“An Air Mage,” Leal said, her lips quirked in a slight smile. “Not very powerful, but I can draw enough to sustain an Air Shield for a while.”
Leal might have thought that just being able to conjure an Air Shield meant she wasn’t very powerful, but I’d seen firsthandhow “just an Air Shield” could make the difference between life or death.
We rode in silence after that as we passed through the deep walls of Vespera.
I gasped as I saw, for the first time in months, land outside of the city—outside of my own bedroom, really.
It was vast and undulating, white snow periodically dotting the landscape that glinted in the early rising sun. Much of the earth was brown and muddy, but the freedom in the hills and valleys called to my soul, and I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes.
I’d been locked away for months—a prisoner in my own thoughts, chained by duty and obligation, shackled to a man I hated, and encased in solid stone walls. To see such vast openness in the landscape before me stirred renewed vigor and hope deep within.
While the paceof our ride to Myrefall was quick, the atmosphere was relaxed, carefree even. Recruits teased each other and laughed loudly. The dual lines of horses were scraggly and uneven as Mages and Vessels hung back in ranks to talk with their friends.
It seemed everyone felt the way I did about leaving the enclosure that was Vespera.
Everyone except for Lex, his Vessels, and my husband.
They rode silently, lines tight and postures stiff. Even without being able to see their faces, I knew disapproval and frustration was etched into each of their expressions.
Yet they did nothing to stop the frivolity that ensued during the entire day’s ride. It was almost as if they were letting the recruits have this time of levity, knowing what was to come.
The ominous thought sent a shiver down my spine despite the warmth of the midafternoon sun.
My dark thoughts were quickly eclipsed the longer we traveled. Leal and I rode directly ahead of a Fire Mage and an Earth Mage from Deucena, and they filled our ride with outlandish stories and a plethora of inappropriate jokes.
The men were clearly twins, though were not identical. Both men had copper-red hair, though Tine had more red to his while Talamh was more of a russet brown. They both had startling blue eyes and strong facial features, but that was where the similarities ended. Tine was tall and slightly gangly-looking, though it was clear he was still strong with constantly laughing eyes. Talamh, however, was shorter and stockier, his muscles bulky and shoulders broad, and a near-constant furrow in his brow.
Tine was in the middle of a story about swindling a gold medallion from a drunk on the streets of Alvor. I pivoted in my saddle, the motion stretching my back and rubbing my chafed thighs against the leather, to regard Tine with a quizzical look.
“You traded your hat?”
He smiled in return, humor and mischief carved into his expression. “It was a good hat.”
His twin rolled his eyes with a huff.
“What? It was! It slightly resembled an erect penis. One of my more favorite creations if I do say so myself,” Tine said, pride lacing every word.
I let out a bark of surprised laughter and saw my husband’s head turn subtly in my direction at the sound with an unnamable expression.
“An . . . erect penis?” I sputtered.
“Yep. It was glorious.”
“It washeinousand offensive.”
“You know, if you lightened up a bit, I bet you could get laid as much as I do. There areplentyof beautiful women here with us.” Talamh waggled his copper eyebrows at Leal and I as he argued with his brother.
“I get laid plenty.”
Leal and I exchanged a wide-eyed glance before rotating in our saddles, leaving the twins to their argument.
Chapter 51
Ellowyn
The temperature warmed considerably as we trekked south through Thysalen; it was a wonder to me that the climate and terrain could change so drastically in such a short amount of time. The area surrounding Vespera was relatively flat and devoid of thick forests. The southern part of Thysalen, however, was completely different—the terrain undulated while trees taller than some of the buildings in Vespera towered over our group, and I gazed in open-mouthed wonder as we traveled through a portion of what Leal called the Runewood.
“We won’t venture further into it. Not without a guide,” she whispered reverently.
