Page 48 of The Gilded Cage

Kiva’s breath was trapped somewhere in her lungs, stopping her from responding, but she nodded her understanding — and her agreement.

“Caldon says you’re useless with a blade,” Naari went on, pulling a dagger from her cloak, “but I’d still feel better knowing you had one. Just in case.”

Trying to hide the tremble in her hands, Kiva took the weapon and listened as Naari offered instructions on how to strap it to her calf, tucked beneath the leather of her boot but still within easy reach.

“Don’t stab yourself,” Naari warned.

“Why do people keep telling me that?” Kiva muttered.

Naari’s lips twitched before she repeated her demand to be careful and vanished back into the palace.

Letting out a long breath, Kiva set off for Silverthorn, mulling over the guard’s conversation. She didn’t like the idea that Jaren was worried about her, but then she reminded herself that she shouldn’t carewhathe felt.

The last thing I want is to make her feel like she’s trapped in another kind of cage.

Everworld help her, why did he have to be so ...Jaren?She knew it would be so much easier for him to order guards to follow her, or even request that she stay inside the palace grounds where it was safe. But he hadn’t, instead putting her needs first, just as he always had.

On that thought, Kiva shook her head and imagined a mental door slamming shut, picking up her pace as she headed along the River Road. She was acutely aware of Naari’s patrolling guards monitoring her from somewhere amongst the crowds, but instead of their hidden presence making her feel safer, her skin was crawling, like they would somehow be able to read her mind — and her guilt. The feeling only passed when she ascended the hill to Silverthorn and reached the campus grounds, finding Rhessinda waiting for her at the arched entrance.

“Perfect timing,” the healer said with a bright smile. She had a large pack slung over her shoulder, likely filled with her medical supplies for the day. “Ready for an adventure?”

Kiva was more than ready, even if her stomach bubbled with nerves as she followed Rhess to the small stable complex situated just through the academy’s front gates.

“I’m guessing you haven’t ridden much in the last ten years?” Rhess asked, approaching a young stableboy who held the reins of two healthy-looking horses, one chestnut, one gray.

“That would be accurate,” Kiva said, warily eyeing the horses. The last time she’d ridden on her own, it had been atop her family’s docile old pony, a much,muchsmaller creature than those standing before her.

“We’ll go easy,” Rhess promised, before helping Kiva mount the gray mare who was charmingly named Bluebell.

Purposefully ignoring how far away the ground was, Kiva waited until Rhess was mounted on the chestnut before she casually asked, “Any chance we can avoid taking the River Road out of the city?”

A beat of silence passed before the healer observed, “It sounds suspiciously like you want to sneak out.”

Thinking of the added guards monitoring the main thoroughfare, Kiva admitted, “I haven’t told anyone where we’re going, and I’d prefer to keep it that way. At least until — until —” She didn’t have a way to finish her sentence, but Rhess’s features softened.

“Hey, we all have our secrets,” she said with understanding. “As long as they don’t put either of us in danger, I don’t mind keeping yours. I meant it when I said that yesterday — you can trust me.”

Kiva blew out a breath. “Thanks.”

Rhessinda considered for a moment before saying, “I know the backstreets pretty well. We can use them to get to the South Watch, but we’ll have to jump back on the main road after we’re through the city walls.”

“That’s fine,” Kiva said. They were probably safe to take the River Road the entire way, since Naari had mentioned how the busy traffic meant the guards could miss things — and they wouldn’t be expecting Kiva to be on horseback. But the backstreets would limit the risk significantly.

With the new route set, Rhess gave Kiva a brief reminder of the riding basics, and then they set off together from the academy.

Oakhollow was a half-hour ride from Vallenia, but that wasn’t counting how long it took them to reach the edge of the city, their pace slower than it would have been had they taken the direct route along the river. Still, they eventually reached the South Watch and rode straight toward the wide open gates, passing travelers coming to and from the capital, many driving carts loaded with wares to trade, others wearing sigils marking them as messengers, and some just common city folk going about their days.

Kiva kept the hood up on her cloak and avoided eye contact with any of the watch guards, but she and Rhessinda encountered no problems, and were soon through the fortified city walls and riding swiftly along a well-worn dirt road. At first the crowds remained thick, but as they continued on, passing farms on either side until they turned off onto the coastal track, they eventually had the road to themselves.

“How’s your confidence?” Rhess asked, gesturing toward Bluebell. “Ready to pick up the pace?”

“If I fall off and break my everything, you’ll put me back together, right?” Kiva asked, only half joking.

The healer grinned and nudged her horse forward, prompting Kiva to do the same with Bluebell, the mare’s long legs eating up the ground as they followed the track up a smooth rise and then along the cliffside path hugging the coastline. The sea breeze was crisp, but with the wind having pushed back her hood and her hair flying out behind her as they cantered high above the cerulean ocean, Kiva felt more invigorated than she had in a long time. She wanted to whoop and shout and laugh at the feeling, longing for it to last forever. But all too soon they had to leave the seaside and slow down, passing through numerous crossroads and into a heavily wooded forest.

“We’re nearly there,” Rhess said, tossing a water flask to Kiva. She indicated the trees surrounding them and continued, “This is the Emelda Forest. Oakhollow sits close to the edge, but the woods continue all the way down to Avila. It’s easy to get lost in here, so make sure you don’t wander too far from town today. You wouldn’t be the first person to never come out again.”

Kiva shuddered, the shadowy woodland seeming more sinister than before. But then the trees began to thin as the path opened up, a small, picturesque village quickly coming into view.

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