Half Magic | Book 2

Thirteen: Horses

The night sky was wide open as we traveled south. The Khusuru were quick to act on Nassir's words once he said we would go with them. In a flash, the riders were off their horses and adjusting who and what was on each horse. Puko, wanting nothing to do with it, took to the sky again.

We didn't deal with many horses in the mountains. The rocky, slanted terrain wasn't great on their hooves and no one could afford one anyway. So I was pretty unfamiliar with the beasts as I was thrust in front of one by a small woman who still had her face wrappings on. Her clothes were light and colorful, just like the other riders. Up close I could see that she wore an eye-patch much like Kai's, but instead of a red star hers was emblazoned with a blue flower. She insisted something in her desert language but I just shook my head, looking at the large creature before me.

"She wants you to hold out a hand," Kai said from the horse pairing next to me. I could see he was having an easier time with his horse than I was with mine.

I looked down at the rider and she nodded curtly. Gingerly, I stuck my hand out toward the horse, wondering if it would bite me or not. But my rider grabbed my wrist and shoved my hand under the horse's nose. I stiffened as the horse sniffed me, then the rider pulled something from her pocket and put it on my palm. It was some kind of red root vegetable, and the horse was happy to eat it right out of my hand. Its long tongue lapping my skin for any remaining crumbs. 

Kai laughed as the Khusuru woman rattled off several things in her language, pointing to different parts of the horse and making wild hand gestures, none of which I understood.

"You look like you've never ridden a horse," Kai said as he swept a leg up and over his own horse. 

"That would be because I haven't." I took my palm back and wiped it on my cloak, not enjoying the feeling of horse drool on my palm. "I haven't even been this up close to Boxfield, and he was pretty friendly."

"All of Eberon's horses are quite docile," Schula said from my other side. "And his estate is gorgeous. We should go sometime, when this... when everything is resolved."

I looked over and she was already mounting her horse with ease as well. It shouldn't surprise me that someone as old as her had ridden before. Especially since her good friend's family breeds horses. Now, we just had to be able to get back into the Autumn lands safely. No big deal, we just had to defeat a mad king first and convince Baeleon not to kill me for being half elf.

I grimaced and turned my attention back to my horse, shoving those thoughts away. I rounded to the side where I could try to mount it. I could see myself slipping off with the blanket across the horse's back, but I imagine it was there for a reason. The Khusuru grabbed the horse's reign and swept her leg up and over its back with ease. I was surprised to see the horse didn't even flinch. Then, the rider helped me up and I just managed to settle myself on the horse without falling. 

I looked around at the others and saw how they had been arranged. Nassir and I were the only ones with riders assisting us. Schula was taller than me and since she could ride she was given her own horse. Kai wasn't that big for a human but he was given a horse too. Nassir being blind I wasn't surprised he had a rider to assist him. I'm sure whatever magical tricks he used to walk only went so far for him if his feet weren't on the ground. 

The leader of the Khusuru riders, who I learned was called Tali, made her rounds to each horse and it's riders to make sure no one was overloaded and the horses were comfortable. When she was done with her inspection, she wrapped her face back up and we began to ride. 

The sensation was strange. I bobbed up and down on the horse's back, thankful for what cushion the blanket was providing. My rider had grabbed both of my hands and smacked them on her hips. I assumed I was supposed to hold on, so I did. It was probably for the best that I had something to hold on to, since I would surely fall off if I didn't. Then, she grabbed my knees and squeezed them against the horse. I assumed I should hold that pose too, so I tried.