Page 134 of Wolf Caged
A reasonable excuse for his absence, but still it prickled. He had taken the time to tell Vyr where he was going, but hadn’t come to tell me, instead letting me dress in that ridiculous shimmering navy silk gown he had delivered to my room, a bias-cut one that hung from one shoulder and was so light it clung to parts of my body, revealing them, and sit in that dining room unsure where the hell he was.
Well, if he summoned me to dinner again, I was going to refuse to go and see how he liked it.
Still, his unplanned absence had given me one thing, a rare gift that I was determined to treasure and make the most of in case it never happened again.
Vyr had told me I could wander the city without an escort.
At first, I had been sure she was joking so she could see the castle guards slam their spears across my path like they always did whenever I approached the main gate, but she had taken me there and the men had remained at their posts on either side of the heavily fortified stone archway, gazes fixed straight ahead.
I had hurried through the gate in case my chance at freedom was snatched from me, grabbing it while I could, and then I had locked up tight and looked back at Vyr, and had asked her to come with me. I had no reason to be afraid. I knew that as I traversed the main street of the city, listening to the low chatter of the people coming and going along it, and gazing in the windows of every store. No one even looked at me. Not a single one of the common folk knew who I was and the finely dressed highborn I did come across didn’t seem to care.
In fact, they all avoided me if they noticed me.
Yet, I had still panicked, that night Elanaluvyr had attacked me flashing across my mind to make my heart race and limbs tremble, and asked Vyr to come with me.
Her words had stayed with me during my walk.
I was stronger now. I didn’t need her protection.
Iwasstronger, she was right about that, but my visits to the town had been so few that I still felt out of place, as if everyone was watching me and knew I didn’t belong here, in this place where I felt I belonged the most.
I looked back at the castle that loomed at the top of the hill, above the terraces of half-timbered buildings.
Or perhaps not the most.
I was beginning to feel I belonged there more now, high up in that castle, in that stunning garden or those lush woods, surrounded by all that nature and beauty. The feeling was indescribable and hard to pin down, but it beat within me, a vivid and vibrant thing that drew me back towards the castle. I continued onwards instead, sure it was just fear of being alone in the city and noticed by someone that had me wanting to return to the safety of the castle.
The window of the bakery caught my gaze and held it, the sweet confections laid out in baskets and lacquered wooden boxes luring me towards the store. I stood there in front of the bowed glass window, eyes flitting over the colourful treats nestled like jewels in black paper. What would they taste like? Would Kaeleron like them? I imagined he had probably had them before, but what if he hadn’t? What if I could give him something he had never tried? Would his face light up, some of the storm clouds lifting from it? He liked sweet things. He might like these.
A pang hit my chest and my shoulders slumped a little as I patted the empty pockets of my black leathers.
Not that I had gold to buy them with. I didn’t have a single coin in my possession, and I doubted the shop owner would believe me if I said they were for the king and asked them to charge the castle, and what sort of present would that be anyway if I had Kaeleron pay for them?
And why the heck did I want to give him a present?
I jammed my hands into my pockets. I suppose he had spared me from a terrible fate, and offered to let me work off my debt, and then he had decided to train me so I was stronger and knew how to fight, and to top off all that he had given me free rein in his own personal library.
I was beginning to feel dangerously like a guest rather than a captive.
“Saphira.” A deep masculine voice startled me from my thoughts and I looked off to my left, towards the source of it.
“Riordan.” I smiled as I spotted him across the broad cobbled avenue, heading up the hill towards me.
He looked harried as always, his blond hair tousled, as if he had been running his hands through it, and several guards trailed after him. Not guards, I realised as he said something to them and they bowed their heads, acknowledging an order. Soldiers. Part of his regiment?
The vampire jogged over to me, leaving the dozen men to continue the march up the hill to the castle, and looked me over and then all around me.
“No guard today?” He looked as surprised as I had felt upon discovering I was allowed to head into the city without an escort.
“I’m considering it part of an apology from Kaeleron for being branded or maybe because he ditched me at dinner last night.” I shrugged when he arched an eyebrow at me. “Vyr says he was called away to Wraith Wood and was gone all night.”
“I met with him this morning. He is not in a good mood after that visit, but I can’t blame him given the potential threatto his people. Sightings of seelie are a good reason to be a touch furious.”
“Seelie?” My eyes widened and pulse picked up. “There were seelie within the Shadow Court?”
“Rumours at least. Several sightings close to the borders of Wraith Wood. The whole area is on high alert. Kaeleron hunted them all night, and returned furious that he couldn’t find them.” Riordan scratched his stubbled chin, his lips quirking. “Although, maybe I shouldn’t be telling you everything. If Vyr didn’t?—”
“I won’t tell anyone,” I interjected, eager to know more, because I could only imagine how unsettled the people of Wraith Wood must be with seelie potentially in their midst, as well as just how furious Kaeleron must be. He had closed his borders to protect his people, but the enemy had infiltrated them. “Do you know where Kaeleron is?”
