Chapter Eleven
Once I get back to my room, I make quick work of bathing and getting dressed.
My hair is still secure in its braid, so I just add a few more pins to it.
After pulling on the black canvas pants I found in my wardrobe, I grab a fitted long sleeve white blouse and pull it over my head.
I lace my knee-high boots up and grab a dark green cloak out of my wardrobe, putting it over my shoulders.
I do not think I will ever get used to the style here.
I walk over to the coffee table and see dinner has already been ordered and laid out for me. There is a note lying next to it from Ivorie explaining that she had to run to town and would be back later tonight. I drink a full glass of blood and grab a piece of meat to carry with me.
Before I reach the door, I hear a light tap against it.
“Come in,” I say.
The doorknob slowly turns and Draven steps into the room. He closes the door behind him and gazes around the room. I stand there insecurely as I watch him take in my personal room, forgetting he has seen it before.
He lets out a low whistle as he looks at me. “You look like you are ready for a hunt indeed.”
I dramatically bow at the waist circling my hand in front of me. “You have to look the part, to be the part.”
He lets out a soft laugh. “I am glad you put on a cloak because it is slightly chilly outside tonight. I have the horses waiting out beside the barn for us.”
Draven is wearing his own cloak, but his is black. He changed out of his training outfit from earlier and is now wearing dark trousers that fall over his leather boots and a fitted black shirt with the top button undone.
I twist my hands in front of me, starting to get nervous because I have not ridden a horse since I was a child. Not that I am going to tell him that.
“Have you eaten?” he asks.
I wave the piece of meat in the air in front of him. “Yes Draven, eating now.”
He nods. “Very good. Let’s go.”
We make our way to the front of the castle. As I chew on my piece of meat, I look over at Draven and notice he is being oddly suspicious. He keeps looking behind us and making us stop before we turn every corner.
I stop him with my hand to his chest. “Why are you acting so sneaky?”
He looks around me again and leans in. “We are sneaking out.”
“What do you mean we are sneaking out. You are the prince of this castle, why the hell would you need to sneak out of it?”
Draven puts his finger up to my lips. “Shhh, you are quite loud. How can anyone sneak out with you accompanying them?”
“Oh don’t be rude,” I say past his finger.
He quickly pulls his finger away.
“We are sneaking out because I do not want any guards insisting on going with us or telling my father. This is a secret operation tonight that no one but you and I need to know about.”
I nod my head in understanding. “Got it.”
We continue walking, still stopping at every corner. The fact that there will be no guards going with us brings me relief and unease at the same time.
When we finally make it to the front of the castle, we quite literally walk out the front door.
I stop and turn to him. “Really.”
“What?”
“We are sneaking around but all we do is just walk out the front door?”
His mouth lifts into a side grin. “I said nobody had to see us leave and my shadows are covering us right now. What did you suppose we do, sneak out of a window?”
Actually, yes, that was exactly what I was expecting we would do. I ignore him instead of saying that.
Draven sneaks us out of a side door hidden within the guarded wall, continuing to use his shadows to cover us and distract the guards. He gets us out so easily that it is almost terrifying.
I wonder where else he can he sneak into or out, that easily.
“It is scary how good you are at that,” I whisper.
Draven glances at me and smirks.
I look up, seeing that the stars in the sky are shining brightly tonight. There is also a full moon, so there is plenty of light to guide us.
Draven stops me right before we reach the horses and puts his hand out in front of me, holding something. I look down and see that he is handing me a dagger. It is small and encased in a leather sheath.
I take it from his hand gently and pull it out of the sheath, admiring its silver blade.
For how small it is, it looks very sharp.
The handle molds to my hand perfectly. I place it back in its sheath and look down at the handle.
It is a silver handle encrusted with yellow gemstones.
Engraved into it are swirls that shape into an array of tiny suns.
I run my thumb over it in awe, tracing the lines.
“It is lovely,” I say.
“I had it made for you. I also had the sword you were using earlier made for you.”
I immediately look up at him, and I swear for a split second, he almost looks nervous.
“I love it. Thank you for both of them.”
