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Pebble-tosser, indeed. She’d neglected to tell me her aim was that good.
In a stupor, Briar glanced between her makeshift weapon and the man she had knocked unconscious. Or rather,unconsciousproviding he would survive the blow.
She must have rationalized that already. Her expression contorted, dread leaching the color from her face. “Did I …?” she whispered. “Did I …?”
“Briar,” I panted. “Look at me.”
“I couldn’t grab Nicu from you fast enough,” she rambled. “I thought, if I had a chance to distract them, or to do something. I don’t know how to throw a knife, and …” She lifted the spare rock. “This was all I could find.” But her hand shook so badly, the rock toppled from her fingers and struck the ground. “Seasons, did I …?”
I stalked to Briar, then held her gaze fast. “Deep breath, sweeting.” I repeated this mantra until she heeded my words, inhalations and exhalations drafting from her lungs, then said, “You were protecting us.”
Her throat contracted. “Yes.”
“Keep your eyes on me and listen. You were protecting him.”
She glanced at Nicu, who curled into my chest and watched her. With every steady breath, her features reinforced themselves. “I was.”
“Papa, are we home?” Nicu whimpered. “I want home. Please.”
Briar caressed Nicu’s cheek. “We’re going now.”
We sprinted, taking the passage that we’d originally intended. Ripping my key from my belt, I thrust it into the lock and gave a violent twist, the gate groaning as I shoved it open. We bolted across the undergrowth, toward the public stables.
I’d borrowed horses from there so often, I knew the grooms’ and stablehands’ routines. At this hour, they would be placing bets at the tavern, if not shagging one of the resident courtesans.
Outside the stables, Eliot paced like a leenix. His ashen face testified to how much of a delay that ambush in the tunnel had caused. “What the seasoned fuck?” he groused as we reached him. “If you’re ever going to be late for any reason, and I do meanever, would you mind letting me know? Send a smoke signal or find a way to use telepathy. I truly don’t give a shit what method works best for you.”
“Now you know how I felt when you had a musical epiphany and went on a desperate hunt for ink instead of meeting me at the ruins,” Briar lectured. “I had anxiety for two hours, worried that something bad had happened to you.”
Eliot grimaced. “I told you, the muse is a wayward mistress. The siren’s call must be answered, or it’s lost forever. Poet, tell her.”
“Two hours, Eliot,” she repeated.
“That’s called paranoia, Briar.”
The pair of matching steeds he braced derailed my concentration. Why the hell did he have two with him?
“You could be pursued to Jinny’s,” the princess explained. “You’ll need someone to divert the masses in case they gain ground. I’m a good rider.”
I wanted to argue, and I would have, and I should have. But Nicu quivered against me, so I rubbed his back and murmured into his ear until he sagged, whilst Eliot watched in fascination.
Another gong of the bell tower and the cacophony of alarmed residents alerted us. Both horses were of the same chestnut coat. Riding our own mounts from the court stables would have identified us, whereas two unknown but identical animals served better.
“Be careful,” Eliot begged us.
“And you,” Briar replied, yanking him into a hug.
The minstrel reciprocated, clasping her to him. Over her shoulder, he glanced at me and my son.
I mouthed,Thank you.
Briar took one horse, Nicu and I on the other. We raced out of town, up the hill, and into the wildflower forest. My ride puffed off the main road. The animal’s weight beat chunks of dirt and clusters of poppies, and its mane slapped my face. As we plowed through, the moon flashed at us between the shrubbery.
Another spark of terror flared at the shouts of pursuit. My ears perked, detecting the regal baritones, the number of riders and their speed, and the furious drumming of their mounts. These weren’t watchmen, they were knights.
I calculated their distance. Three of them broke from the legion, gaining fast. Hooves bracing thousands of pounds rammed into the hard soil.
For devil’s sake, all this for one child who now belonged to Summer.
