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Another thing that struck me as odd about this place was that there was no grass. A white type of sand-like consistency, similar to fluffy powder, covered the floor instead, and got inside my boots with each step I took.
I stretched my legs by bending my body in half, trying to get some feeling back into them after they’d been numb for hours.
My stomach growled again.
Bennett laughed at my starvation. “Pull out your food and eat something.”
He started brushing the horses and I opened my black backpack, looking for a snack until I realized. . .I didn’t have time to pack any food.
“You didn’t pack anything?” I asked.
He snapped his head at me, his face filled with dread. “Don’t tell me you didn’t.”
I gave him an apologetic oops look and he ran his hand down his face.
He didn’t hide the bite in his tone. “No, Rhia I didn’t pack anything, I just assumed the skilled assassin would’ve planned better, considering this is what she does for a living.”
So he thinks I’m skilled, I thought, but instead said, “I didn’t have any time to plan!”
He gave me an irritated look. “I’ll try and find something edible out here, but I doubt there will be anything. We’ll have to wait until we get to Vicinus, but we’re almost there. Only a couple hours at most.”
He stomped off in the opposite direction, in what was sure to be an impossible mission and more so just an excuse to get away from me.
I let out an aggressive sigh as I paced back and forth between the two horses, taking a break every once in a while to pet their noses.
Why did Bennett have to be so annoying all the damn time? It was really starting to get on my nerves, and I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could take before snapping.
I waited by the horses for the next ten minutes, losing track of Bennett in the ghostly trees.
What’s taking him so long?
I started to get impatient until I finally caught him walking back, not surprisingly empty-handed. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked like he was talking to himself. But as I squinted, I realized he was turning his head, as though having a conversation with someone, but no one was there. I laughed at the thought of Bennett having an imaginary friend.
“What’s so funny?” whispered a voice behind me.
I whipped my head around, simultaneously unsheathing my dagger from my thigh. My heart rate skyrocketed at the thought of not being the only ones in these woods.
My fear suddenly turned to shock as my eyes widened in surprise. “Amica?”
She stood before me, still wearing the silk pajamas I last saw her in, her classic curls looking freshly slept in.
I took hold of her wrist, pulling her to crouch behind the horses. Bennett would be pissed and sure as hell would tell Pater as soon as we got back, and our instructions were very clear not to tell anyone about this assignment
I whispered furiously, “What the hell are you doing here? Did you seriously think it was a good idea to—?”
“There’s something I need you to see. It’s beautiful and I know you would love it,” she said sweetly, her kind eyes so inviting.
“Amica, I don’t have time for this,” I hissed. “How did you even get here? You need to get your horse and leave immediately, I can’t have Bennett see you. I can cause a distraction while you ride back to town.”
Her features quickly changed from sweet to distasteful. “It’s urgent, I really need your help!”
I could start to hear Bennett’s voice getting closer and panic rose in me. “Sight-seeing is not urgent—what is urgent is you going back home, away from Bennett.”
Her brows furrowed. “If you really loved me, you would come and help me.” She grabbed my wrist in an attempt to pull me away with her, but I snatched it back.
“What has gotten into you?” I asked, shaking my head in disbelief.
“Rhia, where are you going? We should be getting back to the horses!” I heard Bennett yell from a distance.
