“Well,” I say, brushing the foal’s neck, “this one was born during a wolf attack.”
“What’s his name?” Cassy asks, eyes wide.
“Moonbeam.”
“Like the flower…” Mariel murmurs. “That’s the perfect name for him.”
“Come on,” I say, “I’m starving. I haven’t eaten in ages.”
When we reach the kitchens, the aroma of fresh bread and roasted garlic wafts out. Food has never smelled so good. A servant offers me a bowl of soup and a fresh roll without evenasking, and we settle into a quiet corner with our food, basking in the heat of the nearby ovens.
“So,” Vivian says dryly, “are you going to tell us where you’ve been?”
I take a sip of the salty broth, savoring the flavor of bay and thyme. “There’s not much to say beyond what you’ve probably already figured out. We fought off a pack of wolves, Ashwing gave birth, and we had to take shelter in a cave when the storm hit.”
“We?” Mariel raises a brow, but I say nothing, only busying myself with another long draft of soup.
Cassy giggles. “Did you enjoy yourridewith the king?”
I nearly choke.
Mariel smirks. “The stablehands said you rode out on a black stallion—and returned with the king’s horse.”
“So?” I counter, maybe a touch too defensive.
“So,” Vivian says, sipping her tea, “you’re avoiding the question.”
“We’re not stupid. You both disappeared for two days. And you might not have returned together, but he came back this morning looking…”
She tilts her head, smiling. “Happy. Ridiculously so.”
Then her gaze flicks to me. “And you, my dear, are practically glowing.”
“Other than the wolves,” Vivian deadpans, “did anything else happen out there?”
“Perhaps you went tumbling through a meadow?” Cassy adds brightly.
“Cassy!” I scold.
“What?” she asks, wide-eyed. “My friends and I love playing in meadows.”
Her expression is all sweet innocence, completely unaware of the double entendre.
I can’t help it—I laugh. We all do.
“Alright, alright,” I give in. “After the wolves, we had to sleep in a cave. When I awoke, Keir—” I catch myself. “The king was gone. He left a note. And his horse.”
“Just slept, huh?” Mariel echoes.
I lift a brow, and they dissolve into giggles.
“Yes,” I say firmly, leaving no room for interpretation. “Slept. Nothing else.”
Cassy’s smile softens. She leans closer and whispers, “You don’t have to say anything. But I hope it was everything you dreamed it would be.”
I glance down at my soup. “It was… something.”
“Well,” Mariel says, rising and clearly sensing the shift, “before you returned, the king announced a second ball.”
