Page 137 of Deadwood
Could I really trust anyone?
“I came to see if you made a decision,” Paxon said, stopping before he twisted the handle.
I didn’t move my eyes from the mess. “You told me I have until the bridge is repaired.”
He was quiet a few moments too long, unease creeping through my limbs with each passing second. “A wise person never waits until the last minute.”
My jaw clenched. “I’ll take every moment I get.” Because I had no fucking idea what to choose. Not with everything seeming to crumble down around me.
* * *
I was determinedto figure out if what Paxon had claimed about Bowen was true, so as soon as I woke the next morning, I dressed in a white blouse with a leather corset that stopped right below my breasts and pulled on a pair of brown pants, the waistband just reaching the bottom of the corset. I passed on breakfast, not bothering to grab a snack on my way.
There would be no more secrets. No more staying in the dark. If there were things to be found out, I’d find them. A life of imaginary walls with doors only others could open when they chose was not a life I wanted to live anymore. I’d open them all, and I’d learn all I wanted to learn, have knowledge on any topic I wanted. As soon as I returned to Amosite, I’d demand my father allow it. I’d already discovered so many things on this trip, so what more could the rest hurt?
I swung open the front door but skidded to a halt as I took in Lander standing before me, his hair neatly combed back to show off his freshly shaven face.
A smile crested his lips. “Good morning.”
“Uh, hi,” I greeted, glancing behind him. “Did you need something?”
“Just wanted to spend some time with my fiancée.” Still, the word sounded odd rolling off his tongue, and he knew it just as well by the look on his face.
“I’m quite busy at the moment, actually.” I glanced over his shoulder again as a mother and her daughter walked past, the child skipping along in the dirt.
His brows furrowed. “You don’t look very busy to me.”
“I was actually just on my way out?—”
“We haven’t seen each other much since we’ve arrived in Deadwood, and that’s my fault.” His eyes truly did look sympathetic, and I suddenly felt bad trying to skip out on him. “I’ve been caught up, wallowing in my emotions over our engagement—which is actually something I’d like to talk to you about. But I figured we could explore while we chat? A friend at the saloon told me all about the mines, and I thought we could check them out.”
Exploring sounded a lot more enticing than sneaking around Bowen’s house trying to find information that might not even exist. For all I knew, Paxon was trying to pit me against Bowen. I shouldn’t fall for the bait so easily.
“That sounds great, actually.” I stepped over the threshold to close the door behind me.
“I’ve brought you a horse.” He gestured to the gray mare standing tall and alert by the post, all tacked up and ready to ride. “She’s quite sweet.”
I walked over to her, lifting a hand to rub her muzzle. “She’s beautiful.”
He stood by the stirrup, gesturing to the saddle. “May I?”
I nodded, coming around the side of the horse and setting a hand on the horn. He helped me into the saddle with a hand on my waist, then handed me the reins. Once situated, he mounted his own horse, a beautiful red color, and we headed toward the edge of town, my horse following his easily.
Lander glanced at me, doing a double take as he noticed my stiff posture. “Have you ridden before?”
The movement of the animal below me felt odd, but nothing compared to the ride on Vulcan. That was something I’d never forget the feeling of—his powerful body splitting through the wind, his wings beating with strength that utterly amazed me.
“No,” I answered. “Though I’ve always wanted to.”
A smile lit up his face as we emerged from between two houses, entering the forest. “Another new thing to tack under your belt.”
“Do you know where the mines are?” I asked. I’d never seen the ones in Amosite, so of course, seeing them here piqued my interest, but without a proper guide, I was curious how Lander knew where to go.
“The guy said to keep going north, and eventually we’d find the hole in the mountain.”
“So the mines are different from the caves?”
He shifted in the saddle. The sun was causing our legs to heat against the leather. “Typically, yes. Some kingdoms will branch off existing cave systems to mine for magic, but others create new tunnels entirely.”
