“What? Svana!”
“I just need arealconversation with Mr. Evergreen. Please,” I said.
“You’ve just fought with Ser Elías? Are you certain you’re alright? What happened?”
I shrugged. “I just want to get on with the day.”
Ser Willoughby appeared with his horse and Tails in tow, and Cyrus came with Edith and Isaac. She trotted proudly beside him, mane whipping as she went; she was a true beauty, putting us all to shame, and I could’ve wept at the sight of her even without my fried emotional capacity.
I sighed, brooding as I went to Edith, yetanotherhorse, as Tails arrived at Josie. But then Cyrus’ hand came over mine, and gently, he turned me toward the other mare.Mymare.
“Are we-?” I asked. “Are you-? Do I-?”
“I owe you a ride, do I not?” he asked.
I looked between the two of them, then bolted from where I stood before he could change his mind. Isaac eyed me suspiciously, marching in place. Cyrus cut between us to comfort her.
“Brilliant start,” he told me.
“I-” I cleared my throat. “I got excited.”
Josie squealed as her knight helped her onto Tails, and below her, he wore a dumb grin. He laughed excitedly, praising her execution of how she sat.
Cyrus ran his fingers through Isaac’s mane, hooked the base of her neck, and, to my surprise, I heard him tell her something nice.
“Go easy on her, Ice.She’s alright.” With the other two distracted, he took the opportunity to draw me to him. Quietly, he said, “Now that you’ve had time to sleep on it…Ridingwith me? Are you sure that’s what you want?”
I wanted to smile, to use the moment as an upper hand, finallywinningsomething with someone for a change, but I only managed a weird noise—something between a giggle and a choke. It didn’t help anyone’s conviction, andheimmediately stood a little taller.
I said, “I loveriding. Of course. Unless you mean. In which- Well. I don’tknowif I love it. But I lovedwhatwe- You see-?”
“Wow,” he said. “You know, yesterday I wasn’t sure if I should beworriedwith how easy it was for you to orchestrate all this. Now I’m just impressed you were able to form complete sentences.”
“Ah. Back to terrorizing me so soon?” I asked.
“I never planned to stop, Swan,” he said.
I immediately scowled. “Oh, God. You’re going to keep calling me that, aren’t you?”
“What is it you want?” he asked.
“A better name,” I said. “Swan. Apple Girl. Even Princess is cruel with your tone.”
He stepped forward, pretending to fiddle with the saddle, but I suspected it was more about pressing his chest to my back, and reminding me of his scent and of his body, and of how he had felt against mine before. If not for the intruding intervals of our company’s conversation bleeding into my thoughts, I might have turned around and shown him my response.
He was waiting, carefully; his breathing was loud.
“What do you want, Svana?”he asked.
“What do you mean?”I whispered back.
Cyrus swallowed. “I’m trying to get an idea for where I should lead us today. If you’re expecting a lot of privacy… or…?”
Willoughby destroyed the moment. “Let’s get on with it!” he cracked.
He mounted his horse, and both he and Jocelyn were ready to ride. Cyrus agreed, reluctantly, collecting me at the hips and hoisting me onto Ice’s back. She puffed, shaking her head a little, and after a second of just holding his hands in front of her, she calmed down.
“This should be… interesting,” he said.
