Page 44 of Upon Buried Embers
“No, there isn’t. Three in a bed is enough… for usall.”
They’re all in a relationship I realize. Not just some… fling for each other.
How wonderful that must be. To have more than just one for comfort and love.
Fiona sighs as they take their horses further away from me to where Rohan is, but I hear their words anyway.
“I cannot believe he allows her on Serah. No one is allowed to ride her.”
“He probably needs to keep her close, or she will run off again.”
“She’s inherway,” she whisper-hisses, and Serah shuffles.
“No matter your opinion, the Dragonbond wants her, and it shall be so.” Olaf tells her, exasperation in his tone.
I block out their words and look across the lake. Snowflakes fall, a little lighter today. It really is a large lake, wider than any water I’ve ever seen, though I suppose I’ve only seen a river before.
Hushed whispers reach me, then members point to something across from us to the far right.
They’re tall beings, bulky and rugged. I thought it may be another clan, but I heartrollswhispered amongst the clan.
The trolls Rohan was speaking about in The Pit?
“I wonder what they’re doing all the way out here,” someone says. “They should be in Vrohkaria, right?”
Vrohkaria? I’ve never heard of that place.
I’m so focused on the trolls that I don’t hear someone come up behind me before Serah lets out a high-pitchedneigh, and bolts forward.
“Ahh!” I scream, scrambling for the reins, trying not to fall off.
Rohan snaps his head toward us at the sound, and shouts come from behind me. I start to slip sideways, but I clamp my thighs the best I can. Rohan pushes Kaldar out of the way as we head for them… and the frozen lake.
Fear in my throat, I try to untie myself from the pommel, but it’s too tight. I whimper, hands shaking. The lake is coming closer and closer, and Rohan runs to us. When he’s close, he grabs hold of Serah’s mane and jumps off the ground, hauling himself behind me and grabbing the reins, pulling tight.
“Stop, Serah! Calm,” Rohan shouts over the buzzing in my ears as we hit the ice.
It cracks beneath us, spiderwebs spanning out with each panicked step. We’re going to fall in.
Rohan pulls the reins to the left. “Slow, Serah, easy, girl,easy.”
Serah neighs, but her steps eventually slow, and I breathe heavily as an arm comes around my waist.
“Rohan!” Kaldar shouts, alarm in his voice as Drogonah roars above.
“Wait!” Rohan orders him, and Kaldar takes his foot back off the ice.
Kaldar was coming for him, willing to risk his life. They must be close.
Rohan slowly guides Serah off the ice, those cracking sounds following us, but we don’t fall in. When we reach the edge, Kaldar grabs the reins, bringing us onto solid ground.
“Fucking Gods,” he says, chest heaving as Rohan dismounts. “You could have fallen in, are you okay?”
“Fine,” Rohan growls, and then he’s untying me with rough movements and dragging me off the horse. Harshly. “What did you do?” He shouts at me as I try not to let my legs buckle. “You did something to her! She wouldn’t just do that.”
“I—”
“She doesn’t just bolt!”
