It was hard though, because now, I’d lost my stirrups and was at her mercy, bouncing around on her backside, stars gathering in my eyes at the pain.

I couldn't hold back my tears from the suffering and the wind. Instead, I focused on ignoring it all. I needed to get my stirrups back on so I could stop her headlong dash away from everyone. As I bounced along for the ride, my foot continually slipped from the loop until, finally, my left foot found the stirrup. Once that foot was in place, I had more control over my position and could get my other one into the stirrup. With both feet in place, I stood and leaned back, pulling the reins with me. Meadow finally slowed to a stop with the action.

My tears fell freely now as my heart pounded in my throat. It had been years since I last rode a horse, but it all came back when I needed it to like riding a bike. I beamed with pride for not succumbing to my fear and saving myself.

“What the hell was that?!” The words were snapped at me as I turned in the saddle, gasping as my thighs rubbed the sides, startled to find Lennox halting beside me.

“Do you think I did this on purpose?! Cause let me tell you, this is not my idea of fun!” I yelled back at him. His attitude was the very last thing I needed right now and, of course, I could feel my tears streaming down my face, snot starting to run out of my nose, and my hair falling from the ponytail it had been in earlier, now sticking to the sweat on my face and neck. I knew I looked like an absolute hot mess right now, just compounding my shitty mood and topping off a crappy day. I was so over it.

Thankfully, before Lennox could respond and cross my last nerve, Baer and Arryn caught up to us. “Rhowyn, are you okay?” Baer asked, his horse drawing so close to mine that our thighs brushed against each other.

“Yeah, I'm okay,” I assured him, his eyes grazing my body for injuries, as if to convince himself I was telling the truth. “I'll be better when we can rest for the night,” I added, hoping to hear that we'd be stopping soon. Arryn neared me on his horse and handed me a cloth, not saying anything but watching me closely. “Thanks,” I told him as I took it and dried my eyes and nose, glad to at least make myself somewhat presentable again.

“We'll be stopping soon. In fact, the guys should be setting up now. Come on, let's get you back, Killer.”

“Setting everything up?” I asked Baer for clarification as we turned our horses.

“Yes, they're setting up tents, preparing food, and tending to the horses. You'll be fine sleeping outside won't you, Princess?”

“No complaints from me,” I responded with a forced smile, although I was disappointed. A hot shower had sounded so wonderful in my mind, but I wouldn't give Lennox the satisfaction of seeing that regret.

He huffed in response and then kicked his horse in the new direction, apparently headed back to camp. Baer continued to ride beside me while Arryn rode behind us, thankfully at a walk. There was no way I could handle anything more at this point, my body aching worse than it did after a particularly brutal fight. Baer kept up a steady stream of conversation that I only half paid attention to until we finally rounded a curve on the trail to find a large clearing that was quickly being filled with all the supplies needed for a camp.

I groaned in relief at the sight, more than ready to get off this damned horse. We stopped by the temporary corral holding all the other mounts, Baer and Arryn dismounting quickly and handing their reins to the soldiers assigned to oversee their care.

I found myself hesitating, not sure if my legs would support me. The last thing I wanted was to appear weak before these men. Baer was speaking to the soldiers who had taken their horses, glancing back at me when Arryn approached me.

“Let me help,” He said simply, soft enough that no one else heard him, and reached his arms up to me.

I nodded and slid into his arms, not foolish enough to pass up his assistance. He held me tight and lowered me to the ground, my body sliding down his, my hands resting on his biceps, and my core clenching as he gazed at me. My feet hit the ground, and my knees buckled, my legs screaming in protest, but thankfully Arryn didn't immediately release me, still supporting most of my weight while my body adjusted to the new demands I made of it, his eyes never leaving mine. Heat flared in his eyes, which dipped to my lips, and his hands clenched tighter on my hips. I couldn't stop the desire that flared inside me at the thought of kissing him.

“Alright, Killer, how about we clean up before we eat?” Baer said, loud enough to startle me, and I pulled away from Arryn, blushing. At some point, my body had started supporting its own weight, and to be honest, I didn't know how long they'd been doing so. My entire focus had been on Arryn.

