Page 30 of To Claim a King

“If the shield protecting the northern borders is down, that’s where we have to go.”

“North it is. Saddle up.”

She cleared her throat, and fifteen pair of eyes turned to her.

“I’m bringing Claws. My tiger.”

It should have been obvious, as the animal stood by her side, leisurely scratching his ear, but she wanted it said.

“Of course you are. It wouldn’t do to let him eat half of my Kingdom should he get bored in your absence. Make sure he gets on with your horse.”

Claws wasn’t frazzled by much, and horses were no exception; the equine was another matter.

“Shush big poltroon,” she said, holding his head and meeting his eyes. “He isn’t going to harm you, you have my word.”

She carried on whispering until the horse stopped fussing. When she was done, she turned to find Rhey observing her with a smile.

“Well done.”

She just shrugged. “Animals have always listened to me.”

“Not that. You didn’t ask permission; you told us what you intended to do. While talking to us,” he pointed to himself, and the rest of the lords barking orders at their respective divisions, “Not many would have done the same.”

“Perhaps because others have more sense than I.”

She was just used to doing what she pleased; people certainly had given her orders before, and she had obeyed, cleaning things as she was bid, but no one had dictated what she did otherwise. No one had really cared to.

“I have another theory.”

“Oh?”

Rhey winked - damnwinkedat her, not caring about what it did to her poor little heart.

“Ask me some other time.”

He rode away, but she called after him. “I thought I was talking to the King at this time!”

“And perhaps the King also enjoys teasing you.”

The trumpets sounded and the retinue was on its way, a well-oiled machine ready for whatever action the wilderness threw into their path.

The first part of their journey was uneventful, thankfully, as Xandrie was too taken by the landscape for her eyes to pay attention to much else. These untamed lands were like nowhere else; they passed mountains, plains, lakes and deserted cities at high speed. Soon, the horses had to rest and the men had to talk of what they’d seen. They’d expected to come across some sort of enemy by now; even when the shields had been up, they hadn’t been quite strong enough to keep every unwanted creature out there from entering their domain. The shields were meant to repel evil; mildly foul vermin still got by.

But there had been none.

Her curiosity was so piqued by what she’d gathered from the talk around her that now, she was relieved that the lords welcomed her presence - she could hardly have stayed away, wanting to hear their take on the matter.

“There’s something bigger happening; I just can’t see why.”

She felt Rhey’s frustration down to her bones.

“It definitely seems strategical,” Nathos nodded. “You were right to go North, and we may want to leave a few Warriors at Norda.”

“So that they may be crushed by whatever’s coming for us?” Xandrie scowled. “I think not.”

Oh shit. She was probably not supposed to have said anything at all, let alone try to tell a dragon lord how to rule. Again, the Lords looked, and this time, they laughed.

“She’ll make you a good Queen,” a man said, smiling.

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