“You just come back to me, girl,” she said, her voice rougher than usual. “That’s what you owe me.”
“You’ll look after my mother while I’m gone?”
“Every day.”
She heard the witch hunter and George returning and stepped back. Tilly turned away from her to straighten her workspace, and Rowan swiped at her eyes before turning around.
George gave her a dirty look as he came back inside the house. “Horses are ready.”
“Thanks George.”
He waved aside her thanks, still sore that the witch hunter was claiming the horse he’d borrowed from the priest. She wasn’t happy about it either. She’d told the captain she didn’t know how to ride, but he seemed confident she’d get the hang of it.
She stepped outside to find the captain waiting beside the horses. The perfect king’s soldier. Jaw freshly shaved. Boots polished to a sheen. Eyes as sharp and bright as the sword at his hip.
“Ready?”
“Suppose so.”
“Let me take that.” He slid the bag from her shoulder and turned to secure it to the saddle. Her bow and a quiver of arrows had already been tied to the side.
“Your horse’s name is Copper,” he told her, holding out a hand. “Come on. I’ll help you up.”
Copper was slightly smaller than Kenzi, with a reddish-brown coat. He looked like a healthy enough animal, sturdy and well-fed, but she didn’t like the defiant look in his eyes.
She hesitated. “Are you sure we can’t just take the one horse?”
He shook his head. “Two riders would be too much of a burden for Kenzi for how far we need to travel.”
“I could walk.”
“Speed is important,” he said. “You’ll be fine. Copper is docile enough. He’ll follow Kenzi, and we’ll start slow. I’ll take the reins and lead you to start.”
Like a child.
She bit her lip, not wanting to look like a coward, but second-guessing this whole idea. Third-guessing? Fourth, at least.
She looked back to find George watching from the doorway, highly amused by the whole situation. She took the captain’s hand. She’d be damned if she let George laugh at her.
The witch hunter drew her forward, placed her palm against Copper’s heavy shoulder, and bent to grab the stirrup. “Left foot first.”
When she was set, he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her into the saddle as if she weighed nothing. The horse moved beneath her and she cried out, throwing herself forward to hang on for dear life.
The witch hunter murmured soothing words into Copper’s ear, then looked up at her.
“You’re scaring the horse. You need to relax.”
Great advice. She’d do that right away.
“Rowan?”
Shit.
She could do this. She started to straighten, but Copper shifted his feet and she let out an embarrassing squeak. She closed her eyes.
“Just sit up slowly,” the witch hunter said. “I’ve got him. You’re not going anywhere.”
She spat out horsehair and forced her fingers open. Her thighs tightened on the horse’s flank, and he took a step. She froze, but when he didn’t move any further, she settled her butt more firmly into the saddle.
