Page 39 of Once the Skies Fade

To think.

To escape the staff’s incessant chatter about their favorite contenders.

If I had to hear one more whispered exchange about one male’s strong brow or another’s tight ass, I wouldn’t be able to contain my irritation. Or my shadows.

Silently I slipped through the back corridors of the castle, careful to avoid any of the males. A side door led to the royal stables, and, once I was satisfied the way was clear, I glided across the narrow open space to where my mare, Luna, waited. When she neighed in greeting, I lifted a finger to my lips to shush her. I decided against taking the additional time to saddle and halter her and instead guided her over to the wooden steps I used to mount when I was younger.

Once on her back, I situated the bulky fabric of my dress evenly on either side of her, gripped her mane, and leaned over her neck to whisper, “Let’s run, Luna.”

Needing no further signal from me, she calmly exited the stables and shook her head as a warrior might stretch their neckbefore training. She bolted off toward the front of the castle, seemingly as happy as I was to be free from the stuffy walls. The forest loomed on my right, beckoning me, but Luna ran as close to the castle wall as she could. I had never taken her, or any of our horses, into the forest. My father had hired Minerva to enchant those woods to welcome only members of our bloodline, and while that did not affect animals, they naturally avoided it all the same.

As we swung past the castle entrance and onto the main road that provided the only safe path to the castle, I saw him—a male riding a buckskin horse. He was still a considerable distance away, so I couldn’t make out any features beyond his confident stature. Sitting tall in his saddle, he appeared at home on his horse, as if he had been riding since before he could walk. His head cocked to one side as he continued to approach, keeping his horse at a gentle walk while I still had Luna running hard toward him.

My heart jolted into my throat as panic sent my pulse racing as fast as the creature I rode.

I couldn’t meet this male. Not now. Not here.

Not ever, if I had my way.

Gripping Luna’s mane in my fists, I yanked hard to the right, pressing into her belly with my thigh, and yelled at her to turn. I didn’t care if this male thought I was insane. I didn’t care how I must have sounded. I needed to get away from him.

Luna obliged, only seeming to realize we had entered the forest when we were within its darkness. Without warning, she locked her front legs and stopped, sending me careening over her neck in an ungraceful somersault. My shoulder slammed into the rotting leaves of the forest floor as all air was thrust from my lungs. I didn’t need to turn to know my horse had already abandoned me, but then the sound of hooves grew louder. Maybe she hadn’t left me after all.

Pushing myself up, I turned my chin over my shoulder to see, not my horse, but the male’s, now riderless. Confusion pinched my brows together. Maybe he had fallen off too.

No such luck.

Stepping from behind his horse’s neck, he loomed over me. He smirked—too handsomely for his own good—like he was trying to suppress a laugh. I couldn’t completely fault him for that; no doubt I looked ridiculous sprawled in the mud and leaves like a wounded animal.

He extended his hand toward me. “It’s not often I have females flee in terror at the sight of me.”

I merely stared back at him. My skin prickled.

I knew him somehow, but how?

He wore no insignia on his cloak, no signet upon his finger—though he did have a handsome gold band on the middle finger of his left hand. A ring of green stone that matched his eyes was inlaid in the center of it.

“Well?” he asked, and I blinked rapidly as if he’d woken me from some daydream.

“What?”

He raised his brow in obvious amusement as he moved his hand closer to me, and I peered at it, my insides warring over whether to accept it or not.

“I won’t bite,” he said, though something flashed in his eyes that seemed to contradict the statement. Movement drew my gaze to the ground, where a thorned vine slowly slithered toward his leg like a snake inching toward its lunch. I kept my eye on the advancing threat even as I warned him.

“You might not want to stand still for too long,” I said, pointing down at where the vine had now slipped between his legs and started to wind its way up over his foot.

“What in the—” he cried, leaping out of the plant’s reach. His hand began to draw his sword from its scabbard, but he stopped when I clicked my tongue at him.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” I pushed myself up to my feet, brushing the wet leaves from my dress and the dirt from my hands. “The forest doesn’t like intruders, but it especially hates those who pose a threat.”

Slowly he let the sword fall back into its sheath as his eyes darted all along the forest floor around him, watching for any new adversaries that might be approaching. “An enchanted forest. Interesting,” he said, seemingly to himself.

“So you’re from Emeryn, then?” I asked, trying to ignore how my breath hitched upon uttering Brennan’s home kingdom’s name. Was this why this male seemed so familiar? Perhaps I had met him during my tour of their country. My insides writhed uncomfortably, and my head began to ache from the mental acrobatics of trying to place him in my foggy memories.

Stars. Why do I care who he is?

I didn’t. Not really. All I truly cared about was being away from him, away from everyone. Stars knew I wouldn’t have much time to myself once the tournament began. My instinct urged me to simply leave and travel further into the forest. Unfortunately, though, this male seemed the type to insist on accompanying me, and if he truly didn’t know the dangers of these woods and followed me, I’d have to explain his premature death to Isa and the Assembly.

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