Skye gave the night mare I was riding—I’d chosen Solstice today—the side eye. “I’m not saying your helmet is a bad thing—just that your wardrobe had to be adjusted to match it.”
“I think it’s a smart idea to wear a helmet,” Indigo said from the back of a shaggy pony that faintly reminded me of her with its thick forelock and hair. “Since youhadto choose the biggest brute of the herd to ride.”
“I trust Solstice—which I need when I’m around my Court.” I sniffed as I threaded the reins through my fingers. “And he’s excellent for intimidation purposes.”
“I won’t argue that,” Indigo muttered.
Sweat trickled down my back, and the afternoon sun beat down on me with not a cloud in sight.
“This is going to be such afantasticafternoon,” I said. “I can just tell.”
“This is good practice for the annual hunt all the monarchs attend in the fall.” Skye peered out over the nature preserve. There were all kinds of dirt trails that wound around the lake, a few marshy spots, and an open field, while other paths dove off into the forest and a bunch of tree-lined lanes.
“I’d much rather be practicing magic,” I sighed. I hadn’t had much time to myself ever since I went to King’s Court, so I hadn’t gotten to practice my magic much more, and that made me nervous.
I wanted to practice because I wanted to dust off all those warding skills and dispel charms I’d learned because nowI finally neededthem! And yet here I was, riding in a coat in the heat of summer with the very people I needed protection from.
I frowned. “Considering I’m supposedly a queen, it seems like I rarely get to do what I want.”
Indigo’s pony snorted, and birds chirped and sang with enough enthusiasm to be heard over the thundering of horse hooves. “Quite so,” Indigo agreed—she also wore a helmet like me, but Skye was letting her get away with wearing a hunter green sweater with tan breeches and black boots.
Why does she wear all these sweaters in the middle of summer?
“You’ll get to choose your royal artifact in the next few weeks,” Skye said. “We just have to wait because there are preparations to be made—and an official ceremony to hold.”
“Really?” I perked up in the saddle. “I would have thought they’d make me wait until I was crowned!”
Skye shook her head. “No, you need your artifact in order to be officially crowned.”
More fae thundered past—giving us a wide berth when Solstice pawed a hoof on the grassy ground.
“Huh, well that’s something.”
The sound of high-pitched laughter rounded a bend in one of the tree-lined trails, then Indigo screamed.
I turned just in time to see an arrow pierce the ground so close to Indigo’s pony that it scraped the poor thing’s leg.
Her pony shied, and Indigo nearly slid off its back. It pranced a few steps, its nostrils quivering as she tried to calm it.
The laughter grew louder still, and I turned Solstice in time to see Lady Chrysanthe lower her crossbow.
Her minions surrounding her giggled, their gauzy dresses floating around them as their beautiful, delicate horses showily tossed their heads.
“Indigo, are you hurt?” I asked.
Indigo hopped off her pony and inspected his leg. “I’m fine,” she said in a voice that was shaky with fear. “I don’t think my pony is hurt too badly, but I should take him back.”
Using my legs, I swiveled Solstice around to face the snake-ish fae ladies. “Skye,” I said in a lowered voice.
“Yes, Queen Leila?”
“Send for Chase—tell him Indigo needs an escort back to the stables.” I didn’t take my eyes off Lady Chrysanthe as she leaned over the side of her horse to say something to Lord Myron.
Meandering behind them rode Lady Demetria, another elderly fae lady, and two lords. They were smirking openly, as if Indigo’s fright was amusing to them.
“Yes, Queen Leila.” Skye slipped off her horse and made a call on her cellphone, speaking in a quiet murmur.
I glanced down at Solstice.
