Calix opened the stall door and two large Faethren Horses stood up from where they rested against one another on the ground, nickering as Calix approached. He spoke to them in a low voice, running his hand down their noses in greeting. His long white hair covered his face as he rested his forehead against the horse’s. He was smiling as he pulled back, white teeth and those sharp canines flashing as he looked over to me.
“This is Elatha.” Calix introduced. “He belonged to my father before me.” Faethren horses were named after the Fae as they tended to live just as long as they did. Some of the horses were even rumored to have lived thousands of years. They couldn’t be bred either, they were considered a gift from the gods whocreated them and had to be born naturally—which naturally made them the rarest breed of horse there was.
“And this is Arianrhod. She was my mother’s horse.” Calix said sadly, his voice betraying the pain he still felt all these years later at her loss. “They’re mates, these two, and while Elatha accepted me fairly quickly after my father’s death, Arianrhod hasn’t accepted another rider since.”
I tilted my head as I looked at the female. She was beautiful, with a gleaming silver coat, and a gorgeous lilac making up her mane and tail. It was quite a contrast to her mate, whose coat was a deep, dark blue, nearly black, and his mane and tail were a strikingly vibrant green. That tail swished now as he watched his mate approach me.
“Why don’t you to try to approach her?” Calix suggested, running a hand down her silver back. I sent him an incredulous look; certain he’d lost his mind. Faethren horses were notoriously picky about their riders, and so expensive, only the Fae could ever afford to ride them.
“Are you joking? These horses are for the Fae, not humans. And if she hasn’t accepted a rider since your mother—”
He chuckled, nodding to the horse, who sniffed in my direction. “She’s curious about you. Just pet her. Let her meet you. If she likes you, well—” Something incredibly sad shaded his eyes. “It would be nice to see her take a rider again. I think she’d enjoy it too, despite how picky she’s been.”
The smile he shot at me had the ability to melt a person completely. He was much too gorgeous for his own good—or my own good. I rolled my eyes and huffed but approached the horse slowly. She nickered at my outstretched hand, then bumped her nose into it. I let my hand pet down her nose, marveling over how soft she was. They were truly nothing like other horses. Most horse breeds had coarser hair, but a Faethren’s coat wasmore like soft fur, despite their coats not appearing any different at first glance.
After a few moments, Calix stepped out and came back with bridles for the horses. I watched as he secured them, then handed me the reins for Arianrhod’s. I gulped but took hold of them. He looked so happy at the horse’s reaction to me, that I couldn’t bear to disappoint him.
“You said they’re a mated pair, right? And they belonged to your parents before?” I asked, nervously. He tilted his head at my question, his brows furrowing, but after a moment, his brows smoothed as he figured out what I was struggling with.
“Ah.” Calix nodded. It was all he said before he saddled both horses and led them out to the ring. I waited silently, hoping more of an explanation was forthcoming. When we reached the ring, Calix finally looked over to me. “I don’t know, Asteria. Truly.”
Our eyes connected and it felt like the world around us ceased to be in that moment. Arianrhod should be his mate’s horse, not mine. I swallowed hard, wondering why he even wanted to attempt this. Maybe, whatever this weird chemistry between us was, the horse was able to feel it.
Either way, nothing could happen. I reminded myself of that over and over until I had the will to look away. Calix cleared his throat and helped me mount the horse. His touch burned into my hips and along my leg where he showed me how to swing it over the horse. Maybe horseback riding was a bad idea after all.
Calix mounted Elatha and began showing me what to do. How to use the reins, my legs, and sounds, all to make the horse react in different ways. Faethren horses were said to be very intuitive to their riders, which would hopefully make this easier. We went around the ring several times, Calix showing me how to sit correctly in the seat, how to post correctly when riding. I didn’t realize so much was involved in just riding a horse.
But as I rode, I couldn’t help loving the feeling it gave me. It wasn’t flying, but the freedom when the horse ran across the ground was something special. When Calix suggested leaving the rings for the trails, I agreed eagerly. We wound through the woods and out towards the cliffs, where we took a break.
Looking out over the water, I couldn’t help but think of all the differences in this kingdom compared to Dusk.
“Can I ask you something?” I bit my lip as I turned to face Calix.
His eyebrow hitched up, a smirk crossing his face. “Now I’m afraid to hear it, if you’re asking permission.”
I huffed at him but smiled slightly as I asked, “Why is your kingdom so much more…magical? So much brighter? Dusk was so different.”
“You know the kingdoms were created to be balanced.” He sighed heavily, leaning into Elatha and petting down his mane. I nodded, urging him to continue. “Our magic, and the magic of the kingdoms themselves, works the same way. The gods imbued the land with their gifts, and when the kingdoms are completely balanced, the land, and its magic, flourish. But when the balance isn’t kept, it becomes chaos. When that happens, magic gets harder to use, plants will struggle to grow.”
“Is that what’s happening?” I pushed; my eyebrows scrunched together as I contemplated it. I knew the kingdoms were kept going with a delicate balance, but I didn’t realize it wasthatdelicate. Calix looked troubled too, which didn’t bode well.
“It is.” He confirmed heavily, his eyes shifting from their usual violet shade to a darker amethyst. “Kingdoms like Dusk, they’ve grown corrupt. They no longer give the gods or the land its due reverence, and their lands shift to chaos the more power hungry they grow. Slowly, their magic wanes, and the more magical flora and fauna disappear as they begin to grow more mundane or find another place to live. It’s part of why they must bestopped. Even though freeing humans is a large part of my goal, it’s hardly my only one.”
Calix looked at me with hardened eyes, but I could see him practically beseeching me to understand beneath it. “The further they shift to chaos, the more the rest of Celesterra will be impacted as well.”
“Wait.” I held up my hand, alarm pulsing through me. “Are you saying it could what—bleed into your kingdom?” The very thought was horrifying. This place was full of beauty and wonder and magic, the idea of it all disappearing…
But Calix nodded slowly, his lips turning down. “It’s only a matter of time if things continue this way. They have to be stopped and actions taken to bring the continent back into balance. Otherwise, we could lose everything.”
His tone was almost tortured at the thought of it, and I couldn’t blame him in the least. Pain speared through me at the thought of losing all of this. I’d only just found it.
“How do we fix it?” I begged, hoping there was a plan in place. He smiled slightly at me, a look of wonder in his eyes, and I realized my slip. I winced, wishing I hadn’t saidwe. Not with all we were trying to suppress.
“We end the corruption in the other monarchies.” Calix growled lightly. “They begin giving the land what it needs, praying once more to the gods, and begin to act as the rulers they’re meant to be, treating all peoples as they should be.”
“That’s it?” I asked skeptically.
“That’s all we know, anyway.” He admitted, and my heart sunk. “If there is more, I’m not aware of it. It may not seem like much, but it will be much more difficult than you think. Can you imagine King Astraeus or Cyrus cooperating?” He raised his brows, and it was clear the question was rhetorical. We both knew they would never.
