The mysterious figure pulled back the hood to reveal a head full of flaxen hair glimmering in the torchlight. A youthful boy, probably no older than fifteen, gaped back at Caramyn with curious green eyes. He seemed just as surprised as she was, as though he had been caught doing something he shouldn't have been doing.
"What the hell was that thing outside?" She breathed in, shuddering at the mere remembrance of its glowing eyes. "That was no normal wolf. Is it some kind of guard for the castle?"
The boy only shrugged weakly, as though he couldn’t be bothered to explain.
Damn it.
"What is your name?" she demanded.
The boy began making symbols with his fingers, then looked at Caramyn with a nervous grin.
"I'm sorry." Caramyn raised an eyebrow. "I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
The boy rolled his eyes and then knelt down onto the dusty stable floor. She followed his finger intently as he formed letters in the dirt coating the cobblestone.
T-E-R-R-I-N
"Terrin?" She read aloud. "Your name is Terrin?"
The boy stood up and smiled proudly, signaling her with a nod.
"Can't you speak?" she asked.
Terrin shook his head, then pointed to his ears and used a cutting-off motion with his hand. She determined Terrin wasn't going to be able to tell her all she wanted to know about the beast. But he had saved her life, and that was enough for now.
"Well—thank you." Caramyn offered a respectful nod of her head. "And who's this? I’d like to give her my thanks as well." She gestured toward the dappled grey mare that she had clung to for dear life mere moments ago.
Terrin motioned for her to come near. He reached for her hand and guided it to the horse's steel grey mane. As she stroked the animal's neck, he walked away only to return with a leather halter, and pointed to the name engraved on the brass plate across the cheekpiece.
Frasya
"Frasya," Caramyn whispered. The mare turned to her and nudged her with a soft touch of her muzzle. "Beautiful."
After a few moments of silence as Terrin lingered nearby, watching her vigilantly, she glanced over at him. "So, you are the stableboy?”
The boy tilted his hand side to side, to indicate that she was partially correct. He then opened his cloak to reveal the elegant horse-head crest of the Blackwynd name, carved into a badge buckled to his tunic.
Then, he looked at Frasya, and gestured some type of hand motion to the animal, along with a clicking sound. The mare pawed and reared, as if on command. Then his hand went flat, palm down, and the mare steadied herself squarely in response, standing like a soldier awaiting orders.
"You train them.” Caramyn fought a rather large smile that threatened to make its way to her face. She didn't want to make her excitement obvious, but she was truly fascinated with these stunning animals. So far, the rumor of the Blackwynds’ exceptional reputation with horses was proving true—unlikeeverything else she thought she knew that only left her with more questions than answers.
Caramyn walked along the stable aisle, admiring the animals as she went. Terrin seemed so young. Yet the prince entrusted him with his entire stable of horses. There was an innocence about him that made her feel safe enough to turn her back to him, though by instinct she still watched his reflection in the decorative breastplate hanging at the end of the hallway. She thought about what Asterious had said—that anyone here would be put to death if found. This stable boy must have known the danger it would put him in to follow the prince, yet he'd chosen that path. Perhaps it was blind loyalty. Perhaps Asterious was worth following. Or maybe Sinevia was just the greater evil.
As Terrin tended to Frasya, Caramyn noticed the black stallion Asterious had ridden on their journey in one of the first few stalls. "Hello, Alofreise," she stretched out her hand to pet his muzzle. The horse let out a soft blow of warm air in response.
She was buying time, trying to figure out what she would do next, shocked that Terrin hadn’t thought to alert someone of her trying to escape. Perhaps he knew she stood no chance to leave the safety of these stables, not on this night with that demon wolf outside. And if that creature lurked just outside the castle, what else would she encounter while traveling alone through these ancient witchlands? She was bound to this court for now. But what would happen when Azell or Asterious or whoever came looking for her in the morning? If the prince knew how easily she'd gotten out of that room, he might lock her up somewhere far worse.
"Can you help me get back into the castle? It seems I'm…lost."
The boy nodded with great confidence, his yellow hair flipping up and down across his forehead. Taking her hand in his, he led her briskly back down the stall hallway and to a dark corridor behind it, grabbing a torch off the wall along the way. There wasa room stocked with saddles and boots, shields and lances, some clean, and some old as though they had been left there since the glory days of the old Vaerwynd tournaments. Terrin opened the door, nearly falling off its hinges, tearing the cobwebs down from the corners of the dark passage within. He handed her the torch and pointed. How could she trust where this would lead?
"This looks like it hasn't been used in centuries." Caramyn wrinkled her nose. The passage echoed the sound of a steady dripping of water. Her skin tingled at the thought of the dampness, cobwebs, and rats within. Stepping forward, she took a deep breath, trying to resist the stench of stale air.
"Wait, I'm forgetting something." She stopped herself. Terrin gave her a quizzical look. "You aren't the only one who can command animals.”
She strode back to the front door with Terrin in tow, where an incessant pecking sound emanated from the other side. She quickly cracked open the door enough for Nocthar to flutter in, water droplets rolling off his ink-black feathers as he hopped onto her shoulder. "Sorry, Nocthar."
Terrin looked amused. Still holding the torch, she made her way back to the dark passage entrance.