He nods. “Keep the dagger on you always. I got a leather strap made that attaches to it so you can strap it around your leg.”
He holds out the strap and I take it. I attach it to the dagger, then strap it around my thigh. I look up at him and he nods at me in approval.
We start walking forward again until the barn and horses he mentioned, comes into view. Draven walks up and goes to mount his horse, but stops and looks over at me.
These horses are huge. Bigger than I have certainly ever seen a horse to be.
They are solid black, shinning in the moonlight like marble.
I reach out my hand and stroke down its side as I slowly walk toward its head.
It moves its head in my direction and nudges me gently on the cheek with its muzzle, its velvet nose brushing against my skin. I let out a quiet laugh.
“Everything here loves you, it seems,” he says.
I stroke the horse one more time and move to its side again.
“I love animals,” I admit.
“I think the feeling is mutual.”
I look up at the top of the horse and then the ground.
Draven walks toward me. “I think I am going to have to help you on him.”
“I think you are right.”
He turns to stand behind me. I can feel every inch of his hard abdomen brush up against my back. He places his hands on either side of my hips, his grip firm. His hands are so big they engulf my hips and his fingers splay across my stomach.
When he is this close to me, his leather and smoked vanilla scent floods my senses. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, instantly feeling calm. It takes every ounce of restraint in my body not to lean back into his touch.
He bends forward, close to my ear. “Are you ready for me to lift you.”
“Yes,” I say, more breathlessly than I would like.
Without any count down or jump on my end, he picks me up as if I weigh the same as a sheet of paper.
He easily places me on top of the horse and sets me down perfectly into the saddle.
His hand drops to my leg for a moment while he tightens the straps.
I look down and stare at it until he takes it off my leg and hands me the rein with it.
I let out a deep breath, realizing I had been holding it that entire time.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, I am doing great. Loving the view from up here.”
He chuckles and walks over to his horse, easily mounting him in one swift, very impressive, motion. He picks up his own rein, gently nudging the horse with his foot as he starts to move forward. I do the same, letting Draven lead the way.
“It is about an hour ride from here,” he says.
“Okay.” I start to shift uncomfortably in the saddle.
This is going to be a long ride.
? ? ?
The ride as long as it is, is peaceful. Draven and I can be with each other and not have to speak. There is no awkwardness or pressure. Just two people enjoying each other’s company.
I look around us and see nothing but fields of bright green grass. Every now and again, a moon sprite comes to say hi.
They are still screaming at the sight of Draven, of course. He sticks his tongue out at one that passes him screeching. It is such an unprincely motion that all I can do is laugh with him and stare.
I wonder how many people get to see this side of him. The fact that I might be one of the only few makes warmth spread throughout my chest.
Each day I spend with him I feel like I am peeling back a new layer of his personality. It only makes it all the more gut-wrenching when we have to be around others, or even worse his father. He is a completely different person, like someone I do not even know.
I pity them for not knowing who he really is.
He never made it a point to be any certain way toward me other than himself. Even the second time we met, he apologized for how I may have perceived him. Almost like he cared what I thought of him.
In that moment, I was not thinking of anything but trying to get the hell of there. But now, I think of him often.
Draven breaks the silence between us.
“What did you do as job back home?” he asks.
His voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and I pause at his question. We rarely ever talk about my life before I came here. He never asks.
“I was a nurse.”
Draven looks over at me in question.
“Hmmm. Do you guys have people here who take care of those who are sick, or those who need medicine?”
“Like a healer?”
“Yes, that must be what you guys call nurses or doctors in your world. Yes, I was a healer.”
I look down at my hands, sadness washing over me.
“I worked in something called an emergency room. It is where people go when something bad happens or when they need help fast,” I explain.
He nods in understanding. “I think that was a very fitting career for you. You are a healer in more ways than you realize.”
I look over at him, not understanding what he means but he continues speaking.
“How about I ask the castle healer if you could come in some days and help her. Would you like that?” he asks.
“Very much. In fact, I would love that.”
He smiles. “Very well then. I will see what I can do to make it happen.”
I go to open my mouth to thank him, but our horses come to a halt.