“A tiny bit . . .” she replied with a sassy smile.
Matthias let the laughter deep in his stomach bubble up and out of his mouth. He did not know what came over him, but her playful banter and the grin plastered on her face brought life to his veins. He was busy trying to compose himself when she abruptly grabbed his arm and pulled her horse to a stop.
“Did you see that?” she hissed.
Matthias scanned the tree line she was pointing towards and saw two shadows moving in amongst the foliage and nodded.
Adalia placed a finger on her lips and effortlessly slipped from her horse’s saddle. She motioned for Matthias to do the same.
As soon as Adalia’s boots hit the ground, she took off running. Matthias struggled to keep up. He was fast, but she was faster, almost as fast as Bones.
Amidst the dense forest of moonshadow oaks, Adalia and Matthias darted nimbly between the ancient trees, their footsteps barely making a sound. The early morning sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The pursuit had been relentless, with both Adalia and Matthias hot on their heels. Matthias was impressed with how she weaved her way through the rows of trees, like a hunter chasing its prey. The Thorns from his kingdom were fast, though, and were slipping through their fingers.
He glanced across to Adalia, her eyes blazing with determination, and he watched in awe as she sprinted forwards, her silver dagger glinting in her hand.
Adalia skidded to a halt as one Thorn stopped and pulled an arrow from its quiver, aiming straight for her. Matthias saw the movement and lurched sideways to pull her out of harm’s way, but he was a few seconds too slow. The arrow sailed through the air and skimmed past Adalias’ arm, tearing through the fabric and ripping into her skin. She cried out in pain as the two Thorns disappeared through what must have been a tear in the Veil.
Adalia dropped her dagger to the ground as she clutched her hand around the wound.
“They slipped through the Veil,” she murmured, pain lacing her voice.
Matthias, his chest heaving with exertion, joined her. “Never mind them. Are you okay?” he said, his voice tinged with concern as he reached to look at her arm.
“It hurts, but I’m fine. I know the risks I take when I patrol out here. Although it’s been a while since one has shot at me.”
Running a hand through his hair as he caught his breath, Matthias knew exactly why they shot at her and he should tell her. There was also a very good chance both of the Thorns would report straight to his father. Pacing the forest floor, irritation leaked its way into his bloodstream, causing him to panic. “This is not good . . . this is so not good.”
“What do you mean?” Adalia asked, slightly out of breath.
Matthias continued to pace. What was he doing? Here he was running through the forest with a soldier from the light king’s army, chasing down Thorns from his own kingdom when he knew that being with her put her in even more danger than she was already in.
Or did it? Maybe it was a good thing he was with her. Maybe his presence caused the Thorns to only shoot the arrow as a warning. If she’d been alone or with other soldiers, maybe they would have attacked. Too many conflicting thoughts raced through his mind, and he didn’t know what to do. The time in Lucius was so good that he’d almost forgotten what lay beyond the sunshine and chestnut haired beauty that stood before him.
This situation had been a painful reminder that at some point he had to go back and face the music, whatever that looked like.
“I need to go after them,” Matthias voiced, turning towards the Veil, wings flared and steps heavy.
Grabbing his arm, Adalia yanked him back. “Are you crazy? What purpose would it serve to go after them? Aren’t you worried about what your father might do?”
“Of course I’m worried, Ada,” Matthias stressed. “I don’t want to fuel the fire that continually burns inside my father’s soul. Those Thorns are going to verbally throw me into an open flame.”
It was the first time he’d ever called her by the short version of her name, and her face showed that she’d heard it.
“So what!? Let him fester over there by himself. He’s never going to come into Lucius and rip you from the kingdom . . . is he?” Adalia questioned.
“I don’t know . . . but I don’t want to find out. I can’t stay here forever.”
“Why can’t you?”
Matthias ran his hand over his face in frustration. All he wanted was to stay in Lucius. It had been the most unreal experience in his life and the woman before him was slowly creeping her way into his very soul, but being with her put her at a risk he wasn’t willingto take. His father may never enter the walls of Lucius, but that arrow was proof that he would come for her in The Grey.
“Because life didn’t deal me those cards, Adalia. I don’t get to have the nice things. The girl, the house . . . the picket fence. There’s also this,” Matthias pointed to her arm. “Being with me is not safe. You could have been really hurt today.”
Mossy brown eyes softened, and the touch of a hand gripped his arm. Both the gaze and physical contact were a conduit that instilled him with a peace that was unexplainable.
“Matthias . . . it’s okay . . . I’m okay. We can work this out. Take a deep breath in for me and exhale it all the way out. The Thorns are long gone now. There is no point running after them. We’ll head back to Lucius and I will speak with the king,” Adalia spoke calmly.
“But what of my father ?. . . what if he uses this to declare war? What if those Thorns tell him what they witnessed today, and he sends his entire army into The Grey?” Matthias sighed.
