AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He bent down to the bed and shook Sophie’s arm, to which she did not awaken. Sighing, he reached down and shook her harder.
Sophie woke with a start and yelled, “Hell’s bells, what is it? What’s wrong?” Her face twisted with panic before her sleep-filled eyes fixated on Malaki, her eyes narrowing as finally saw him. “Why are you dressed like that, what’s happening?”
Malaki laughed. “Hell’s bells?” Wren fought down a laugh at her friend’s adopted verbiage. “I only wanted to tell you that Wren and I are going into the village so you don’t make a scene trying to find us.”
Sophie peered past him to Wren then and her suspicion gave way to smug satisfaction. “Well, be gone then, I have beauty sleep I need to get to.”
Malaki huffed a laugh and turned away from the other woman who had already lay back down and closed her eyes. He gestured to Wren to follow him, and they left through his rooms. The hallways were eerily quiet, and the sky outside was dusky from recently awakening. When they came to the castle gate she felt a sense of anticipation she had never known before. It felt like freedom was just a breath away.
The guards didn’t question them leaving, but gave a slight bow and opened the gate. The air that hit her was chilly, and rather than pulling the cloak closer around her, she held out her arms, embracing the chill. It felt as if it was breathing life into her and she breathed in deeply, welcoming it into her lungs. She heard a horse whiny and looked in its direction to find a young boy holding two beautiful horses.
Wren’s heart leapt at the sight of the majestic animals. She strolled to where they stood and held out her hand to the white mare nearest to her. The mare huffed out a warm breath over Wren’s hand. Wren lifted her hand and ran it along the horse’s forehead. When Wren was sure the mare trusted her, she put her forehead against the horse whispering soothing noises as she ran her other hand along her mane.
Wren pulled away from the horse and she moved alongside it, running her hands over its back and side. She looked over to Malaki, who was watching her carefully. Unbidden, a smile found its way to her face, and she realized that her body was humming with satisfaction. He held her gaze long enough that her hands stilled on the mare and she turned away.
“Thank you, Elton. Remember discretion.” She heard Malaki’s voice, but did not move to witness the interaction. Her attention had found its way back to the mare who seemed entirely pleased with the attention it was receiving.
“Her name is Wanderer,” Malaki said quietly, his voice carrying slightly on the wind.
“Yes, your name suits you very well,” she said as she moved to stroke the mare’s forehead once more.
“You are fond of horses?” asked Malaki, moving towards the black horse the boy had brought with Wanderer.
“I have always loved them. They are so large and powerful, but they always choose peace,” she said absently as she moved to Wanderer’s side.
Wren pulled up her dress in one hand and used the other to grip the saddle. Using the strength in her arm and her leg she pulled herself up and swung her leg over the side of Wanderer. She heard a low rumble of laughter from Malaki and found him watching her with undiluted amusement.
“I seemed to have forgotten you grew up on a farm.” He was still chuckling when he mounted his own horse smoothly. The stallion shifted under the prince’s weight. The stallion stood taller than Wanderer and Wren found herself having to crane her neck in order to see Malaki. Wren took in the sight of Malaki on the horse and she couldn’t help but feel like she was seeing a painting. Malaki all clad in black with his dark hair loose in the wind’s tendrils upon the dark stallion made for a fearsome sight.
Wren took a deep breath. “What is his name?”
Malaki’s mouth twitched upward. “Midnight.”
Wren gave a small laugh. “That is not very original.”
His smile matched hers. “I was twelve when I named him.”
“Well, in that case, I suppose it is understandable.” Wren nodded graciously, earning her a small chuckle from the prince.
Malaki clicked at the horse and tapped his leg against Midnight’s flank urging him forward. Wren mimicked the action with Wanderer who heeded her easily. They maintained a slow pace and Wren felt grateful as she enjoyed the feel of the horse beneath her and the wind whipping around her body like an old friend. Each breeze brought with it the smell of dew on the fresh grass bringing her back to the farm in fond memories.
“What are you thinking of?” inquired Malaki from her side.
Wren tried to muster a smile, but the thought of the farm reminded her how much she missed her family. The castle didn’t feel as confining as it once had, but she would never truly be at home there. She missed Georgie so much that her heart ached in her chest enough that she put her hand to it trying to soothe the pain.
“I miss my cousin.” She was surprised at her own honesty.
“Georgie?” confirmed Malaki.
Wren turned her gaze to him in askance. She had never talked to him about her family or anything about her life before coming to Valmere.
He seemed to understand her silent question. “Sophie.”
The name forced a small smile from Wren. “Busybody.”
He grinned at the admonishment. “I’m sorry that you have to miss him.”
Wren became painfully aware of the ache in her heart once more. “I don’t have words for how much I miss him. I miss my aunt and uncle, of course. But Georgie. I worry about what my disappearance has done to him. I’ve been with him every day of his life. It feels like I’m missing a piece of my soul.”
