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“Stay here.” His voice hardened. “I’ll beback.”
I grimaced. This was idiotic and my head screamed to leave now while my heart said I ought to hear him out and that people can change.Nope.
The moment he whirled around, I darted in the opposite direction, and what pissed me off the most was that I had no coffee.Bastard.
Rushing deeper into the woods, I didn’t need him following me or knowing I’d left Terra. That would give him a real reason to arrestme.
So I’d be fast. I quickly looked over my shoulder. No sign of him. Goddess, please make Hans burn hismilk.
A neighing sound came from my left. I jerked and hid behind a tree, convinced it was Tristan’s muscle-head friends on horses waiting for him. When I peeked out, I only found one animal tied to a tree.Must beTristan’s.
Hans had asked Tristan not to keep his horse close to the shop after it had panicked once over a wild boar. The horse had gotten loose and bolted, trampling down a person. If the animal got spooked that quick, then keeping it far from customers madesense.
But staring at the gorgeous golden horse with a white diamond on the middle of its forehead, I had other ideas. Ones that could get me thrown into a dungeon, but maybe this offered a solution to reaching the Golden Lock tavern quicker. To avoid Tristan tracking me down. And considering I was already late to the job and prayed Elliana still waited, well… I approached thehorse.
“Hello there,” I whispered, reaching my hand toward his nose and patting him. “You’re so beautiful. How does a long ride sound?” My heart beat so fast, and I kept looking back for any sign of Tristan. In haste, I untied the horse’s strap from a low-hanging branch and pulled the animal along a trail before stepping into the stirrup and swinging my leg over the saddle. And this was why wearing pants made sense on travel day. I’d keep my bag on my back until I got out of the woods. Then I’d attach it to thehorse.
With the reins in hand and a slight nudge to the horse’s sides with my heels, I guided him away from the hut and down the curving path through the forest. This path passed near the border between Terra and White Peak, so we loped past clusteredpines.
Another glance behind me, and I’d lost sight of the Hideout. We broke into a gallop, and I jostled about, my bag slapping into my back, but my priority was reaching the tavern. Tristan could walk to the guard house and report his horse stolen. He had no proof I’d taken his transport if he hadn’t seenme.
Following the curve of the trail, I looked back once more. No one followed. With a long exhale, we rushed forward. Fuck Tristan and his chauvinistattitude.
He’d have a stroke if he learned my friend Scarlet had found herself three wolf shifters who craved her. And I couldn’t be happier for her, even though a pang of jealousy hit because… damn, just having one man look at me the way all three did at her would leave meswooning.
Anyway, I might have lost my coffee, but I’d gained something better.Transport.
* * *
Three rest stops later,the sun slid down the heavens, and my food had been gobbled by Elf. Yeah, I’d given the horse a name because he had the longest ears, reminding me of the fae with their grace andbeauty.
We’d emerged from the forest surrounding White Peak and now I stared at giant peaks in the distance. It was a mountain range that stood like the spine of the world, snow-capped peaks, and covered in pines. At the foothills lay the small transition town made up of one street riddled with shops and bars. No laws regulated the area, which explained why so many races crossed through here. I’d heard tales of various races trekking around the White Peak Mountains to reach a glorious snowy wonderland farther north. Apparently, an ancient royal family lived there, but who they were, no one seemed toknow.
Then again, a ton of stories floated about Haven and the different realms—from a society living underground in tunnels to pirates visiting other lands with blood-sucking monsters. My guess was the tales were created to scare people away from certainrealms.
I drew Elf to a halt, hopped off, and scratched his head. “How does a new ownersound?”
Elf nodded as if he understood. “Ted owns the tavern and said he knew someone looking to buy a horse. I’m sure they’ll treat you better than Tristan did.” I held on to the reins and we strolled across the grassy field as I led Elf to the rear of the Golden Lock tavern. I tied him to a railing near a watertrough.
Collecting my bag, I rubbed his side. “Well, enjoy your new life, my friend. And thankyou.”
Without a response, not that I expected one, I marched down a tight passage between two cobblestone buildings and emerged in front of the GoldenLock.
Shards of brown wood flaked along the wooden railing encasing the porch. Dust coated the windows, and the sign needed a new lick of paint as the letters had worn with weather. At a fast glance, one might read the name as GoldenCocktavern.Might add that into one of my stories.With a giggle on my throat, I climbed the groaning steps and opened the door, its hingesprotesting.
Laughter overpowered the tavern as I entered the stone building, and the stench of beer and sweat permeated the air. A roaring fire blazed to my right from an old stone fireplace. Round tables and chairs dotted the wooden room. On one side of the room stood two oversized wooden barrels about five feet high filled with the tavern’s famous alcoholic cider on tap. Candles lit the room from circular hoops suspendedoverhead.
I surveyed the customers. A young couple who appeared human sat at the bar, a man with a hood over his head slouched at a corner table nursing a drink, and three women laughed at a table close by the fire, downing drinks. Maybe a girls’ night out, but a strange location for such a celebration. It wasn’t my place to wonder about it, though, as I needed no one prying intomybusiness. Especially since I didn’t seeElliana.
What if she had been here this morning, and I’d just missed her?Damn.All because I’d waited for Scarlet to bring me the amplified wolfsbane thismorning.
Against the rear wall stretched out the bar. Ted, the owner, served someone a glass ofbeer.
I hoofed it closer and dropped my bag at my feet before climbing up on astool.
Ted smirked and made his way over, rubbing his hands down his stained apron. “Remember our last chat, Bee? You weren’t welcome back until you paid your tab.” He spoke with a light accent, rolling hisRs.
“Sure do.” I leaned on the bar with bent arms. Yesterday, I’d cleaned up an old bird pendant I’d picked up at the markets and with a small sparkle of illusion magic, it looked three times its worth. Except I had a different payment to usenow.
