Page 35 of The Masked Princess

“That’s a question you’ll have to ask her yourself. I’m positive she’d be happy to oblige you with an answer—as I’m sure you have realized by now, she’s quite the open book.” Helene shaded her eyes as she looked into the sky, then smiled and stood. “Ah, now that our little snack time is over, I have someone I’d like to introduce you to.”

Annalise left the crumbs and rinds on the stump and joined Helene in the middle of the small clearing. She stared up into the gray wintry sky, unsure of what she was looking for until she picked out a black speck, growing steadily larger until it was apparent it was far too large for a mere bird.

She almost didn’t believe her eyes as, with a flap of wings and a stiff breeze, a winged horse touched down in front of her.

CHAPTER 28

The winged horse’s coat was seal brown, and the feathers of its wings were black. It watched Annalise for a moment with perked ears, before walking forward and snuffling at Helene’s hand.

Helene giggled, a sound that Annalise would have expected to come from a young schoolgirl, not a dignified high lady.

“No, you overgrown pony, you don’t get treats every time I see you. If I gave you as many carrots or apples as you wanted, you’d be far too fat to fly,” Helene said as she pushed at the mare’s nose with another laugh.

The horse jerked up her head and snorted as if disgusted at the insult, and Helene winked at Annalise before pulling a wizened apple from a pocket. “Fine, you win, but just this once.”

The apple was gone in two bites. The mare flicked her tail and butted her head against Helene before turning to look at Annalise.

“This is Brunen. She’s been my rhys for nearly thirty years,” Helene said.

“She’s beautiful.” Annalise had heard of rhys—the wild winged horses that lived in the mountains. Seeing one was said to bring great fortune, but from the way her tutors and books had described it, sightings were so rare the creates had practically become a myth.

“Brunen is the lead mare of her herd, which is one of the herds that make their home around our valley. I was honored when she chose me, and now she’s my closest friend and confidant.”

“She… chose you? I didn’t know that they had any relationship at all with humans.”

“As far as I’m aware, outside of Murana, they don’t. We encourage all of our young adults to spend time exploring the outdoors. The mountains encircling the valley are relatively safe, although not tame, and it is our belief that in order to raise young people with strong minds and bodies they should use both as much as possible. Sometimes a rhys will take notice of one of them, and will offer itself in a bond.” Helene chuckled and pet Brunen on the nose. “She’s asking me how I’ve kept my daughter hidden from her for so long; apparently the family resemblance is quite strong.”

“She talks to you?”

“After the bonding process, a rhys and their rider can share thoughts.”

“All the time? Has she known we were here since we started eating?”

“Yes. The bond usually fades with distance, but Brunen is particularly talented. I’m glad she came. Sometimes she likes to ignore me.”

The mare nudged Helene again and stamped her foot, then walked toward Annalise.

“She wants to get a good look at you. Stay still,” Helene said.

“What about my curse? It’s never hurt an animal before, only people… but if she can talk to you…” Annalise couldn’t keep the fear out of her voice at the thought of hurting such a magnificent creature.

“I’ve already told her about the curse, don’t worry. She’ll be careful,” Helene said with the serenity of someone with utter trust in her friend.

Brunen approached Annalise in a roundabout manner, looping around to her side. The mare was of solid build and larger than the horses they’d ridden to the outlook, and her winter coat was sleek instead of shaggy. Her black wings were folded back nicely, like a feathered regal cloak. Her legs were straight and clean, and her shoulders and hindquarters bulged with muscle.

Annalise stood stock-still as Brunen stopped in front of her. The rhys stretched her muzzle forward and sniffed at her face, then raised her top lip to get a better smell. Up close, the mare’s teeth and the strength in her limbs were rather intimidating. Annalise had once seen a goose chase a boy away from its nest by using its wings as clubs and imagined that the rhys’s wings could kill her with a single blow. She remained motionless, hardly even breathing as Brunen stared her directly in the eyes.

Long after the seconds had stretched into minutes, the mare snorted and pranced back to Helene.

“She pays her compliments. There aren’t many who would be so still.”

“How could they not? She’s beautiful.”

Brunen preened her feathers before lifting both of her wings and standing with head high, allowing the stiff breeze to ruffle her mane and tail.

“Yes, yes, you are beautiful, you hawk with four hooves. I’m not sure I’ll bring Annalise back if she’s going to inflate your ego so much,” Helene said, patting the mare’s shoulder, and Annalise got the sense that Helene was saying everything out loud for her benefit.

With another headbutt against Helene, Brunen trotted away, unfurling her wings and leaping into the air at the edge of the cliff before soaring away. Annalise watched her go in awestruck wonder.