Thalia broke her gaze from the stone-washed buildings that made up the coastal town. “I need to speak with the men at the watch first.”
Maybe it was a mistake bringing Dimitris along. They had come to an understanding—a silent one at that—that things were different. She no longer felt a crippling disdain when looking at the male, but she didn’t particularly consider him a friend either. The prince was a murky in-between, made even muddier by that infectious smile he now kept on his face every time he was around her. It was a smugI know you think I’m not half bad anymorekind of look mixed withI wonder what you’d look like with your lips on mine, and it was infuriating.
“I can come with you—to speak with the men.” He reached for her hand and Thalia swatted it away.
“No. I will be quick and the men here trust me. Why don’t you go make yourself useful and find us horses we can take to the mountain.” Thalia hauled her canvas pack over her shoulder and began to walk toward the spiral stairs in the cliff that led to the watchtower.
“And where exactly am I finding these horses?” Dimitris questioned.
“Why don’t you just sniff them out,” she replied.
“That’s not an answer—” he began to call out after her, but Thalia just waved her hand in the air, shooing him away as she ascended the stairs.
Dimitris had to be joking. After explaining briefly to the two soldiers that were on watch on the eastern shore of Skiatha to send the alert signals to the mountains prior to their arrival, Thalia had made her way back down the stairs and to the stables. A beautiful black mare with a white streak down her chest stood outside the stable’s gates flipping her tail back and forth while chewing on a carrot. A saddle and pack were already adjusted on her back, and Dimitris was brushing out her main. But that was it.
One. Fucking. Horse.
“No,” Thalia said, shaking her head furiously as Mykonos prowled up behind her.
“Excuse me?” Dimitris cooed, stopping mid-brush to poke his head around the mare.
“Where is the other one?”
“The other what?” he laughed.
“The other horse, Dimitris!”
He cocked his head to the side as if he was genuinely confused. “There is no other horse.”
Gods, she was going to throttle him. “That is the point, are you daft? There are two of us and only one of it.” Thalia pointed at the horse who in turn shot her teeth out and snapped in front of her fingers. Apparently the horse took offense.
“The stablehand said that Ellie here was the only horse he had to spare. The others are either resting from several trips they’ve taken the past few days or are already at the castle.”
This was not happening. It was at least a few hours’ ride to the mountain and they could not afford the two-day trek when Dafne and Cal were supposed to be at the hidden port the next morning. Thalia was uneasy enough as it was on a horse. Unease was probably too light of a word even. She hated not being in control, because as much as people liked to think they controlled their horses, dictated where they went and when, that was the furthest from the truth. They were untamable, wild creatures that just happened to grace them all with occasional cooperation. But now she would have to ride with Dimitris as well. Close enough that she wouldn’t be able to help but inhale his scent. Close enough that her body would graze against his. Close enough that—no, she was not going to let herself think those thoughts.
“Can’t you just shift and run alongside the horse? She is certainly not big enough for the two of us.” Ellie whinnied in response, insulted yet again.
“I certainlycould, but I am tired. And it brings me too much joy to know how uncomfortable this will make you.” Those gods-damned silver eyes pierced her, warmth flooding through her chest. The way he saiduncomfortablewas suggestive at worst, untamed at best. Her thighs twitched at the word and Dimitris’s gaze darted right down her body.
“You know who will shift and run through the forest? Me.”Mykonos rubbed her body against Thalia’s leg before darting toward the wooded trail ahead.
“You are just going to leave me with him?”Thalia replied, but Mykonos just gave a rustle of her fur and a large meow.“Fine,but no more eating those tiny birds, it gives you terrible hairballs!”
“I will eat whatever I wish and deal with the consequences at a later time.”
Herpsychíwas as stubborn as they came and Thalia could only expect the tiny creature to be hurling up ivory later that evening. Dimitris had broken his gaze and was back to fiddling with the pack attached to Ellie, making sure it was secure.
“Alright, I guess there is no other option, but I warn you Dimitris, if you get on my nerves I will throw you right off the horse’s back.” Thalia walked up and gave him a nudge away before stepping one foot into the stirrup and hoisting herself up onto the saddle.
“I don’t doubt that one bit,” Dimitris said, reaching his hand up to the reins, grazing much too close to her leg, then swinging up and settling in behind her.
A long sigh snuck its way out of her mouth as he adjusted himself against her body. Goosebumps traitorously peppered her skin and she felt a strange warm tingling all over her body.
His nose tickled her ear inhaling her scent in a deep breath. “Have you begun to warm up to me?”
A light laugh puffed out of her throat. “Hardly, but it has been quite some time since I’ve been in this position with a man.”
“On a horse?” He chuckled.
