Iago’s large beetle black eyes brightened, and he swept a clawed paw in front of him in a bow.
She returned to her chamber, where Fiza was dusting the shelves.
“Hello Fiza!” she said cheerfully, setting her book down on her writing desk.
Fiza smiled, and quietly raised a hand in greeting.
Elizabeth ducked behind the dressing screen and changed into something more appropriate for riding, and laced up her boots.
Hesitating at the door, she called, “Fiza! Do you want to come for a ride?” She set her book down on the writing desk. “I’ve been given leave to use the stables.”
Fiza’s brow furrowed for a moment, but Elizabeth made a pleading expression. She figured Fiza counted as a chaperone, and she was itching to explore the trails.
Soon, Fiza sat awkwardly on a stool in the stable, while Elizabeth hunted in the tack room for brushes. Finding one to her liking, Elizabeth walked into thepalomino’s stall and began brushing the horse down, ignoring the startled gasp from her maid.
Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder. Fiza looked bewildered at the brush and watched anxiously, wringing her hands in her lap. “I don’t know anything about horses, my lady, but I can fetch a servant who does.” She cringed. “Oh, lady, you’ll ruin your nails doing a servant’s work.”
A wide smile spread across her face. “I’ve brushed horses down hundreds of times, and my nails still look fine.”
Relenting, Fiza bit her lip. While she finished brushing down the horse, she decided to try and make conversation. “Do you have any family here?”
Fiza hesitated. “My sister and I are on loan to Master Caspian to be able to see the mortal realm. The rest of my family is back home in the Underworld.”
“And do you like it here?”
“It's very green and full of light.”
Elizabeth didn't know if that was a positive or negative assessment.
Before Elizabeth could reply, they were interrupted by a slender demon with olive skin and raven hair who introduced himself as Lial, the horsemaster.
Elizabeth smiled warmly at him. “Nice to meet you. We were just going for a ride.”
“My lady, please—” He rushed forward. “It’s—it’s my duty to prepare the horses,” the demon mumbled apologetically.
“Nonsense.” She laughed uneasily. “Brushing the horses down is a labor of love, but by all means, you can check my work on the palomino.”
His cheeks reddened considerably, and he mumbled an apology as he checked the horse she had just finished brushing down. She watched in amusement; up until a day ago, she would have never thought a demon could blush. Come to think of it, none whom she had met thus far were nowhere near as brooding and serious as Caspian.
“She’s been groomed very well, my Lady,” the demon horse master said, sounding much too impressed for such a simple task.
She finished brushing down the horse she was working on and smiled. “What are the names of our beautiful steeds?”
“The gray one before you is Icefire. And this is Buttercup,” he explained, fastening a saddle on the palomino. “That black one is Draugr—it means ‘demon’ in the old tongue. The Master is trying to rehabilitate him, but he's dead mean. Best stay clear.”
“Well, aren’t you charming,” Elizabeth said, smiling at the horse before turning back to Lial. “May I give him an apple?”
The horsemaster paused, clearly not wanting her near the horse. “If you must, but please watch out for your fingers. He’s a tricky one.”
Elizabeth smiled at the irony—a demon with a horse named “demon.”
She approached the black stallion with an apple held flat on her palm. The horse lunged, nearly taking her fingers. She pulled back just in time, then tried again more cautiously. This time, Draugr snatched the apple without incident.
She reached out a hand to pat him, and the stallion’s ears went flat back, the whites of his eyes showing.
“Lady!” Lial cried, and yanked her hand out of reach. “He really is mean-spirited. If he cannot bear a rider by the year’s end, we will have to put him down.”
Elizabeth took a step back, giving the horse plenty of space, and did her best to look non-threatening.
