Aloisia hastened to them, and silence enveloped them. Tristan would not look her way whilst Silas wore an uneasy expression on his face. Only Inari met her gaze, an amiable smile playing on his lips.
“Well? What was decided?” she asked.
“We have permitted the shaman to view the markings,” Silas said, his hands folded before him and a furrow between his brows. Clearly, though he wanted answers as much as the rest of them, the idea of allowing Inari in the Temple unsettled him.
“That’s excellent!” Aloisia beamed, hope flooding within her. It was a chance, the chance they needed. She squeezed Inari’s shoulder, glad he had somehow convinced them. Or, at least, enough of them to warrant permission for him to examine the markings. She doubted Mother Lusana would be happy about it, and the idea of her displeasure only made Aloisia more elated.
“I told you not to worry.” Inari smirked.
“Me? Worried?” Aloisia scoffed. “As if.”
“We had best get moving,” Silas said. “They have only permitted us a few hours.” He glanced behind him, where Guard Oda was marching to them with a horse in tow.
Aloisia sighed. “It’s better than nothing, at least.”
Oda paused beside them. “Are we going?”
Aloisia gave a nod, heading to retrieve their own horses.
“I am afraid we have no mounts,” Silas said.
Aloisia passed him a set of reins. “We can double up.”
He regarded the mare warily. “I suppose that is a solution, yes.”
“I can ride,” Tristan said, taking the reins from Silas.
“Thank you, Brother Tristan. But there is still the question of how I am getting up there.”
Inari clapped him on the back. “We will help you up there, priest. Not to worry.”
Silas was looking increasingly uneasy. Aloisia was sure he was about to suggest he just walk and meet them there. Before he could say as much, Tristan hoisted himself up onto the mare, holding out a hand for him. Inari knelt, entwining his fingers before him as a step for the high priest.
“Well, all right, let’s see here…” Silas took Tristan’s hand, stepping onto Inari’s. Between the two of them, they got the high priest onto the horse.
“There, not so bad, eh?” Inari grinned.
Oda rolled her eyes and swung up onto her own horse.
“Are you secure?” Tristan asked.
“I don’t know about secure, but I am seated.” Silas gripped Tristan’s shoulders, his knuckles turning white.
As Aloisia reached for her own mare, so did Inari.
“I don’t think so,” she said. “She’s my mare. She will only respond to me.”
“I would call that a useless horse,” Oda quipped.
“You would. You’re a guard.” Aloisia mounted her mare, reaching back to help Inari on behind her. “As a huntress, I need my mare to respond to more than the reins.”
Oda snorted. “You huntresses are all the same. Are we all quite done?” She glanced between them. “Not that I particularly care. It is not my time being wasted.”
Aloisia clicked her tongue twice, and both mares set off, much to Tristan’s surprise. She guided them through the streets towards the Temple, Tristan and Silas holding on as their mare continued without direction from them. Oda trailed behind them, seemingly regretting her observations. Inari rested a hand on her waist to steady himself, and Aloisia tried to ignore the warmth of his touch.
Soon, they were back at Temple Green. Inari dismounted and went to help Silas down. Aloisia slid down from her saddle, guiding her own mare to another low bar where she tied the reins. The others gradually joined her where she leant back against the low wall surrounding the Temple.
“Ready?” she asked.
