AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You can’t just steal horses,” Will exclaimed, grabbing my arm.
“I’m going to buy them,” I huffed, pulling my arm from his grasp so I could enter the stable.
“Wait, Arrow, can we take a moment to discuss this?”
“There isn’t anything to discuss,” I snapped, searching the closest stalls for a stable boy. “Hello!”
“The place they described sounds perfect,” my cousin added, following right behind me, and continuing to argue.
“It does,” I agreed, “but not for you.”
“Why not? I know this is all because of me and my stupid questions, but—”
“But nothing. I agree it sounds perfect, and I came here with every intention to leave you with complete strangers. However, the fact that Bruralians make up this group, and the fact they are in Thimmaria, a kingdom they are at war with, doesn’t bode well. Do you know if the king granted them asylum? Don’t get me started on potions and witchcraft… This feels wrong.”
“Can I help you?” A man with a beard that would rival John’s asked, coming out of a stall with a stallion that was kicking the back wall.
“Yes, hello. I’d like to buy two of your finest horses,” I offered, grabbing my coin purse.
“Full tack will be extra,” he warned, but I just nodded and waved him to continue.
“What are you planning to do with me?” Will asked, a bit hesitant.
“I’m not sure. I could pay a farmer to house you.” Honestly, I had no idea, but I knew I couldn’t leave him here.
“I could stay here and work as a stable boy,” Will offered.
“No, you can’t,” the stable man added from the stall where we stood just outside.
“Alright,” Will huffed, turning to me with anxious eyes.
“Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out,” I mumbled, wondering what I was going to do.
The truth was I couldn’t take Will back to Loxley, that was the first place Rekker and his men would check, including the surrounding area. Maybe I could take him to my father on the border. Will could be an assistant to him. He’d be far from home and the castle, and I was sure that the last place the Bruralians would look for him was with the Thimmarian army.
Soon, the stable hand had two spirited horses saddled, bridled, and ready to go. I tipped half the coins from my purse into my hand and looked at the mounds—ignoring the greedy look on the man’s face—then added a few more. It was more than enough to cover two horses with full tack.
“Here,” I dumped the coins into his hand, watching his eyes grow wide when the amount truly hit him. “There’s extra for your silence.”
“Thank you, my lady,” he replied with a bow.
Rolling my eyes at his “gratefulness” I led both horses through the stable and out the back. I handed the reins to Will then searched my pack for a cloak. Darkness was coming fast, and my stomach growled with hunger, but I ignored it, taking out the wolf fur cloak. I debated about tossing it in the mud, but it had been a gift, a token. Running my hand over the fur, I knew I couldn’t part with it. Not yet.
I put it on, fastening it below my throat and drawing the hood over my head before I gathered the reins—preparing to mount. The horse danced away, ears twitching, and eyes rolling. Confused, I looked around wondering what had spooked him.
Once again, I approached, but it retreated, nose flaring in my direction. Realization finally hit me, and I nearly took off the fur from my shoulders, but it was growing colder, and I needed it. Deciding to gather a bit of hay in my hand, I offered it to the stallion for a good sniff. It was hesitant but ended up sniffing it and slowly relaxed. My other hand soothingly patted his neck, reassuring it until I was able to mount him.
Will was in the saddle, stroking his horse's mane and murmuring to it in a soft voice. It nickered at him, and I knew he’d found a new friend.
When I turned my horse around, ready to find the road and put this waste of time behind us, something flashed from the corner of my eye. My head swung in its direction, my eyes clashing with yellow reflective ones. A chill ran down my spine and I swallowed. Judging by its height, I’d guess it was a wolf. It was close to the village though, which wolves usually avoided.
Without hesitation, I clicked my tongue encouraging my horse to walk forward. It did, without noticing the wolf in the tree line, and I sent up a silent prayer—thankful for small mercies.
“Which way?” Will asked as we came to the main road.
We hadn’t traveled the roads when we came here, and I knew the reason why, but now we had horses and taking them through the landscape in the dark wasn’t wise. I took a moment to center myself and figure out which direction we should go.
Castle Hill was north, toward the Kerroly Mountains that separated our kingdom from the ice lands. South was Brural, a desert land that separated our kingdom from the sea. East led to Halcaster Gorge, a massive lake sunk down into the earth, for which one needed rope to lower into so the surface could be reached. West was dense woodland that went on for miles and miles. No one had successfully mapped the land that was westward.
