The King's Obsession by Tanya Bird

Author:Tanya Bird [Bird, Tanya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tanya Bird

Chapter 19

The forest between Soarid and Lirald was dense and alive with creatures Petra had only encountered in books. Birds crowed, lizards clicked and colourful fur flashed in the shrubbery. She clutched the saddlebag in one hand and the dagger in the other. The goldsmith had mentioned boars in the South, but she preferred to err on the side of caution in case they had wandered north.

Tall pines loomed overhead, stretching in all directions. She should have moved off the track, but her fear of getting lost kept her feet firmly on the path winding between the trees. The setting reminded her of the night she had slept on the forest floor, certain that if the cold did not kill her, the insects would. She had eventually surrendered to sleep only to be woken gently by a rather handsome Sir Leksi.

Another glance over her shoulder. He was not there.

The sky rumbled overhead, and she stopped walking and looked up. At some point, clouds had swallowed the sun, their colour suggesting it might actually rain. That explained the goldsmith’s laughter. She had almost forgotten that Syrasan was capable of rain in the warm season. That was why they had food while their neighbours wilted. It would probably just be a shower, and the trees would provide enough cover for her to continue. She resumed walking. The sooner she got to the border, the better.

A drop of rain splashed on her forehead and she wiped at it. Another rumble of thunder made her look around, worried she would not hear approaching horses over the noise. A sudden wind hit her from the north, causing all the hairs on her arms to stand on end. She reached up and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head as more rain began to fall. Within minutes, she noticed the heaviness of her cloak as it collected the water. Not quite the shower she had predicted, but rather steady rain, which seemed to have settled in the skies above her.

Another glance behind. She wondered how far she was from Lirald, not that she was planning to stop there. Leksi would likely be waiting for her to make a mistake so he could drag her back to Archdale. He would be expecting her to seek shelter indoors, but she had everything she needed with her, and she could survive outdoors if it meant reaching her son.

Water began to pool on the forest floor, the earth too dry to absorb it. Her boots held up well at first, keeping her feet dry. Then every part of her was wet, her dress soaked through, and her feet slushing in her boots. She stopped walking, looking around for shelter, but water seemed to trickle from every nook of the forest. With no idea how long the downpour might last, she realised that she was actually going to have to attempt to build some.

She blinked, eyes heavy from lack of sleep. Perhaps she would allow herself an hour’s rest until the rain stopped.

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