MATURE FANTASY** He is a predator who thought he captured an ordinary girl... but her mind is sharper than any of his claws.
Ariana lives in the shadow of her monstrous father in a world barely held together by a treaty. Until her lands are invad...
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It was the third trip home with the Lysians, but they would not make it past the Bavadrin walls this time. My palms were sweaty as I held the reins of my mount. Everything was coming together, a silent storm building. We all stood on the precipice, and I hoped we would all come out unscathed. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to get hurt in what was to come, Bavadrin or Lysian.
I had been allowed to ride Rain on my own again. She was a reliable horse with both spirit and endurance. Never had she seemed to tire, despite the long way we traveled. However, by the way her tail periodically whipped and her large gray ears flickered, I wondered if she felt the growing unease within me, making it her own.
Edda was also allowed to ride on her own, making things a lot easier, for she could separate herself from the party when the time came. And it had finally nearly come.
Shay had greeted us near to the city, running parallel to us as we approached. The wolf's movements were silent as she made her way across the grassland, keeping pace with us. Erik periodically turned his head and looked at her. Our escort. He did not know that her presence meant that Willis knew where we now were, tracking our movements. Willis and the other Bavadrins would have been preparing for what was to come next.
For the first time in decades, the sparrows lined our great walls, my friend Kiora standing with them. My heart both swelled and retracted, fueled by a mixture of excitement and concern.
Edda had ridden up ahead, leading the way for our small group. The Lysians allowed for it because they had me amongst them, and they likely thought that the Bavadrins would never dream of attacking them when they could kill me in a matter of seconds. But, unfortunately for them, they were not aware that I was not the utterly helpless girl they had come to know.
When the perimeter wall of the city came into view, my heart raced. If Erik could hear it over the horse's hooves, he would likely take it as something because of excitement.
"Agh!" Edda yelled out from the front. "You are a leader superior now! They know you are arriving today! What kind of welcome is this?" She made a show of pretending to be appalled that the dirt road was not lined with Bavadrins dancing with ribbons and playing their horns to escort my arrival.
"What, are you planning on running ahead and giving them an earful?" I commented. It was my allowing her to run, to leave me. She needed to separate herself.
"You can be sure that I am. This is completely unacceptable," she replied, voice filled with scorn, and with a sharp kick, her horse sprang forward, racing towards the wall. None of the Lysians reacted or thought it odd, for they had grown to know Edda as being far stranger. Then, again, they felt content with having me amongst them. Therefore, Edda running ahead did not matter to them.
I stole a quiet glance at Erik. He had a relaxed look to him, completely unaware of what was coming. My heart rate continued to steadily climb. I did not fear Erik finding me out. I feared his response.
