Traitors of the Black Crown by Cate Pearce & Cate Pearce

Author:Cate Pearce & Cate Pearce
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sapphic, Knights, LGBT, Fantasy
Publisher: Hansen House
Published: 2021-09-22T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

RAENA’S AUTUMN

There was a point, after several hours, when Aven was satisfied and exhausted. Raena was sore and drained, but couldn’t even think of sleep. Her nerves had been a tangle of fear and joy and lust and love, all at once. She was a ball of excitement and anxiety that wouldn’t quell.

As soon as Raena sensed Aven was asleep beside her, she got up from the bed and dressed, slipping out of the room with nary a sound.

Raena didn’t wait until dawn to leave. She was confident that she could move undetected in the dark and it would be to her advantage. After all, she was one rider and she would wear a thick concealment cloak and take a light-trodding horse.

She fetched her bags from the guest quarters, took a satchel from the kitchen, and mounted a healthy rouncey from the stables. Once she passed through the gates, she took to the hills. Within an hour she was high above the roads so she could watch for signs of travelers when the sun rose.

It was quiet, in the trees, except for the soft patting of the rouncey’s feet atop the leaves and the random calls of birds that Raena didn’t recognize. After midday, she realized she had seen no riders at all for over an hour, and her mind began to drift and wander back to thoughts of Aven.

Raena was relieved but still terrified. When she thought about her decision to tell Aven, it seemed ludicrous. She’d known Aven a few months, and trusted her with the secret that could cost Raena her life? But, when Raena listened to her heart and let Aven’s own words and actions be her guide, she was certain that she had chosen the right course.

Going back and forth inside her head became tedious, and so Raena decided instead to focus on imagining the reunion they would have, when she returned. They wouldn’t be apart for long, if Raena might resolve this task with the Prince in a few short days and be back to Colby and Aven’s arms.

Her thoughts were focused on Aven the full day. Raena never saw any more riders than the expected parties of peasants, merchants, and laboring serfs. Raena reached the outer edge of Hanford duchy by nightfall, and she lurked in shadows, watching for signs of Zander’s men or horses near the gates. She bound her horse in the forest then covered herself in her cloak and charcoal paint to conceal her bright, pale skin.

Raena had to cross an open field to reach the furthest outpost, her eyes darting side-to-side as she did. When they called down to her, she pulled open her cloak to reveal the sigil of House Colby on her chest, and they beckoned her closer for recognition.

“May I come up?” Raena called to the guards, whispering as loudly as she could.

They scanned the field behind her for signs of anything unusual, then one of them shook his head and descended the ladder to her.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.