Page 34 of Deadwood
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I’d been alonein the carriage for what had to be hours now. The only bright side was that I’d slowly become immune to the damp smell. With the shift of the sun through the curtained window, I could tell it was nearly dusk. Lander had exited at our last stop, shortly after we crossed the bridge, opting for his horse in light of the endless bumps. I, on the other hand, had no option.
“It’s not safe,” my guard had said. “What if we were to be ambushed?”
And that was the end of that. I truly had no idea what to do if we were attacked, as I hadn’t had an ounce of training in hand-to-hand combat my entire life. My safety was in the hands of the guards, and presumably Lander. Did he know how to protect himself? How to wield a sword or throw a punch?
The carriage rolled to a stop as someone shouted something outside, which was followed by the sound of footsteps. I dared a peek out the curtain, seeing that guards were dismounting their horses, others unpacking loads off mules.
On the horizon, where the sky was turning a vibrant pink as it melted into the mountains beyond, a bird flew directly in front of the sun, its dark silhouette against the bright colors the perfect painting.
The door to the carriage flew open, pulling my attention from the view. Immediately, the warm air invaded the cab, swirling with the once-stagnant stale scent.
“Time for supper and rest,” a male voice said as I turned.
My eyes widened at the sight of him. “Your Highness?”
A smirk bloomed on Paxon’s mouth. “Not expecting me, my lady?”
I sobered my expression as best I could, though my brows remained furrowed. “I knew you were with the group, I just wasn’t aware you were the door-opening type.”
He held out a hand, and I hesitated a moment before placing my palm in his. “I like to leave some things a surprise.”
I stepped down from the carriage, my hand resting in his as I got my bearings on solid ground, taking in my first true look of our surroundings. The grass was a vibrant green, stretching so far that it disappeared into the mountains altogether. Wind rustled the blades, causing them to flow in sync. Even the air smelled different, almost more fresh, as it flowed through and around the breathtaking landscape. The smell of new leaves and the aromatic scent of pollen on vibrant flowers nearly pulled a smile to my face. It was more jaw-dropping than I could have imagined.
I was actually outside of Amosite.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Paxon asked from beside me.
I finally pulled my hand from his, gazing out at the rolling hills that butted up to towering mountains with magnificent peaks. A constant gray haze always sat stagnant over Amosite, dampening the beauty it had the potential to hold. But out here, the sun seemed to touch everything, even as it began to slowly fade behind the mountains in the distance. The sky was pink, yet it shone just as bright as it had midday, rays of light reflecting off the rings spanning the entire length of the sky. They looked somehow larger out here than inside the border of the chasm. More birds chirped in the sky as a small group flew over, and a lone frog croaked somewhere in the distance.
“Beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe this.” My eyes caught on Lander laughing near a cart with some of Torbernite’s guards. King Bular had insisted a few come along, which meant we had more than enough protection, with over two dozen men at the ready. They donned rich shades of green on their armor, whereas Amosite’s wore their typical garnet.
I turned to find a couple of the guards setting up a large tent, pounding stakes into the ground and tying string to the ends to keep it restrained.
“That one is all yours,” Paxon informed me, his voice rather close to my ear.
I inhaled as deep as my corset would allow, fighting the urge to inch away. “And where will you and your brother be?”
I glanced to the side, seeing his hands tucked in the pockets of his jacket as he leaned into me. “On the other side of camp. Or would you rather we be close?”
For him, the other side was not nearly far enough. I’d been wary when I’d met the two of them, but with our short interactions, Lander had come to grow on me. I couldn’t see myself falling for him romantically, but with our friendship, I could tolerate him.
Paxon, on the other hand, almost made uncertainty crawl up my spine like a spider whenever he was near. While he was Lander’s brother, I didn’t need to behisfriend, too. I only needed to tolerate Lander. I could do without Paxon’s presence altogether.
“The setup is fine,” I replied.
“Three’s a crowd,” he surmised, stepping back.
“Are you leaving us once we get to Torbernite?” I asked, turning to face him while putting some space between us.
That permanent smirk still pulled at the corner of his mouth. “So quick to get rid of me? I’m hurt, Lady Auria.”
“It is not you I am to show a presence with,” I pointed out.
He dipped his chin, glancing at his shoes. “You’re correct. But my brother, you see, he needs my support.” His eyes met mine again. “I’m sure you understand.”
“I don’t.” As far as I’d seen, Lander could uphold himself just fine on his own.
