Page 85 of Kiss of Ice

“Not in the least.”

Kam gazed at the ground and Ren risked another glance at his face. She expected to see the usual arrogant expression but instead he looked… she couldn’t quite place the emotion. Dismay? Regret? Whatever it was, it was so alien to his features she didn’t recognise it.

“Are you all right, your Majesty?” she ventured.

“No, Ruth. I think I’ve made a mistake. I’ve upset her and I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“She says you told her something that couldn’t possibly be true.” Ren knew she was pushing her luck but couldn’t help herself. “Is that what happened, your Majesty? Did you lie to her?”

Kam ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

“No. I told her the truth but it was a hurtful truth. A truth that changes everything she believed about me and about her father. I told myself she needed to know, that shedeservedto know, but now I think I was just being selfish.”

Ren was puzzled.

“Selfish, how? If it’s not too bold a question, your Majesty.”

“I wanted her to think better of me.” He gave a crooked smile. “I guess that’s backfired, hasn’t it? Maybe I should go and see her, talk to her some more…”

“No! Um, I mean, I think it best if you give her some time to process, your Majesty. Seeing her now would just make things worse.”

“You think so?”

“I know so, your Majesty. Let her calm down. A few hours of contemplation will do her good.”

“I defer to your judgement, dresser. Please tell her… please tell her I’m sorry.”

It was only through some effort that Ren stopped her jaw from dropping open. The Emperor of Nush’aldaam, the most arrogant, conceited, smug, cocky, cavalier jinn in the empire, wasapologising?

“Of course, your Majesty.”

She curtsied again and Kam strode away. Ren watched him go, her mind a whirl. She didn’t know what to think. He was worried he’d hurt her, but he was still sticking to his story. What did it mean?

She cast a glance at her chronometer and gasped. She only had two or three minutes left. Quickly, she made her way to the yard. A groom was lugging a bale of hay into one of the stables. She waited till he’d gone inside, then hurried to Mistral’s stall.

“It’s okay, it’s me, boy,” she whispered. Mistral gave a soft whinny as he recognised his mistress’s voice.

His saddle and bridle were stored neatly on a rack at the back of the stall. She tacked him up quickly. It was only as she was adjusting the girth that she felt the burning sensation again. It ripped through her body and she sank to the floor, gasping in pain and biting her lip to keep from crying out.

It was over in a few seconds. Her flesh filled out, her limbs lengthened, and her hair became silver-grey once again.

She spent a few precious moments catching her breath. Then she mounted up and rode Mistral out into the yard.

Turning him towards the woodland, she headed for the gully path. She’d ridden it once, she could do it again. As soon as she was clear of the stables, she spurred the stallion into a gallop and headed for the coast.

Thirty Five

They didn’t reach Valkar until well after dark. It was a long journey from Arjhan and the moon was high overhead by the time they trotted into the courtyard. Ren’s back was aching and her buttocks were numb. She slid gratefully from the saddle, stretching to ease her stiffness.

A stable-hand came running into the yard.

“My Lady, we weren’t expecting you,” he said apologetically as he took the reins.

“It’s a surprise visit. Can you look after Mistral, Danny? He needs water and rest.”

“Of course, my Lady. It’s nice to see you again. Place isn’t the same without you.” The young lad tipped his cap to her and led the horse away.

Ren gazed up at her childhood home. Valkar was one of the oldest structures in Nush’aldaam. It, along with Castle Elumina in Nurhan, had been gifted to the Marid and Ifrit respectively by Mazhab the Golden One.

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