The bastard.The rotten, cold-hearted bastard!
Fire sprouted from the tops of my hands, and I yelped, dropping the letter. I shook my hands to make them go out before they burned something. I needed to get out of here.Grabbing the letter and map, I folded them and shoved them in my pocket. Hefting the bag and with Yanric still on my shoulder, I snuck down the staircase and tiptoed past the kitchen, where Daniella was humming softly to herself as she baked what smelled of apple pie. Benjamin was nowhere to be found, thankfully, so I slipped out the front door and walked over to where I’d left Ranger tied up.
After tying the pack on his back, I hefted a leg over the horse and rode out the front gates quickly. I knew that Mrs. Bardot would sound the alarm about what happened to Blair. The queen would send Royal Guards here to lock me down, and my father would insist on continuing to live with me. I had to get out of the city as soon as possible.
I pulled up the hood of my traveling cloak and asked Yanric to fly above me so he wouldn’t attract more attention; I was the only one who rode around town with a bird on my shoulder. The main gates to The Gilded City were open in the daytime, though I had never tried to leave. I had seen guards regularly talking to people as they came or left. Maybe they were asking for ID, maybe they were just telling them to have a nice trip. Either way, I was about to find out. I’d fight my way out if I had to, but I didn’t want to draw attention. I just wanted to be far away from everyone I loved when I went fully dark.
‘I’m ready to create a distraction if needed,’Yanric said from somewhere above me.
I nodded under my hood as I sidled my horse into the short exit line, next to a man in a cart full of supplies that seemed to be for trading. There were furs, tapestries, and some hand-painted crafts.
The guards up ahead spoke to a woman who was on foot, and I was close enough to hear.
“Where are you headed?” one of the guards asked her.
She held up her basket. “To go wild apple picking. They make the best cider.”
The guard nodded. “Indeed, they do. Return before curfew or the gates will be closed.”
She nodded and walked out the opening.
Okay, so she didn’t need papers or ID, just a good excuse.
Peering at the man who sat beside me, I dug into my pocket and pulled out three coppers. It was a decent amount of money, part of what I had brought to stay at an inn, but I was okay sleeping under the stars so long as I made it out of here.
“Psst.” I caught his attention. “Say I am traveling with you, and these three coppers are yours. I’m going to see my boyfriend in Isariah,” I lied.
I reached out my gloved hand to him as he turned to look at me.
His brows drew together suspiciously, but when he saw the coppers in my hand, he took them without a word.
When it was our turn, the guard walked over to look in the back of the man’s cart before coming to speak to him. I sat beside him on Ranger with my head low. I’d pulled off the flame-emblem saddle blanket he usually wore that signified him as a royal war horse.
‘Ready for diversion if needed,’Yanric said again, and my gaze flicked up to the sky to see him circling above.
‘Just wait,’I told him.
This might work. This had to work.
“Where you headed?” the guard with blond hair asked.
The man riding the cart pointed to me. “Me and my companion are going to Moons Reach to attend the traders’ festival.”
The guard directed his gaze at me, and I nodded, giving a tight smile, hoping only the bottom half of my face was visible. He stared at me for an uncomfortable amount of time. My hearthammered in my chest as I felt my power rise without my pulling for it.
“I hope you make lots of coin. Safe travels,” the guard said, and he stepped out of the way.
I released a shaky breath and kicked Ranger hard, and he took off at a quick trot. He rushed through the gates, and the man with the cart trailed behind me.
“Thank you!” I tossed the words over my shoulder at the man as I broke into a gallop, careening toward the thick, dense forest, off the well-worn path that led south. I would ride alone, in the woods and out of the way of people.
Yanric swooped from the sky and came to rest on my shoulder as I slowed Ranger to a slow trot. I had no idea where I was going. I couldn’t go to Isariah; my father was right in it being the first place they would look, and everyone I loved there was at risk of being hurt. I needed to be as far away from people as possible. The trees were so thick, poor Ranger had to weave in and out of them as I led him southeast without a solid idea of where to go. Maybe it was best to ride until dark, make camp for the night, and figure it out in the morning.
‘We could go to Marissa’s little Nightling city in the map that she left,’Yanric offered.
I scowled.‘Are you insane? She’s still evil, even if they lied to her. She still did awful things.’
Yanric nodded.‘But what if those things were accidents, like with Blair? What if she really can help you control your power like she said in the letter? Besides, if we are around a bunch of Nightlings, it won’t matter if anyone gets hurt.’