At the thought of cleaning up, I groaned in pleasure. “Sounds great,” I replied to Baer and followed him, turning back to Arryn briefly as we walked off, only to find that the heat from before was still there.

I turned back to Baer, focusing on where he was leading me. We weaved through a few tents, passing soldiers still setting several others up. We stopped at a small tent, and he pulled back a flap, gesturing for me to enter. “This is your tent.”

I saw my bag resting on one side and what looked like a sleeping bag on the other. There was barely enough room for both of us inside, and we could only stand up straight in the center, the sides sloping down to meet the grass under our feet. “Thanks. Is there somewhere I can bathe?” I asked him, afraid to get my hopes up.

“Absolutely.” He smiled with understanding. “Let me grab some of my own things, and then I'll be back shortly to take you.”

With that, he exited my tent, not needing an answer from me. I watched him leave my make-shift room, the flap closing behind him. I was so out of my depth, and I just knew it was only going to get worse. But if foster care had taught me anything, it was how to adapt quickly. There was no doubt in my mind that I'd find my footing again soon, but until then, I would allow these men to ground me. Arryn's calm and steady nature and Baer's youthfulness, which often resulted in a smile, provided me with a balance I desperately needed right now. I was grateful for their presence in my floundering, especially when my first instinct was to rebuke help from anyone, preferring my own self-reliance. For maybe the first time ever, I found myself wanting to lean on someone else.

A part of me wasn't sure that was a good thing, especially since I didn't really know them. But I was curious to learn more about them, what I was, and my history and heritage as a fae. If I was going to do that, then I would need to remain here longer. After all my protestations, I knew I’d seem like a hypocrite if I didn’t immediately return to Earth. It seemed to me that no matter which choice I made, I’d only end up with regrets.

I turned and opened my bag, grabbing some pajamas and toiletries, making sure to pull out loose jogging pants so my thighs wouldn’t chafe further. Standing back up was a challenge, my muscles still screaming at me after my torturous ride. I walked stiffly toward the exit to my tent, opening the flap to step outside.

People wandered about with various tasks, none of which I understood except to know it was a lot to set all this up, especially just for one night. No one seemed rushed or harried, telling me this was a well-run group where everyone knew their roles and went about them, knowing it was vital to the group.

I spotted Arryn across the clearing, speaking to the soldiers as he stopped to check in with everyone. The soldiers clearly respected and looked up to him, their pride evident on their faces after speaking with him. To obtain that kind of respect, he’d have to be a good man. Fear brought about nervous and anxious states from people with a completely different body language. Based on that, I knew he didn't use fear to demand obedience or subservience. I smiled as I continued to watch him without his knowledge. You could often learn a lot about someone when they didn't realize they were being watched. And what I saw only endeared him to me more.

Movement to my right caught my attention, and as I turned, I caught sight of Baer. My smile widened at his lazy swagger as he weaved his way toward me, a smile present as if life, in general amused him. How I wished I could move through life with such a positive and easy outlook, but I’d been hardened and honed by my own experiences already. Still, I was inexplicably drawn to the warmth that oozed from his very pores. Normally, I couldn't stand people who were bubbly in their natures, usually finding that they didn't see the real world and were oblivious to all the pain around them. But with Baer, I felt that he saw the evil and made a conscious choice to laugh in the face of it, his own way of pushing back against it. To me, that choice was enviable, and I wished I could do the same.

“You ready?” he asked once he was close enough.

“Yup,” I replied, smiling up at him. He led me through the camp, both of us carrying our things. We exited the clearing and strolled through the trees, Baer holding branches back from me as we went. A few minutes later, we came upon a small stream. Baer turned to walk along the bank until it widened. There were large rocks nearby as well, and he approached them, setting his things on one. I did the same with my own things and then stood there at a loss for what to do next.

While I stood there wondering how this would work, Baer didn't hesitate, pulling his shirt off with one hand. I had to actively ensure my mouth was closed and not gaping open or drooling in response to the chiseled abs and adonis “V” in front of my eyes. Heat immediately flooded my body, and I had to hold myself back from touching those delicious muscles.

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