“How far are we from Banesteppe? Will we arrive within the day?”
The shadow demon glanced up at the sky, pausing to consider his answer. “It’s a possibility, but not at the pace we’re holding right now.”
“Shit,” Lephas hissed.
The group's attention was drawn to Indi as she nudged her horse ahead to join the group.
“My horse is strong and sure-footed, Lephas. Why don’t you ride alongside me? There’s plenty of room in my saddle and—” Indi cut herself off, her eyes flicking over to the faeries.
Faye felt Lori stiffen at her back and barely resisted a smirk. It seemed her sister was not the biggest fan of that idea.
“O-or we could swap and you and Lori could ride Bluebell and I will share with Faye?” Indi smiled sheepishly.
“You think the mare can hold my weight as well as the saddle bags?” Lephas asked.
“I can take some of the bags.” Raxx offered.
Lephas paused to consider it before nodding. “Okay, I think that might be our best shot.”
The group came to a halt and the horses snorted with relief, glad for a brief reprieve to get their breath back.
Lephas helped Lori slide down from Gaia’s back whilst Indi hopped from her mare. The faeries’ paths crossed as they approached the opposite horses.
Faye smiled and shifted forward as Indi patted Gaia. Raxx appeared behind her and grasped the faerie’s waist, assisting her as she bent her knees and sprung up. Indi gracefully swung a leg over the back of Gaia and settled in behind Faye.
The shadow demon turned his attention to unstrapping some bags from Bluebell’s saddle as Lephas heaved himself up onto the mare. Once settled, Raxx helped Lori up to sit behind the commander.
“I didn’t realise demons could ride horses,” Faye whispered to Indi.
The faerie giggled. “Of course they can – the main issue is that most demons can barely afford to keep themselves fed, never mind a horse. All of Zelrus’s men will be well-versed in horsemanship.”
Raxx appeared beside them, shrugging a saddle bag up onto his shoulder. Indi flinched with surprise, but Faye rolled her eyes at him before turning her attention away to Commander Lephas.
Lori smiled, tucked against her demon’s back, with her arms wrapped around him. Clearly her sister was very happy with this new plan.
“Are we ready?” Lephas asked.
The princess glanced down to the spot where Raxx was standing, unsurprised when she discovered the demon had vanished. Faye nudged Gaia forwards to follow behind the commander’s horse. Karn trotted happily alongside his master’s horse.
Faye was surprised neither of the horses had baulked at the sight of the fearsome wolf, but she supposed Indi’s presence probably had a lot to do with that.
With no one bar Raxx and Karn on foot, the group travelled much easier. Faye kept a wary eye on her sister and tried to ignore the twinges of envy in her stomach as she watched Lori whispering and giggling with the commander. Their bond was so intense, she could almost feel their love for one another resonating from them. It was sickening.
Faye gritted her teeth and focussed on guiding Gaia around obstacles in the snow, trying her best to ignore her sister’s inane flirting. How could Lori be so carefree? Though, Faye supposed maybe she wouldn’t have been so terrified of what awaited her either, if she had a strong, handsome companion to protect her.
The princess was struck again with how unfair the whole situation was. Faye had risked everything to rescue her sister and yet Lori was thriving, blissfully happy, whilst Faye had nothing but terror awaiting her. That was to be the story of her new life, it seemed. Destined to draw the short straw in every situation that involved her sister.
* * *
Dusk was drawing in when Raxx finally reappeared. He stood a little way in the distance and waved the group over to him.
Lephas pushed a weary Bluebell forwards to meet him, Karn, ever faithfully, at his side.
“I recognise these woods. We’re on the south side of Banesteppe,” Lephas said as he pulled the mare to a halt at Raxx’s side.
“The route ahead is mostly clear, but we’ll need to make sure the faeries are covered.” Raxx turned his attention towards them. “Hoods and scarves up, if you can.”
Faye tugged her hood so it hung low over her face. “I can’t see well like this.”
