Page 50 of A Cruel Kindness

Clover took off with such force I almost tripped trying to keep up with her. I didn’t even have time to make sure her stall was secured, but someone nodded at me when I turned, taking over that job for me.

When I walked out of the back of the stables, I almost tripped again, though this time from the beauty of the sky. The sun was beginning to fall when we’d left our cabin, but now it was a full fledged sunset.

It seemed too banal to even call it that. I’d seen sunsets on Vir, the same pastels of color that would wash over the sky and bring in the soft blues of dusk.

This was entirely different. The sky shone with color so bright it almost glittered. It felt like staring into the sun, the oranges and pinks and yellows so potent I thought it best to look away before it damaged my vision.

“That is … wonderful,” I breathed. It wasn’t until I was finished speaking that I’d realized I’d turned to Soren as I’d done it. I would deny it, but he was the first person I wanted to share it with.

He was already looking at me as he dipped his chin once in agreement. “Beautiful.”

I swallowed thickly, trying not to read into that. “How, um … how long have Clover and Lucky been mated?” They were nuzzling against each other again, making contented sounds as their snouts pressed into the other’s neck.

Soren’s expression flashed with tenderness, before it vanished. “About a day. Officially, that is.”

My eyebrows slammed together in confusion. That seemed so little time. “What happened to Clover’s previous rider?” Oh my God, was it Carson?

“She never had one. We have a few wild equin that roam around the area. We think they are waiting for their riders.” As if in answer, Clover nudged my shoulder playfully. My hand drifted up to scratch under her chin.

“What do you mean, officially?”

Soren smiled, his hand coming up to pat Lucky’s side. “Big man over here had a habit of sneaking out of the stables. I always thought it was because he didn’t like to be confined.” Same as his rider, I mused silently. “But I have a feeling he was sneaking off to go see about a girl.”

I could see it now, Lucky and Clover running through the hills under the cover of night. Guilt threaded through my chest that they’d been forced to fight a war along side us.

“If they didn’t want to be here, they wouldn’t. I’ve seen my fair share of equin buck off a rider they hated,” Soren said, answering my thoughts.

“You really need to stop doing that,” I grumbled.

“Not until it stops irritating you,” Soren shot back, grin plastered firmly on his stupid, perfect face. My hands were halfway to his throat, intent on strangling him when he grabbed hold of Lucky’s reins and swung himself into the saddle with such power and grace it looked like he’d floated up there.

“I hope you’re faster than him, sweet girl,” I whispered to Clover. Her answering snort confirmed that she was. “Thank you for choosing me,” I said, petting down her neck. If I thought too long about the gift I’d been given in her, it would force me to acknowledge that there were forces at play larger than myself.

This beautiful, majestic being had remained wild and riderless for years, intentionally hovering around war and bloodshed to be closer to her mate. To wait for me. She’d known I was coming, that Soren and I were inevitable.

That power made me hesitant to move forward with my plans, making me think that it was stupid to try to outsmart deities that had clearly intended me for Soren, and him for me, for far longer than I could understand.

Maybe that was the horrible tragedy of it all, that even though this seemed so perfect, so right, it had to stay just out of reach to protect everyone else.

Clover seemed to sense my distress because she kicked her foot onto the ground, forcing my attention back to her. “Sorry,” I muttered, wrapping my hand around her reins and hooking my foot into the stirrups. I hauled myself up and kicked my leg across her back, settling easily into the saddle.

Already, I felt comfortable and strong against the sturdy leather, pushing away the tightness in my chest.

I looked up to find Soren and Lucky hovering nearby, Soren’s eyes drifting to the curve of my leg in the stirrups. “It’s perfect,” I said, realizing too late that I’d done the very thing I’d asked him to stop doing and answered his silent question.

“There are treats tucked into your saddlebag,” was all Soren said in response.

I leaned back and found the small bag of treats, then moved forward and giving one to Clover. Lucky followed her every move, so I tossed him one. He caught it in the air, munching happily.

I looked up to see who else would be joining us, finding a few people climbing onto their own steeds. I caught Soren looking at something in front of us with a hidden smirk, and followed his gaze.

A shocked laugh caught in my throat when I saw Esme and Ford circling each other on two horses chasing each others tails. As settled as they were in everything that they did, they were clearly not in control, simply at the mercy of their horses as they played together like two children that cared about nothing other than fun.

Esme’s horse was a light gray, speckled with darker spots that resembled morning clouds carrying in a soft summer rain. Ford’s was an ominous gray, like a stormy sky, but one that would bring with it rattling winds and torrential downpours.

“That makes so much sense for them,” I said, watching as Esme’s horse nipped at Ford’s. I imagined in any other circumstance, that would have warranted a hoof to the snout, but Ford’s horse let it slide. “I’m assuming they are mated?” I asked Soren.

“Sky is Esme’s. He’s a chaotic little guy.” I would never use the word little to describe Esme’s towering steed, but he clearly had a playful spirit. “Shadow is Ford’s. She…”