Page 115 of Bride of Ash & Dust

Owain inhales, sharp and fast. The white stallion beneath him tenses and paws the ground.

It’s not unusual to have tents outside the city wall during the summer. Royal dignitaries are always visiting each other, and it’s a show of status to have so many attendants that they need to be housed in separate tents. It can get a little ridiculous, actually.

But armies travel in tents as well.

“Are they flying any flags?” Owain asks in a low voice.

The scout shakes his head. Owain turns to me, almost like he’s expecting me to be able to explain this.

“My father must have guests,” I say as my heart sinks.

That’s just what I want when I break the news that his kingdom has been invaded. An audience.

Owain shrugs, then turns to me. “Put your hood up,” he says. “Let’s try not to attract any unnecessary attention.”

I do as he says, and we carefully pick our way down the last mountain pass and into the valley that holds the palace of Marion. I focus on my hands as they curl around the reins and keep my head down. For a few long hours, I try to be invisible. It reminds me of my miserable journey to Vsenrog. The horrible symmetry makes me feel like I’m sinking into something dark and cold, and I might never get out.

But, slowly and painfully, the tired horses bring us through the city gates, up the cobblestone streets, and to the gates of the palace. Owain exchanges a few words with the guard, and we’re waved in.

I’m home.

I push back my hood and look around the courtyard. Lights flicker in the windows, beating back the dusk. The scent of roasting meat makes my stomach groan, and the familiar click of hooves on the stones brings back an avalanche of memories. Learning how to ride, with Elrick following alongside. Hiding in the stables from my nursemaids and shrieking when I was found. Sneaking into the kitchens, running through the corridors, standing at the windows and looking west, to Ethiria, wondering what my life would be like when I married Prince Laurance.

I swallow hard. The courtyard is just like I remember it, but it’s smaller somehow, too. I’m not the same person I was when I rode out of these gates, bound for Vsenrog and the snake.

I glance backward as subtly as I can. I’ve done my absolute best to ignore Zarek today, but still, it’s been impossible to avoid him entirely. Now, I watch as he dismounts, somewhat clumsily, then clutches his side.

Gods. I turn away, my cheeks burning. Zarek never should have made this trip with his injuries. I should have ordered him to stay at the hunting lodge. Hells, I should have asked Owain to tie him up and lock him in the stables.

“Princess?” Owain asks.

I turn to see my brother’s guard offering me his hand. I dismount and hand the reins over to one of the stable boys with a smile.

“Pattick, right?” I ask the boy.

He doesn’t respond, and I wonder if I got the name wrong. But no, this is Pattick. He’s the quietest of the stable boys, and he likes watching the swallows that build their nests above the stalls.

“Take good care of him,” I tell Pattick as I reach over to pat the exhausted gelding on his neck. “He’s had a long day.”

Pattick still doesn’t respond. Instead, he stares at me with wide eyes until I turn back to Owain. I expected Owain to look relieved, perhaps triumphant. We made it to the palace, after all. There were no troops in the mountains. Hells, we crossed through the city walls before the sun set.

But Owain looks even more nervous than he did when we left the hunting lodge. He glances at the castle gates; for a heartbeat, I have the strangest sense that he’s about to tell me to run. Then he turns back to me, and the moment passes.

“Come on,” he says in a low voice. “We have to find your father.”

Chapter 63

Zarek

SOMETIMES YOU JUST GET LUCKY

Ineed to get out of here. Now.

I glance around the courtyard of the palace of Marion. It’s smaller than I would have imagined, the palace where my wife was raised. Not only that, but the people who came out to greet us were significantly less than friendly.

Something is off here, and I need to know what it is. Now, before it can stab me in the back. And then I need a way out of Marion, for both me and Lilias, which probably means I’m going to need money. And horses.

I take a few steps back, thankful that I’m wearing something nondescript and not one of Elrick’s uniforms. From the chilly reception of the guards at the city gates, I’m not particularly keen to be associated with anyone in uniform.