After dinner and a long soak in the bath, I fell into bed, willing its warm and comforting embrace to carry me away from the horror of the afternoon. Sleep came for me, but it only offered nightmares of seals cruelly mutilated with a swift dagger.
When I woke to take my potion, I was sweating and panting. It took such a long time to fall asleep again, that, by the time Runa cheerfully entered my bedchamber with my breakfast tray, I questioned whether I had slept at all.
I inspected myself in the mirror and was horrified by the near-violet shadows under my eyes.
Thankfully, Runa’s skills worked wonders. I looked freshand blooming in a seafoam green and gold damask gown with floral patterns, my hair twisted and pinned at the nape of my neck.
Tarben was already waiting for me by the time I reached the entrance hall. He brightened when he saw me, and I couldn’t help but notice the appreciative once-over he gave me as I made my way towards him. Just as I couldn’t help but notice that he looked undeniably handsome in his dark green tunic, breeches and riding boots.
“You’re looking radiant as ever,” he said, his voice laced with playful charm. “I hope you’re ready to see the kingdom. The real kingdom.”
“I’m ready, and deeply honored that His Highness could take time out of his busy schedule to accompany me on a tour,” I said in a teasing tone. It was easy to slide into banter with him.
“Ensuring my esteemed subjects are well acquainted with their new home is one of my most important royal duties, and one I takeveryseriously,” he replied.
“Duly noted. I’ll be sure to treat it with the reverence it deserves.”
I was raring to see the city. Nice as it was to have explored the castle, it wasn’t enough to satiate my appetite for discovery. After a life spent starving for travel and adventure, I wanted to immerse myself in the mortals’ land. I wanted to sample everything, and I would savor each moment doing so.
But my first barrier arrived when we reached the stables.
“I thought we’d take Saltswift and Hazel,” Tarben said, gesturing to a white stallion and the chocolate-colored mare with a white star on her nose: Amalie’s horse.
Heat rose to my face as I sheepishly admitted, “I can’t ride horseback. I was never taught.” I averted my gaze, loathing that I had to admit this shortcoming. I waited for the teasing. It didn’t come.
Instead, he lifted a shoulder and said, “Not a problem. Let’s take Salt—I’ll ride and you can just hold on and enjoy the sights.”
He must have misread the look of surprise on my face because he quickly added, “It’ll be faster than a carriage.”
I chewed on my lip while I contemplated his offer. The thought of being on a horse again was not appealing. The thought of being on a horse withhimwas. The idea of having his body so close to mine was not the worst thing in the world.
He sensed my hesitancy. “You’ll be safe with me, I promise.” His voice was gentle and patient, revealing a side of him I had not yet seen.
I took a deep breath. I would get on the damned beast. I’d done it before and survived, hadn’t I? Summoning my most confident smile, I said, “Would you be so kind as to help me up?”
***
Riding a horse was not as uncomfortable as I remembered. For one thing, the scenery was a welcome distraction.
At first, the sparsely-vegetated landscape was peppered with boulders and scattered rocks. But, as we progressed along the weathered trail, a transformation unfolded. Trees, grass, shrubs, and occasional clusters of wildflowers were abundant on either side of the pathway, saturating our surroundings with life and color.
For another, it was far from unpleasant being tucked into Tarben’s warm, strong body. It made me envisage other ways I could enjoy him pressed against me.
We didn’t talk much, but it was an easy silence. For me, there was a comfort in allowing myself to get lost in the soundtrack that accompanied us: the whistle of the light wind, the rustling of leaves and branches, the overhead trills of birds and the hypnoticclip-clop of hooves against the ground.
The spell of silence was broken once the high walls of the city came into view. “Welcome to Barvik,” Tarben said into my ear. The warmth of his breath sent an army of goosebumps marching up my arms.
My eyes widened as we approached the open gates that marked the main entrance to the capital city. Dozens of travelers navigated towardsit.Some rode on horseback, others sat in carriages, a few were in wagons pulled by mules, but most traveled on foot.
Once we passed through the large, bronze gates, my senses came alive. We were greeted by a vast market square thrumming with activity. The space was tightly packed with merchants selling their wares and haggling over prices with prospective customers. The market hummed with the sound of one hundred different voices all speaking at the same time.
I was taken aback by the sheer number of people. Some hurried with purpose, while others meandered among the stalls, embracing the lively atmosphere. I expected to join them, but, as if reading my mind, Tarben said, “There’s more—just wait until you see the port.”
We headed down cobblestone streets lined with rows of timber-framed houses and buildings painted in various shades of red, blue, green and yellow. I gaped at them, admittedly charmed. It was as if each building, regardless of its scale or grandeur, seemed to possess its own distinct personality.
“Why the colors?” I asked Tarben, not taking my eyes off the scarlet-colored inn we passed.
“It’s tradition. The people of Solvardunn are a proud nation and the colors are more than just nice to look at, they’re symbolic. We are proud, and we are bold, no matter our station in life.”
