Page 26 of Blood of the Sands

My throat fought me as I swallowed thickly. It hurt more than I expected to find kindness in strangers that I had not received from my own parents. If I could repay the Queen of Kelvadan by fighting against the clans that would rejoice to see the city fall, then I would gladly fight alongside the City Guard.

Neven chuckled as I led Daiti through the city streets, keeping a firm hand on his head to prevent him from lashing out to chomp down on the arm of an unsuspecting pedestrian.

“You truly have yourself a war horse,” he commented when I slapped Daiti’s flank as he eyed a woman carrying a basket of fruit.

“I wasn’t aware he was so hostile to people besides me,” I admitted honestly. “I haven’t had him around others before this.”

After my conversation with the queen, I had admitted my exile status to Aderyn and Neven as well, bracing for their wrath for lying to them when they had shown me incredible hospitality.

“I know,” was all Aderyn had to say with a firm clap on my shoulder.

Neven piped up at my crestfallen expression. “You were so clearly shy of people, it was hard not to guess. Still, you risked yourself to warn Kelvadan, so we weren’t going to press the issue.”

Now, he helped me bring Daiti to the palace stables where Aderyn’s mount and those of all Kelvadan riders members and trainees stayed. When we entered the courtyard outside the palace, we turned toward a row of structures to the left instead of heading forward toward the main palace. From the smell of hay and the low whickering of animals, I could tell we had arrived.

“Kaius!” Neven stuck his head through the doorway of the nearest stable and called out.

A man with tanned skin and enough lines around his mouth to show he enjoyed smiling as much as he liked spending time in the sun emerged. He wore a close-cropped salt-and-pepper beard and clapped Neven on the shoulder in an easy greeting.

“It’s been too long, Neven! I’m sorry I didn’t have more time to catch up with you at the festival the day before last, but it turned out to be rather eventful.”

Neven cleared his throat and jerked his head toward me.

The man, Kaius, didn’t miss a beat. “And there is the event herself! I was told I would be seeing you soon, although nobody mentioned such a magnificent animal.”

Daiti pawed the ground and tossed his head as if he understood the compliment and wished to show himself in the best light.

“I’m Keera, and this is Daiti.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet both of you. I’m Kaius, Queen Ginevra’s husband.”

I stammered a touch before inclining my head and placing my fist over my heart in respect. “I didn’t realize you were the king.”

Kaius chuckled. “I hold no such title, although Ginevra would love it if I did. However, it turns out that I’m much better with horses than people. I told her I would only marry her if I could be consort and royal horse master only. She was so desperate for me, that she accepted my terms.”

“That’s not how she tells the story,” Neven said in a teasing tone.

“She gets all sorts of ideas into her head after a few cups of laka.” Kaius waved a hand dismissively, but his tone held nothing but affection. “Now let’s get this magnificent beast settled.”

Kaius reached toward Daiti. Neven and I both drew breath to warn him, just as Daiti’s teeth closed around where Kaius’s hand had been a moment before.

Unperturbed, Kaius cooed gently and reached out again; Daiti shied back for a moment before eventually letting Kaius lay his hand on his forelock. He patted gently and muttered a bit more nonsense. I looked on in surprise as Daiti leaned into the touch and whickered gently. While the horse had never been anything but patient with me, he had turned out to be a bit of a menace to all others.

“How…”

“You’re not the only one outside of the royal family to be touched by the desert,” Kaius said with a crooked smile, producing a treat from his pocket that Daiti gobbled up greedily. “Not all of us were lucky enough to have as flashy of powers as you, but having a way with horses suits me just fine.”

I shrank internally at the mention of my unintended display of magic at the festival. The queen obviously told her husband what happened. Outwardly, I smiled as Daiti continued to revel in Kaius’s attention, acting much more like a kitten than a warhorse.

Neven murmured in my ear, “I have to be getting back to work, but Kauis will get you and Daiti oriented and point you toward where the riders train.” He set off back toward the house as Kaius led me and Daiti further into the stable.

Once he had shown us to the stall that was to be Daiti’s, he went to fetch some fresh arrowgrass, leaving me to settle the horse in.

“Glad to see you well.”

I started at the voice, nearly smacking Daiti in the nose as I spun around. I hadn’t heard footsteps behind me despite the floor being stone, as it was everywhere in the city.

A familiar man stood in the opening to the stall, hands shoved into the sash at his waist, holding closed his leather vest. His smile was broad and easy in his round face, giving him an open and friendly look.