Page 7 of Sky of Thorns

“What are you doing, shifter?” Aramis’ baritone murmurs against my skin, goosebumps raising on my forearms. His arms cage against me with tension, a white knuckled grip on the reins. A gust of wind shifts my hair, catching my attention and forcing me to look up. The gesture moves me closer to his mouth, and had he not been my kidnapper, it would have been rather intimate. Still… an unfurling shifts inside me and I shiver.

“Nothing.” I shift my weight. My bottom and legs are numb from attempting to grip the stallion’s wide girth. At this rate, I’ll happily walk all the way to Shadowvale, if it means I’ll never have to ride a horse again.

“What is that smell?” Leaning forward, he peers over my shoulder, his warm breath caressing my cheek. He radiates a heady scent of bergamot and cedarwood.

“Why do you care?” I clench my teeth, growing restless.

“I have a prisoner riding in front of me who smells different than before. I’d like to know why,” he replies impatiently, grabbing the edge of my cloak with one of his hands and yanks it back.

“Fine.” I push my arm from under my cloak and bare my wrists to him, now covered in the drying green poultice. “Happy now?”

“What is that?” He asks, wrinkling up his nose.

“It’s a poultice.” I reply sarcastically. “No thanks to you, my wrists are chafed raw from your magical binding rope.”

“Well, if you stop moving around so much they won’t tighten to the point of chafing,” he snaps back.

“If you hadn’t tied me up and forced me to ride day and night on the back of a horse until I couldn’t feel my legs, I wouldn’t shift around so much to begin with.” I shout, eyeing him with rage. “Don’t you know it’s unnatural to sit for so long? This is ridiculous.” I’d be celebrating Bolide with my village right now, had they not kidnapped me. Tears line my eyes as a pang of homesickness hits me.

“Would you prefer if I tied you up like a saddle bag instead?” Aramis quirks a brow at me, slightly entertained. “At least I’m giving you the dignity to ride upright. Any other prisoner, I would have made them walk all the way to Shadowvale–”

“I’ll take the walking.” I almost sit up taller at the option. “Please, I’m dying to move my legs–”

“Unfortunately for you, we’re on a tight timeline.” Aramis replies, rather indignantly, “you should be grateful for my generosity.”

“Grateful?” I reply, my voice raising an octave in mock indignation. “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly imagine impeding you with such a preposterous thing like slowing you down by walking to Shadowvale.”

Aramis snorts his derision, but I’m too outraged to notice. “I have a better idea, you know.”

“What’s that?” Aramis says, definitely amused, and I’m ready to elbow him in the gut. “You could just leave me here and go. Trot along back to Shadowvale, right on your merry way.”

“Not happening, unicorn,” Aramis snaps, amusement gone.

“–Or even better,” I bite back, interrupting him. “How about you never took me in the first place.” I expect him to snap and chide me, and as I wait, the silence stretches out. Perhaps I pushed him too far this time.

“I thought females were supposed to be more docile. You’re nothing but a–”

“A what?” I demand. Goddess, forgive me, but this male has a talent for provoking my temper.

“A pain in my ass,” he grumbles, his fists clenching on the reins. Percy tosses his head restlessly into the air.

“Pain inyourass?“ I twist around, the movement bringing us mere inches apart. I raise my eyebrows. “That’s the best you can come up with?” I laugh aloud with derision.

He takes his eyes off the path and meets my stare. “If you want me to list all the reasons I hate your kind, by all means, I’ll elaborate.” He taunts.

“You’re impossible,” I huff and turn back to face the path. A pig-headed, good for nothing, spoiled brat of a male.

“And you’re wasting my time and energy.” He replies, clearly annoyed. “Be a good girl and keep your thoughts and poultices to yourself.”

“You don’t even know me,” I mumble. “How do you hold on to so much anger?” I shake my head, repositioning myself as a numb sensation settles through my legs. My grip slips and I careen sideways. Throwing out my bound hands, I grapple for anything to grip, but Percy’s silk hair slides through my fingers. I wait for the impact of the solid ground, praying the horses following us would avoid trampling me to death.

Suddenly, a firm grip is around me and I find myself held tight to his chest, Aramis glaring down at me.

“Why must you constantly need to be rescued?” Aramis snarls in my ear. “I thought as a healer you’d have more wit in your head to maintain your balance when riding on a galloping stallion. Do you want to die?” His heated response moves his face closer to mine as his hand grips me tighter.

“No, you fucking idiot,” I snap back, with just as much rage. “I am a fucking unicorn! I’ve never ridden a horse. I don’t know how to ‘maintain my balance’ because I.Don’t. Ride. Horses.”

Aramis pulls on the reins when the guard in front lets out a shout. Percy slows to a walk as the guards slow to ride more closely to us. A moment later, a whoosh of air brushes past my face followed by a thud beside me. Whipping my head to the side, my eyes widen when I spot an arrow with thick blood red feathers vibrating in the tree trunk next to us.

---