“Ah, old friend.” Florian walks up, grabbing his horse by the neck and rubbing his nose. The horse is taller than any horse I have ever seen. My eyes widen without blinking.
The horse's coat is a deep, teal reminiscent of the ocean with glowing streams of blue light twirling intricately in swirling river pathways across its skin. Silver markings, almost like armor protecting its body, adorn its face and chest wrapping elegantly around its back and legs. Its white, silver mane, a cascade of silken strands, flows gracefully in the breeze, each strand sparkling with soft, blue, shimmering lights that dance like stars on a clear night.This feels unreal.
Another prances out from the doorway. This one is adorned with midnight-black armor around its body. The horse circles around Koen, its hooves lightly tapping the ground in a playful dance, almost as if inviting him into a game. With a gentle, affectionate gesture, the horse nuzzles its icy nose against Koen's face, in a moment ofconnectionandtrust.
“Hey, Zeei.” Koen’s lip tugs into a smile, a dimple creasing in his cheek. “Been awhile my boy.”
“They are…” I pause, almost hesitant to even say the words out loud. “Made of ice?” My voice cracks with confusion. Am I even making sense?
“The gifts from the Gods.” Koen brushes along the horse. He lets out a sigh. “I guess being fromAlaska, you don’t know anything about what happened centuries ago?”
Florian glances my way before clearing his throat. A softness is etched into his eyes. I am completely lost and unfamiliar with everything in this world. Is Florian finally seeing this?
“No.” I swallow, my lips tugging between my teeth before I speak again. “I told you both. I am not from here. I am not from Azure.”
“She should be warned about the troubles of the Realms then, brother.” Koen locks eyes with Florian.
“It's a long story…” Florian tries to speak.
“Centuries ago, a war broke out.” Koen walks over to the stable, grabbing reins and saddles for the two of them. Utterly ignoring his brother. “One day, darkness covered the skies and sea once the last Deskyiara bloodline was swept dry from the lands of Azure.”
Florian grabs the pearl-white saddle, tossing it on his horse’s back. “Should we really be telling her this? How are we sure she’s not from…”
A deep bellow escapes Koen’s lip. As if the thought of me being someone Florian thinks I am is a hilarious thought. “Do you truly believe she is from Edrelas, the Darklands? I mean…” he takes a dragged out pause, his eyes tracing every detail of my body, “look at her.”
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
My eyes narrow into thin, sharp slits, a clear reflection of my growing irritation. I want him to know, to feel my annoyance of his aggravating presence. I can’t believe I thought he could be charming. Just moments ago, his words bit at my nerves, setting the initial spark of frustration. Now, with each passing second, his obnoxious behavior is fueling the fire that is burning inside me.
I should have trusted my gut from the start and not let that moment of weakness cloud my judgment.
“Oh, now what does that mean?” I hiss.
His eyes widen as he straps on his black leather saddle, licking his bottom lip before his eyes lock onto mine. “You don’t looklike any warrior I’ve seen in the Darklands. Let alone, a spy. You're weak. Fragile. The women there are…”
He drags out the words, but before he can finish ,Florian steps in. “They are ruthless, killing machines. Something we haven’t seen in you, which is what Koen is trying to say.” He growls at Koen before throwing a sack into his chest.
Koen chuckles, grabbing it before it falls to the ground. “Yeah, sure, brother.” Koen shrugs one of his shoulders, tying the leather sack to his saddle. “That’s what I was going to say.”
“You are right. I am certainly no spy or a killer.” I give Koen a death stare as finds this whole situation amusing. “But I am curious about what you were trying to say. What about the gifts from the Gods?”
Florian hops on his horse, the silver reins sparkling like the ice wall behind them. “We have a long journey. Koen can explain everything then.” He tugs his horse to the side, prancing towards the main gates of the castle walls.
My body turns, watching Florian leave me with…Koen.
“Absolutely not.” I cross my arms with furrowed brows. “I am not riding with you.”
“Florian cannot be seen with another woman, Skie would lose her shit.” He hops on Zeei with grace and offers his hand, the markings on his arm peeking through his shirt once again. “You are stuck with me, Serene.”
My jaw clenches as my leg taps the ground with irritation. I toss my head back to the sky that begins to darken with the oncoming night and let out a huge annoyed sigh.
“After you tell me the story of what happened when the Deskyiara bloodline vanished,” I grab his hand, “you'll be officially on mute for the rest of this trip.Understand?”
An impressive huff escapes from his lush, full lips as if the command I have given him is both unexpected and mildlyentertaining. His brows lift. “You have my word,little Spark, and I never go back on my word.”
My hand tightens around his, lifting myself up on my toes as I hiss. “My name is Serene.”
“Whatever you say, but the rage I see in your eyes lights a spark I have never seen before with any woman.” With a single, powerful tug, he hoists me up onto the horse. My thighs slide smoothly across the horse's broad, muscular back, before I finally settle into a comfortable position. As my hand glides along the horse, I notice there is no chill radiating off of his body.
