Page 5 of Witch’s Ruin

Five minutes later, the palace loomed before them, its Nebrine-laced walls towering some twenty feet above them, doing little to hide the monstrous edifice jutting up behind it, with its turrets and spires.

His stomach quivered. He took a deep, deep breath. He’d always hoped he would never see it again.

“Halt,” a guard ordered, stepping forward.

Even in the glow of torches, he recognized the grizzled face. The man was positively ancient now. The last two decades hadn’t been kind. “Hampton?”

Hampton’s eyes widened. “Your…Your Highness?” he all but gasped, bowing. “And…and…” His eyes darted towards Mina.

“You may address her as Lady Witch,” Rixon said, keeping his tone polite.

“Of course. Lady Witch.” Hampton’s tone was neutral, lacking the mockery he’d heard from the others at the gate. The guard’s gaze darted between them. “Heard a rumor you might be back soon. Didn’t…wasn’t sure it was true. Things been pretty bad, Your Highness.”

“I assume my quarters are still kept?”

“Oh. Of…of course.” Hampton was already leading them through the palace gate. Inside the main courtyard, Hampton motioned and a young man rushed forward. “Take their horses to the stables, lad. See that they’re cared for proper.”

Mina dismounted. “Actually, I’ll see to my own horse. Rix?”

Rixon nodded. “We’ll manage the horses, Hampton. I remember the way.”

Hampton looked as if he might protest; his mouth opened, then snapped shut.

“Inform my father that I have returned.” The order was redundant. In the next five minutes, the entire palace would know. But it would give Hampton something to do, to feel important. Hampton nodded and rushed away.

He took Ferrah’s reins and led her across the courtyard, Mina and Jarrow beside him. The stable hand followed behind them, eyes round, watching. “What’s your name, lad?” he asked.

“Al-Aleck Tierney, Your Highness. I…I help with the horses.”

He skipped a step, recovering. “Kam Tierney’s boy?”

“Aye, sir—Your Highness.”

“Last I saw you, you were a wee toddler in diapers, drooling all over the place.” Even in the darkness, the dark flush on the lad’s face was obvious. Mina’s low chuckle met his ears. “What’s your father up to these days, Aleck?”

“He…well, just the same as always, Your Highness. The horses.” Rixon gave a curt nod as Aleck rushed forward to slide the stable doors open. They rolled on well-oiled wheels.

The king’s private stable was a sight to behold. It might not have been extensive, not like the Citadel’s, but what the building lacked in size, it made up for in opulence with rich wood, beautiful lanterns, vaulted ceilings, and more. No horse in all the kingdom had a better place to live than here.

“Got a couple empty stalls, Your Highness…Lady Witch.” Aleck jogged over to two nearby stalls, side by side, fussing with the latches.

Rixon’s gaze fell upon Mina, lingering over her expression of wonder. She’d come to a full stop, lips parted, taking everything in. “It’s…” Her eyes snagged on the vaulted ceilings, with large arched beams, before falling to the intricately carved woodwork pillars along the aisles. Hay bales were tidily tucked into alcoves, along with feed barrels, water troughs, a tack wall, saddles…everything. It was a dream—one reflected in her expression and wide eyes.

Horse heads jutted from several stalls, snickering, observing the disturbance of their coming, perhaps getting a good look at their new stablemates. He couldn’t help the small smile pulling at his lips. This was, perhaps the one place in all of Corinna, he didn’t hate.

A chuckle rose in his throat. “Why do I get the feeling I’ll never get you out of here?” he asked, his voice low. Even surrounded by grandeur, it was hard to look anywhere but her. He clenched his fist to keep from reaching for her. To keep from pulling this wondrous woman into his arms—

“Da!” Aleck shouted. “Da, guess who I found!”

He led Ferrah to the empty stall, leading her inside as Kam came around the corner from his office. Their eyes met. It was as if the last fifteen years had never happened. The stalls shrank away until it was just the two of them.

“Well, I’ll be!” Kam said, breathless. He strode forward, his movements stilted, forcing Rixon’s eyes down.

“You lost your damned leg?!” Rixon growled, right as the old male hooked a hand around Rixon’s neck and pulled him in for a hard embrace, thumping him on the back.

“I’d ask what the fuck—” Kam’s eyes darted towards Mina and his face turned red. “—hell you’re doing back here, Aleksander, but I think I already know the answer.”

Rixon couldn’t pull his eyes from the peg holding the weight of Kam’s right leg. His pant leg had been rolled up to the knee.