Page 5 of Eternal Thorns

His father had been furious when they finally returned - both at Silas's absence and his choice of company. Butsomething had clicked that day, a friendship that defied class boundaries and social expectations.

Kai shook his shoulders and took him out of memory lane.

“You don't have to come,” Silas said, checking Midnight's saddle straps. “Thornhaven's not exactly a holiday destination.”

“Good thing I hate holidays then.” Kai swung into his saddle with practiced ease. “Besides, someone needs to keep you from brooding yourself to death.”

The key around Silas's neck seemed to grow colder at the mention of Thornhaven. He touched it through his shirt, making sure it was still there. The metal's strange engravings had haunted his dreams all night.

They rode out as the sun cleared the horizon, frost crunching under the horses' hooves. Silas was surprised to find his father had allowed him to keep Midnight, along with a decent amount of basic supplies. Small mercies, he supposed.

“So,” Kai said after they'd cleared the manor grounds, “want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Right then.” Kai clicked his tongue. “Lovely weather we're having. Very... white. And cold. Extremely seasonal.”

Silas shot him a look. “Are you going to do this the whole way north?”

“Only until you crack and actually talk to me.” Kai grinned. “I can keep this up for days. Remember that time I spent three hours describing different types of cheese just to annoy Regina?”

“God, please no.”

“Did you know there's a cheese that's actually illegal in seven countries? Fascinating stuff, really.”

“I will literally pay you to stop talking.”

“Can't afford me anymore, remember? You're poor now. Well, poor by obscenely wealthy noble standards.” Kai's smile faded slightly. “Seriously though. You okay?”

Silas focused on the road ahead, watching his breath mingle with Midnight's in the cold air. “I did the right thing.”

“Never said you didn't.”

“Then I'm okay.”

Kai nodded, mercifully letting the subject drop. They rode in comfortable silence after that, the kind that only comes from years of friendship. The well-maintained roads gradually gave way to rougher paths as they headed north. Neat farmlands transformed into wild meadows, then denser woodland. The villages they passed grew smaller, the people more wary of strangers.

By afternoon, something had changed in the air. Silas noticed it first in the trees - the way they seemed to lean away from the path, creating odd shadows even in full daylight. The usual forest sounds had gone quiet. No birdsong, no rustle of small animals in the underbrush. Just the sound of hooves and their own breathing.

“You feel that?” Kai asked quietly, all traces of humor gone from his voice.

Silas nodded. The sensation of being watched prickled along his spine. Midnight tossed her head nervously, and he stroked her neck to calm her. Even Kai's usually unflappable gelding seemed tense, his ears flicking back and forth.

They reached a small village as the sun began to set. The sign above the tavern was so weathered Silas could barely make out the name: The Twisted Oak. A bell rang somewhere in the distance, though he couldn't spot a church.

“We should stop,” Kai said. “Horses need rest, and I'm not keen on riding through these woods after dark.”

The tavern's common room fell silent when they entered. Suspicious eyes tracked their movement to the bar, where a weathered woman with steel-gray hair waited.

“Looking for rooms,” Kai said cheerfully, seemingly immune to the hostile atmosphere. “And any supplies you might be willing to part with.”

“Heading where?” the woman asked, her accent thick with the north.

“Thornhaven Estate,” Silas answered. The room's temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.

The woman crossed herself. “Lord's mercy. You're the Ashworth then?”

News traveled fast, even out here. “Yes.”

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