Page 45 of The Curse Between Us

With that, Ollie left the room, leaving Zephyr to ponder what he had just learned. The truth was that there had always been certain truths that defined life in Eskarven. They had lived in a land of ice and cold, and they had been at war with Rafria for as long as anyone could remember. The mountains had always stood between them—impossible to cross, a physical barrier that separated their two kingdoms. Now, however, those truths were beginning to crumble.

Zephyr sank into the chair once more, his mind racing. He had helped bring about the peace between Rafria and Eskarven, and in doing so, he had dismantled the war that had defined his life for so long. It stood to reason, then, that other things—things he had long believed to be permanent—might now be subject to change. But the very thought of shifting the boundaries of the land, of finding something new where once there had been only ice and stone, was overwhelming.

Bianca nudged her head against his ankle, startling him out of his thoughts. He bent down and picked her up, holding her close to his chest as she licked his cheek affectionately. Despite the turbulence of his thoughts, he smiled at the comfort her presence brought him. There was no sense dwelling on what might be until they had more answers.

In three days, he would know more. And in three days, he would see Edric again.

???

The red and gold banners fluttered in the wind as they reached the top of the mountain pass, vivid against the backdrop of the clear blue sky. Zephyr pressed his heels into his horse’s sides, urging the steed forward, a wide grin spreading across his face. The sight before him, the familiar land of Rafria meeting him on the horizon, filled him with joy that he could not suppress. No matter the circumstances, no matter the complexities of their lives, he could not help but feel a surge of happiness when he saw Edric’s face appear on the rise. His husband was there, his smile as broad as Zephyr’s, lighting up the mountainside.

“Well met,” Edric called out, his voice carrying easily across the wind as he trotted forward.

“Well met indeed,” Zephyr replied, his voice warm with affection, though he knew their greeting would be watched by others. He offered his gloved hand to Edric, who clasped it firmly between his own. The exchange was deliberate, restrained—one of the only safe ways they could demonstrate even a hint of their affection in public. Zephyr longed to pull Edric off his horse, to gather him into a tight embrace, to kiss him as he truly wanted to, audience be damned. But that was not their reality. Not yet.

They had slipped up only once during their months of marriage—during a reunion much like this, when the excitement of seeing each other again had momentarily overwhelmed their caution. Edric had reached out for Zephyr’s hand to help him down from his horse, and Zephyr had not pulled away fast enough. The moment their hands touched, the familiar flare of pain shot through Zephyr’s body. It had been brief, barely a second, but it left them both gasping for breath, the agony of their inability to touch making itself known once again. Since then, they had been even more cautious—perhaps overly so.

Zephyr reluctantly pulled his gaze away from the warmth of Edric’s eyes and looked around at the others accompanying them. Along with Edric and Ollie, he saw Alec, Hadley, Eileen, and Victor, all watching them with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. A faint blush crept up Zephyr’s neck, and he cleared his throat to break the silence. “Thank you all for coming,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

“There was no way we would consent to being left behind,” Hadley replied with a dry tone, raising an eyebrow at the two of them. She looked over Zephyr’s shoulder and gave Clara a slight nod. “I’m pleased to see you again, my lady.”

Clara, who had been quietly observing from the side, allowed a rare smile to break across her face. “And I you.” She nudged her horse closer to Hadley’s, and they fell into a quiet, murmured conversation while the rest of the group exchanged pleasantries. Zephyr found himself caught in the swirl of their greetings, his attention divided between Edric and the others.

After a moment, Edric raised his hand, his voice cutting through the chatter. “I believe we ought to proceed,” he said, directing his gaze toward Ollie. “Would you care to lead the way, Sergeant?”

“That would be wise,” Ollie replied, his tone serious. He turned his horse and raised one hand, pointing to the east. “There. You see?”

Zephyr leaned forward in his saddle, following the direction Ollie’s finger indicated. His breath caught in his throat when he noticed the gap in the rocks just ahead, barely wide enough for a single horse to pass through. The trail was subtle, easily overlooked, but Zephyr’s heart skipped a beat as he realized the significance. He had never seen this path before.

“I see,” Zephyr said, his voice low and thoughtful. He turned to Ollie, his respect evident in the half-bow he gave. “We’ll follow after you.”

Ollie nodded and guided his horse forward without hesitation, but the group hesitated for a moment, unsure who should follow next. The tension was brief before Alec, ever the practical one, pushed his hair out of his eyes and moved to follow Ollie. Eileen followed, then Edric, and with a sudden surge of anxiety, Zephyr urged his horse forward, unwilling to allow anyone to come between him and Edric. His pulse quickened as he closed the gap between them, and for a moment, the rest of the world seemed to fade away.

They fell into a quiet procession as they navigated the narrow, rocky path. The ground beneath them was uneven, winding around jagged boulders and sharp turns, the gravel crunching beneath their horses’ hooves. The pace was slow, deliberate, as no one was willing to rush into unfamiliar territory. After ten minutes of cautious travel, Ollie held up one hand, signaling for them to stop.

“This is as far as I came,” Ollie said in a low voice, turning his head slightly to look over his shoulder. Zephyr could see the trail winding around a cluster of large stones, but he couldn’t yet see what lay ahead. “Do we proceed?”

Edric turned to Zephyr, his eyes wide with concern. Zephyr met his gaze, then shrugged, keeping his tone as calm as he could manage. “We’ve come this far already. We may as well proceed, but cautiously.”

There was a faint rasp as Alec drew his sword, holding it loosely in his hand, his posture alert. Zephyr’s own hand instinctively moved to the knife at his belt, reassuring himself that it was still there, secure and ready. After a moment, they continued forward, their movements quiet but purposeful.

As they made their descent down the increasingly narrow trail, Zephyr couldn’t shake the feeling that something was shifting in the air. The cool mountain winds had begun to subside, and he noticed the temperature gradually rising. He glanced around, trying to make sense of it. It wasn’t much warmer, but it was noticeable.

“Do you feel that?” he asked, his voice low as he turned to Edric, who was riding just ahead of him. “It’s getting—”

“Warmer,” Edric finished, glancing back at him. “But gently.”

Zephyr nodded, his mind racing. The gradual warmth was nothing like the overwhelming heat of Rafria, but it was strange. He tugged his cloak free of his shoulders and draped it across the saddle in front of himself, enjoying the rare feeling of bare arms exposed to the cool air. He glanced up and caught Edric’s eyes lingering on the exposed skin of his forearms, and despite the situation, Zephyr couldn’t help but feel a jolt of desire—quick and sharp—coursing through him. But they both knew it wasn’t the time for such impulses, not here, not now. The months of their marriage had taught them how to suppress their desires, to take solace in the small moments they could share, but this was neither the time nor the place to act on such feelings.

For now, they had more pressing matters ahead of them.

Zephyr reached down and grabbed the flask of water that hung from his saddle. He drank deeply, savoring the cool relief that it brought. When he finished, he tossed the flask to Edric, who caught it effortlessly. “Thank you, husband,” Edric said with a mock solemnity, pressing the flask to his chest. “You always take such excellent care of me.”

Zephyr chuckled, feeling a warmth spread through him despite the distance that still lingered between them. “I am only following your example,” he replied, his voice light, teasing.

“Powers,” Eileen called out, glancing back at them with an amused smirk. “Are you always so ridiculous when newly reunited?”

“Yes.” Edric didn’t hesitate, his voice rich with amusement. “And proud of it. Your envy is showing, Eileen.”

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