Slowly, carefully, I untie the rope from my waist. From my satchel, I pull out another carrot and hold it out to him. He withdraws instead, taking two deliberate steps away. I press a finger to my lips in a silent attempt to soothe him.
This yields no change, so I try something that helped with the younger girls in the Order. A hymn surfaces in my mind, slow and melodic, and I let the sound slip free, a low hum that barely whispers past my lips.
Miracle of all miracles, it works. He nears and nips the carrot from my hand.
Trepidation tries to take hold of me, but I push it down. I’m doing this. With the Weaver of War getting closer by the day, it is not enough that I learn to ride; I must ride well. And I must have a beast capable of matching the others in speed and one who won’t falter in battle.
The White Knight is already aware of my presence. I believe he has been for quite some time. More than once, he paused mid-speech when his gaze landed on me. But like me, he’s kept his distance and only watched me from afar.
He remains safely behind iron-barred windows, sheltered within the heavily guarded, pristine building on the hill. But this will draw him out and give me my first true chance to test myself against one of them.
It’s time.
Time to stop hiding in the shadows. Time to make my presence not just known, but to see if I’m anywhere near ready to face more than one Horseman. Because soon there will be two of them.
The horse slowly calms. Tension drains from his body. Another breath leaves him, and again pale vapor curls out from his nose. I hand over another carrot carefully to keep my fingers away from his mouth.
Then I reach out and run my hand down his flank, feeling the powerful movement beneath his skin. He stills momentarily, but doesn’t pull away. His hide is soft beyond reason, smooth as silk over dense muscle.
I spend long minutes letting him grow accustomed to my presence, learning him as he learns me, and I discover one shocking detail. He is a she, and I don’t know why it takes me by such surprise, but it does.
When she finishes the third carrot, she turns and nudges my satchel with her nose, even nipping at the edge in search of more. I gently shoo her away. The remaining treats I have need to last a while longer. It’s a long journey back, and I don’t want her turning on me when I can no longer bribe her with food.
Footsteps quickly approach just beyond the stall. I go completely still, as does the horse, as if listening in.
“Have you fed her yet?” a voice asks. “Cleaned out the stall? You know how he is about that.”
Another voice answers. His closeness has me holding my breath. “No. I was hoping Pollock would come down and do it himself tonight. The damn thing hates me, I swear.”
“Heard she bit you.”
“Yeah, the fucker. Look at this—got a hold of my shoulder.”
Fabric rustles. One of them curses under his breath, followed by a low, uneasy chuckle.
“Would you look at that. She left fucking teeth marks.”
“The very reason I’m not going back in there unless I have to.”
“Well, it’s gotta be done. Wouldn’t wait on Pollock either. He’s usually pretty low-key after his speeches, and word is the council was heading into the war room afterward to discuss more strategy.”
Another curse. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll see to it then.”
“I’d help you out, man, but I’m leavin’ now. Got a slot booked for a little one-on-one time down at the tavern with Mable.”
“You dirty dog.”
A chuckle fades as boots scrape away across the stone. Then silence. A heavy breath just beyond the stall. Metal clinks. Another. The latch slides free with a dull scrape, and the door creaks outward on dry hinges.
“Listen, you brute. You?—”
The moment the guy sees me, his words die off, and his eyes widen. I’m already gripping the beast's mane in my fist and vaulting onto her back. She stomps her feet, then rears slightly, muscles bunching like coiled iron. When she lands, her hooves strike the packed earth with a violent thud.
I clamp my thighs tight around her side and lean low over her neck, cheek brushing hot, living muscle. Her skin twitches beneath me.
Bareback on a creature this size is madness.
But I have no choice.
