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“Amethyst, this is Emma,” Callum murmured. “She’s your primary servant. If you need something, feel free to ask her in addition to Amaria, Shelby, and me.” The blond man joined her, and I was struck by just how similar they looked. “This is James. You’re welcome to ask him for anything you may need as well.”

They both lowered their heads as I awkwardly waved. “Hi,” I managed. She handed me the fabric, and I eased it over my head. Both of them were walking away by the time I got it situated.

Callum pulled my attention away from them. “This is Elyssian,” he said. He ran his hand down the horse’s neck. “She’ll follow my own horse without you needing to direct her.”

“All right.”

I wasn’t sure what to say at this point. No one seemed put off by my hesitation, though. It took only a moment for him to get me situated on the horse. He didn’t say a word as I tried to figure out where my legs were supposed to go, helping me readjust everything until he was satisfied. Then he eased into his own saddle beside me, holding the reins like it was second nature. The group condensed around us, the larger horses with only bags on them toward the back. The men that wore armor plates on their chests and thighs surrounded us all, forming a border of sorts. Just behind us were Amaria, Shelby, and Vincent while three people I didn’t know were in front of us, their circlets nearly identical with dark stones in the center.

Without a cue I could see, the group started together, heading away from the choppy waters of the ocean.

15

AMETHYST

Shelby hadn’t exaggerated when she said riding sidesaddle was hard. By the time the group stopped for the night, my entire body ached. My hips were numb, my fingers were practically frozen around the leather reins, and my cheek ached where the bruise from my fall was. It didn’t help that my ankle had been burning like a bitch since shortly after restarting following a short lunch break and my hair was soaked nearly all the way through because the hood of my cloak kept slipping while it had been raining steadily the last hour or so.

And the worst part? It seemed like I was the only one experiencing any kind of difficulty at all.

Tabitha dropped down from her horse with the same lithe grace she’d shown at lunch, a small smile lighting her face as she glanced my way. Shelby and Amaria dismounted from their horses without a hitch in their steps. Shelby’s hair wasn’t even messy, the large crowned braid only showing a handful of flyaways around her ears. Joseph and Monique seemed in good spirits, too, slowly easing off the horses given to them this morning and into the arms of the men who picked them on Magefall.

Joseph’s cheeks flushed as Hugh ran his nose along his throat. It wasn’t a kiss, but it still felt way too intimate to watch, so I focused on Elyssian’s saddle instead, tracing the edge to keep myself busy. People rushed around me, pulling packs off of the larger horses that had followed behind us throughout the day, each tied to a smaller horse ridden by one of the people in simple but warm pants and tunics, their cloaks a plain brown. Callum smoothly dismounted from his own horse. Before he could take more than a step, a man with gray hair and a circlet with a black stone in the center addressed him, speaking something into his ear that had him frowning. He quietly followed the new person without looking back at me at all.

A stone settled in my stomach.

I’d spent most of the day trying to not put my foot in my mouth, especially knowing that Shelby’s dad was from these Far Lands everyone assumed I was from, too. Had I come across as too uninterested? Was he having second thoughts about picking me? If he decided he didn’t want me, would I be able to get back to Sloane?

I tried to breathe through the new worry. Panicking about all of that wouldn’t help anything at all right now.

“May I help you down?”

I startled at the low voice, nearly overbalancing in the saddle. I grabbed the front edge of it and cursed under my breath.

Reuben stood just to my left. The hood of his cloak was off, small droplets of rain sliding down his cheeks and soaking into his hair. His hand was on Elyssian’s neck, scratching softly. She moved into the touch, adjusting her stance and throwing off my balance again. I swallowed another curse as sharp tingles shot up my right leg. I glanced around, trying to make it subtle. Callum had been quick to help me down at lunch when Shelby had offered, and he’d been the one to ease me back into the saddle after we’d eaten. He was still gone now, though, along with the man who’d claimed his attention.

With a heavy swallow, I nodded.

Hopefully I wasn’t messing up some huge social expectation by letting this man help me instead.

Reuben’s hands were gentle but firm as he palmed my waist and helped me to my feet, keeping a steadying hand on my elbow as I swayed on my still-splinted ankle. He didn’t press me to go any faster as he guided me to where a fire pit had been fashioned, a tripod sitting above it with a large cast iron pot hanging from it. The others sat on fabric laid out in a haphazard circle around the fire, similar to how everyone had coalesced during the lunch break. The rain didn’t touch any of them, sliding off an invisible barrier. Shelby glanced up as I hobbled toward the group, her eyes widening. She jumped to her feet and rushed toward me, her feet slipping on the soggy ground.

“I’m so sorry, my lady. I thought the prince was helping you.”

She looped her arm through mine, walking me to where she had been sitting. Reuben helped me not fall completely on my face while I sat on the canvas.

“I’ll evaluate your leg after you’re finished,” he said with a soft smile.

I frowned, not paying an ounce of attention to the tray Amaria handed me. “Where should I go?”

Reuben shook his head and looped his fingers around my wrist. Everyone seemed to do that, like it was a greeting. Maybe it was the same as hugging? That felt too intimate a gesture for someone they just met.

“I’ll come to you, my lady. No need to worry. Eat and rest, and I’ll be by to tend to your wounds.”

He quickly disappeared into the tents several people were working to put together.

Rest sounded amazing. As it was, I leaned heavily against Shelby, my body aching. I finally focused on the tray Amaria had handed me. It was similar to what we’d eaten at lunch except there were also grapes. Actual, legitimate grapes—or close enough, least. They were larger, nearly the size of a lemon, but they were sweet and juicy as I tentatively tried a piece of one. I swallowed a groan, savoring the familiarity.

And then a sharp stab of homesickness wrecked my appetite.