Page 52 of A Cruel Kindness

Granted, I didn’t know much about the inner workings of a lower-compatibility Match, but that didn’t feel right.

I forced myself to leave it alone. I could get a little obsessed when it came to things I didn’t know, refusing to stop my hunt until I found the critical pieces to the puzzle.

It was what got me into this fucking mess, refusing to let my gut feeling that my father wasn’t being truthful die.

Freya disappeared into the trees eventually, never stopping in her breakneck pace.

Our group descended into the trees shortly after. From afar, they were a towering mass of leaves and trunks, but stepping under their cover was an entirely different thing. You could barely see the last licks of the sunset through the heavy pines and leaves, forcing your vision to adjust quickly.

“Saddle bag, left side,” Soren said, right as small bulbs of light illuminated our space. The saddles were lined with a small row of lights, casting a soft white light around us, almost like a halo.

In my saddle bag, I found a small button nestled into the back. When I pressed it, Clover’s coat was illuminated, taking on that almost purple hue that it did in the sun.

We glowed like fireflies hovering in the night sky as we started climbing the trail to the summit of the mountain.

Clover adjusted easily, knowing intuitively where to place her steps with the most grip and strength. Even then, my heart launched into my throat. I couldn’t think of anything else but monitoring her movements and making sure she didn’t so much as trip.

I didn’t care if she threw me off, but I couldn’t bear the thought of her ending up with something as small as a bruise from this.

My focus was so singular, time slipped away and the next thing I knew, we were cresting the hill. Marching downhill was an equally challenging feat, and the same phenomenon happened until light started pouring in from the tree line at the bottom of the slope.

Pax.

Though anxiety banged at my chest, I tried to focus on the fact that everyone around me seemed calm. I didn’t know anyone here long enough to truly trust them, but I clung onto my urge to lean on Soren and tried to channel the easy set of his shoulders and the comforting rise of his chest with every breath.

I had no choice other than to confront my situation when we broke through the tree line and began descending on Pax.

From above, the town looked like it was confined to one winding road curving down the hill, dotted with small buildings on either side. Beyond it, flat, lush grass extended on either side.

Before the War, I was sure this was profitable farm land, or even a small town cherished and kept secret from the bustle of cities. At least the buildings still looked strong and healthy, saved from the destruction of battle.

Far in the distance, I could see small lights dotting the horizon. Muli soldiers were a lot closer than I realized. On horseback, they would be able to ambush us in under an hour.

Quicker than I expected, the ground turned from the muddy, rough terrain of the forest to a well-kept road as we officially entered Pax.

Music and voices started rising to a louder and louder volume as we approached a structure just off the path, surrounded by strings of lights and crackling fires.

We followed Esme and Ford off to the side to a row of horses settled close to the barn, but not a single one was tethered.

I turned to Soren to say, “I’m guessing the equin also refuse to leave their rider?”

Soren’s lip curved up at the corner. “They play around like puppies, but no they won’t go far.” He leaned down, brushing his hand down Lucky’s mane. The veins in his hand were prominent tonight, carving through his skin. “Their bond with us helps them sense your mood, same as you can tell theirs. They might venture a little farther if they can tell that you are safe or content, but if something shifts, they’ll be back here before the threat even materializes.”

Comfort washed over me. I’d been protected my whole life, coddled even, because of my last name, not because anyone cared about how I was feeling. I had the same guards following me, providing a shield against any threat, no matter my mood or the situation.

To have someone care about me, to take care of me in a way that felt honest and real was new.

I turned away from Soren, feeling too raw to look at him right now.

People were slowly trickling out of the bar, which looked more like a barn than anything, watching our arrival.

Esme waved at a few people she saw, even in the dimming evening light, and I saw Soren’s chin drop in acknowledgment a few times. Esme swung herself off Sky first, pausing to check the saddle and feed him a few treats before she took off into the burgeoning crowd.

Ford hopped down next, following Esme and plowing through people, most of whom jumped out of his path like he would simply flatten them if they didn’t move.

Given how many people Soren seemed to know in this crowd, I expected him to do something similar, just move forward through his familiarity and hope I followed. He hopped off Lucky so quickly I thought he’d do just that, but he simply walked around to Lucky’s snout and spoke low to him.

He was … waiting for me.