Page 189 of Fated or Knot

Tormund was more leery about all this, and made sure to lead me through a proper greeting and introduction to Stella, as he probably would between any horse and its new rider. She remained relaxed through the process and gave the occasional snort of approval until he admitted that she seemed ready to go with us. “But I’m watching you,” he whispered to her while gesturing to his eyes.

Stella accepted a saddle and let me mount her without a single nicker of complaint. Her stride was a jaunty bounce as Tormund led us through a few exercises together and double-checked my technique and riding knowledge. Once he was relatively sure she wasn’t going to rebel and I wasn’t going to fall off of her, he gathered up Rory and led us into the forest down a well-trampled trail.

I took in the trail, lined on either side by tree branches full of tiny green buds. As we left the bustle of fae life behind us, the forest came alive with the singing of insects and the call of animals back and forth. I took a deep breath, savoring a lung full of fresh air marked by the barest bite of pollen. Serian didn’t seem to burst straight into bloom with spring, but my pixie side still hummed with the sense that it was being coaxed slowly from the land around us.

“I remember someone mentioning racing,” I eventually said, looking way up at Tormund as we rode side by side down the trail. Rory’s height, plus his, put him way above me even now. Yet I knew I could win any race with my prancing horse. Stella still seemed ecstatic to be taken on our adventure.

“Once you train her! I’m not ready to lose yet. Neither is my girl.” He patted Rory’s neck affectionately.

Stella snorted loudly when he mentioned “training.” Stars, she understood that too?

“Okay, okay. We’ll just win later,” I giggled. My horse tossed her mane in apparent agreement.

Tormund scoffed. “I don’t lose. I have the trophies to prove it.”

I asked what manner of trophies, which just launched him into the story of how he and all his siblings started having annual tournaments that they’d made up, with “suitably grand” trophies and plaques. Started out of sheer boredom with the card game Liar Liar, well before any of them had manifested their designations, it slowly grew to include every game that could be halfway competitive, and every sibling, down to little Happy Fins.

“No wonder you all were so competitive about Liar Liar when we were traveling,” I mused. “When is the next tournament?”

“Oh, the autumn festival! We all usually have time off during it,” he said happily. “Just a warning, I’m not going to take it easy on you because you’re my mate, li’l bird.”

“What? I don’t…” I didn’t expect that I’d be included in the tradition. “I was just going to watch.”

“No need,” he said cheerfully. “I’m inviting you right now.”

“Okay, but that means you’re teaching me every competitive game and at least some tricks,” I said.

He glanced at me with his version of Unseelie mischief, which was just a big smile. “Is that a deal?” He offered one of hisbroad palms to shake, and I did without hesitation. “We’ll start right away!”

I grinned back. “Looking forward to it.” I didn’t even need to be good at any of said games, just closer to his enthusiasm.

We lapsed into a companionable silence for a brief time. I appreciated the beauty of the outdoors and the forest as we traveled further into the wilderness. It was only in this quiet space between moments that I thought of the likes of Pack Ellisar. With the innate talent of barkfolk to assimilate themselves against trees, the trio could be anywhere in the woods around us, watching us and waiting to jump out of the bushes.

I pictured Floris’s fangs in a box and made a soft scoff.Don’t be ridiculous. They wouldn’t try anything.Not while I rode beside Tormund, who could set them aflame in one deadly breath. Still, I couldn’t help but inspect any irregular shadows or twitch at unusual noises like it could bethem.

“Hey, Tormund,” I said, not wanting to dwell with the worries bouncing around in my head.

“Aye, li’l bird.”

Though it seemed we were past his original feelings of disappointment, I felt this needed to be said. “I’m happy to be out here with you, even if we have to cut the date short this time. You know there’s going to be so many more dates, right? Especially with how excited Stella is to be out with us.”

His expression softened, and he nodded in agreement. “I’m sorry if I came across negatively. I’m glad I get to have time with you, no matter how long or short it is, or how rushed. What matters is that you’re safe and you’re…” He seemed to hiccup, and coughed up a bit of hot steam. “Mine,” he added in a more raspy tone.

My eyes widened.Is that…?

“And I get to share my home away from home with you and Stella,” he added in his usual bright tone.

“That’s right. Um, did you talk to Fal or Marius earlier?”

Tiny twin fires flickered behind his spectacles for a moment, before he rolled his eyes, which extinguished them. “Just Fal. He wanted to make sure I knew a few things, but mostly wanted to exaggerate what he’d do if something happens to you.”

“Did you?—”

“You know I’d never let anything bad happenever, right?” he continued overtop me with an air of alarm. “And not because Fal said, um. Inappropriate things for me to repeat to you.”

I started to smile despite myself, assuming there was profanity involved. “Tormund, it’s?—”

“Not okay. Don’t say it’s okay to curse in front of you. You’re a princess,” he proclaimed.

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