The Shade of Gold (Shades of Darkness Book 1) by Emily Chabot

Author:Emily Chabot [Chabot, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: OneTree Quill Publishing
Published: 2020-10-30T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Max

We ride hard through the city, the prince setting a fast pace as he leads us through the winding back roads and into the town. The townspeople watch us curiously as we pass through, smiling and waving at the prince, but eyeing us with wary suspicion. Many of them still think us to be savages, though our clothes match their kingdom now, and our faces are clean and void of emotion.

The muscled body beneath me rides with ease despite the fast pace and keeps up without effort. The other horses, however, don’t fare as well. Airick’s horse in front of me is coated in a thin sheen of sweat as it gasps through flared nostrils.

Ariella’s horse does much better, though I can tell it tires as well. From the look on Ariella’s face, I can tell she is enjoying this no more than the horse, her expression strained and repulsed as she pushes onward. She’s always been afraid of horses.

I remember back a few years ago when the Malum had tried to train her on horseback. The animal was already uneasy as Ariella approached, but as soon as she got within arms reach, the horse had snorted and Ariella screamed. She’d had nightmares for three weeks straight after that.

I smile at the memory. Ariella turns to me in the saddle and huffs.

“What?” I ask as I meet her laughing gaze.

“What’re you smiling at?” she asks.

“You.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Me? Why are you smiling at me?”

“I was remembering the first time you tried to ride a horse,” I say with a shrug and her face blushes pink. “It snorted and you screamed. Took you a month before you would even go near one again.”

She straightens her shoulders and faces forward with a look of nonchalance. “These beasts are large and terrifying. They could squash us underfoot if they wanted to.”

We’ve slowed to a leisure walk as we near a large cottage just off the road. The smokestack atop the building spews white plumes and as we get closer, the smells alone are enough to make my mouth water: warm, fresh bread; sweet pastries with nectarous fruit preserves; and something else I can’t quite name, something sweet but sour, fermented almost. The thickening aromas are enough to drive my mind into a frenzy and my concentration follows suit. They remind me so much of home, of our camp and though the Malum was evil and will not be missed, we were safe there. We were whole there.

The scent turns foul in my sinuses as a pang pierces through me. For the thousandth time, I curse the Malum for her cruelty and greed. If it weren’t for her, we’d all be there, alive. Our family would be whole and safe under her protection.

But then, we’d still be under her cruel wrath as well. Ariella and I wouldn’t have . . .

The memory of last night returns to the surface and my body flushes with fever.

I look at her from the corner of my eye and admire her strong profile.

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