Cyrus tensed.
“Well, notinside,”I thought to add. “He didn’t—I haven’t—I’m still?—”
“Alright,” he said. “You swear he did not try to convince you in some way?”
“No,” I said. “No, sir. Sam was very cordial to me. Aside from nearly screwing another woman, that is. During a ball in my honor, no less. …His pants were…Maybe they had?”
Cyrus turned to collect a different saddle from off the wall. He handed it to me.
“You’ll ride Tails,” he said. “Ice will not do well with your mood.”
“I don’t agree,” I argued.
“I don’t care if you agree,” he replied. “I care if you listen.”
“We had a moment,” I told him. “Just now. She?—”
“How happy for you, Your Highness. It’s still a no.”
“But she?—!”
“No,” he said. “She is still too green and a wild animal. She will throw you off. How do you suggest I explain the injured princess to whoever treats you? Hmm?”
“I—”
“You’re too nice anyway.”
“Nice he calls me?” I asked. “After a whole day of nothing but insulting my?—”
“A horse like Ice identifies weakness right away. No. It won’t do.”
“Weakness?” I furrowed my brows at him. “How dare you! And I’m notnice!”I groaned but still heeded his advice and turned to the other stalls. Then, I realized I had noideawho Tails was. “Uhm, Mr. Evergreen?”
“Cyrus is fine,” he said. He tightened the ring on the original saddle. “He’s in the third pin. The painted.”
I looked around. “...If you’re not the ostler, why are you here so late?”
“You’renot the ostler,” he said. “Yet here you are haunting me.”
He checked the saddle’s pouches.
“You said Ice wasn’t rideable,” I said.
“I said she would not appreciateyourmood.” Cyrus met with a lighter, speckled horse and dressed her with his seat, tightening the straps over her sides.
“I’m confused,” I said.
“Happy to draw you a picture,” he quipped.
“Of what?” I asked.
“I’m taking Edith. Not Ice,” he said. “Seriously. I will draw it out for you.”
“I do not need a—!” I gasped. “I beg your pardon! I never—!” I nearly dropped Tails’s set in my huff. “Howdareyou, sir!”
That made him laugh, and, despite his awful remark on my intelligence, Mr. Evergreen stepped past me with a blanket, shook it out, and placed it on the stallion for me. Then he took the saddle from my hands and plopped it onto the creature.
“...Tails is a stupid name for a horse,” I muttered. “They only have the one.”
