‘How was Loch last night?’ I ask Benny as he loads up his saddlebags. ‘Has he said anything to you?’
‘Nothing that makes sense,’ he admits.
‘But he recognises you? Knows who you are?’
‘I think so. It’s tough to tell. I’m not sure whether he can ride or not,’ Benny says. ‘Probably best he doubles up with me.’
None of us object; as mean as it is, I think we’d all rather Loch ride with Benny than one of us. We’ve been cycling through the horses so that they only need to carry two of us once every three days. With Loch’s arrival, it means they only get one day’s break in every three. It’s not like there’s much weight to the former Rettling, but still, the horses are beginning to look as weary as we feel.
I chew my lip. ‘Kyor?’
He turns to look at me.
His expression softens the instant our eyes meet, the hard lines of prince and commander easing into something painfully familiar. For amoment, it’s just us, like it used to be before vows and crowns and broken hearts got in the way.
‘Can I ride with you?’ I gesture behind me to Loch’s general vicinity.
He smiles. ‘Thorn, I’d love nothing more than to have you between my legs.’
Despite myself, my lips curl up. I can admit to myself that I’ve missed his flirting and that nickname that ignites something in the pit of my stomach.
His arms come around me as we settle on Elska’s back, caging me in, his chest a solid warmth at my spine. Every jolt of the wolf’s movement presses me back against him, and I’m far too aware of every place our bodies touch.
We ride north, and I find I’m suddenly filled with doubts.
Am I doing the right thing, dragging my friends around Afaven Forest to find my mother’s ring? What if the visions are nothing more than insanity? Yet I swear I can almost feel its presence, like a pressure at the base of my spine, pushing me on to find it.
All we’ve got are Elska’s instincts and memories to say we’re in the right part of the forest, and what if she’s wrong? What if she’s lost?
It’s a thought I’d never dare voice in her company. I’m brave, but I’m no fool.
Still, all it would take is for our path to be a metre off to the left or the right and we’d miss the ring entirely.
‘Hey Rose, you got a minute?’ Ruben asks as he rides up beside us a short while later.
‘Sure, what’s up?’
I try to make it look like I wasn’t deeply settled into Kyor’s chest. I might not have any intention of rekindling things with the prince, but the last thing Ruben needs is to be reminded that I chosenotto be with the man I love over actually being with him. That’s just shit.
‘I was thinking …’ Ruben continues. ‘Maybe your vision of the ring wasn’t about the ring at all. Maybe it was a metaphor. Maybe what we were supposed to find was Loch. I mean, the ring’s not worth anything, is it? Other than sentimental value?’
‘I don’t think so,’ I admit. ‘I mean, it’s worth coin, but nothing beyond that.’
‘So maybe the vision’s purpose was to lead you to find Loch? I feel like that would make more sense if you guys were friends in the Retterheld, right?’
I wouldn’t go as far as to say we were friends, but we were definitely part of an alliance.
‘Maybe,’ I admit. ‘If we’ve not found the ring by tonight, I’ll reassess,’ I promise, but my words are empty. IknowI need that ring, even if I can’t articulate why.
Ruben frowns, and I know what he’s thinking. He, like the others, wants to get out of the forest as quickly as possible, but instead we’re plunging ever deeper into it. It isn’t as if I enjoy being here any more than they do, but the thought of abandoning the ring is enough to cause that pressure to reform at the base of my spine.
‘Okay. And look.’ He holds out his palm and a small flame appears.
I gasp. ‘The power … it’s staying?’
‘Yeah.’ He nods. ‘So far. I’ve been pretty chill with it. Seeing how little I need to light a fire, that type of thing. I can feel it’s not as strong as it was, but I reckon if I keep using it sparingly like this, I should have enough power to get through a few days with a flame.’ Pride puffs out his chest, making my heart warm.
‘Nice.’ I smile because he’s so clearly delighted with himself. I get it, I really do. If all I’d gained was my green magic, I would have been thrilled too. ‘Let me know when it runs out; I’m happy to give you more if I can.’
