Chapter 15
Once the elixir healed her cheek and ribs, they left the pier, and Tal immediately recognized the two waiting mares. “These are palace horses.”
“You know them?” Faron took the reins from a frowning guard.
Tal’s eyes narrowed. “Another friend?”
“Oh, you haven’t met Jens? He just had to come meet the bounty hunter who fought off three attackers on her own, isn’t that right, Jens?”
Jens grunted and his gaze roamed over Tal, appraising. She returned his scrutiny with some of her own. She turned from the guard and greeted each horse by name, letting them nuzzle her with their snout. “How did you get two palace horses?”
“I didn’t steal them if that’s what you were thinking.
I’m a friend of the king’s,” he reminded her.
“I’m free to take his horses for a run if I wish.
” He mounted the brown mare named Hazel and waited for Tal to mount the gray, speckled mare named Pepper.
Jens made a noise beside her, but both Tal and Faron ignored him.
“That’s exactly what a thief would say.” Tal smirked from Pepper’s saddle.
“And yet you still got on the horse,” he quipped back.
Tal shrugged. “I’ve done worse things than ride a stolen horse. But don’t you have horses of your own?”
“My horse needs a rest today, and the others are at my estate.”
Jens reached his hand out. “M—My lord—” Faron must not have heard, because he kicked the horse into a canter, and Tal jumped to follow him. They reached the edge of town and slowed to a trot through the woods.
“Did Jens have his own horse? I didn’t see one,” Tal asked.
The glint in Faron’s gaze left Tal chuckling. “He’ll find one somewhere. He’s such a spoilsport. Didn’t want us going too far with the palace horses. I promised I’d bring them back before lunch.”
“So, you did steal them!”
“It’s only stealing if we don’t bring them back. Let’s not waste what little time we have. Hyah!” Hazel jolted into a gallop through the narrow path while Faron yelled back for Tal to keep up.
She snickered to herself and kicked Pepper into motion.
The thumping of the horse’s hooves played a rhythm to match Tal’s heartbeat as the trees flew past. She relished the wind in her hair.
Pockets of sunshine warmed her face, and she turned her head to greet it.
There was nothing quite like letting a well-bred horse open up its gait, and she leaned into the saddle without pain in her newly healed ribcage.
Tal thought of the fact that Faron had delayed their plans until sunrise so she could take the elixir. He knew I wouldn’t be able to ride without it, she thought, heat spreading across her no-longer-bruised cheeks.
The two riders weaved in and out of the trees. They alternated between a trot and a gallop, trying to catch the other. When Faron pretended to hide behind a thin trunk, Tal laughed freely for the first time in ages.
The sun sat fully in the sky when they came upon a well-maintained one-room structure near a clearing. They unsaddled the horses by the attached shed and set them up with food and water. Faron told her to wait while he went into the house. He emerged with bows and quivers filled with arrows.
“Hungry? There’s quail usually just past the tree line.”
“So, your plan was to ride horses and hunt quail? Forgive me if I was expecting something a little more… precarious.” She threw the quiver over her back anyway.
“I’m sure you’ll manage to find some mischief.”
She chuffed. “Maybe I will.”
They stalked between the trees, easily finding their prey. Faron quickly drew back his bowstring and released his arrow, killing two birds at once. Tal missed one shot after another.
She grumbled to herself that a bow and arrow would do her no good in hand-to-hand combat. Faron teased her, “I don’t know what kind of quail you encounter in town, but I’ve never seen one big enough to grapple with.”
“No, but I could take down a boar and feed several families.”
“That’s…” He paused. When Tal didn’t deny it, he added, “Impressive.”
Another of Tal’s arrows missed its mark, and she swung her bow around in frustration. “Damned thing.”
“I don’t think it’s the bow’s fault.” He laughed.
A flicker in her chest had Tal concentrating on her breaths before she shot a flame at the noble out of spite. “What are we even doing out here anyway?”
He leaned back against the trunk of a nearby tree. “It’s peaceful out here. I thought you’d appreciate the fresh air. Besides, I heard the trees can tell us our future.”
Tal scoffed. “And what do they say?”
“Nothing yet.” He shrugged.
“I guess you’re no witch then.”
“Ha! No, I guess not.” Faron shook his head.
It was no secret that witches lived within the woods. Tal wondered if he knew how close his musings were to their lore.
When they’d caught enough for a meal, Faron set about preparing the birds to be roasted on the fire pit on the far side of the building.
Tal picked berries nearby. When they sat to eat, Faron let her have the first bite, and he chuckled when she nearly groaned at the flavor.
“I take it you don’t eat fresh food often? ”
Tal took another bite and spoke with her mouth full, “Only as fresh as they can get at the tavern. The fish are usually pretty fresh, but it gets boring eating the same thing all the time.”
“I could tell by the way you enjoyed the buffalo at the masquerade.” He popped a purple berry into his mouth.
“So, you were watching me then?” she teased.
“You were pretty difficult to miss.” He threw the next berry at Tal. She snatched it out of the air and popped it into her mouth.
“Are you going to tell me who asked me to dance then?” She brought up the mystery noble whose identity eluded her. She tried to recall the color of the man’s eyes, but that detail remained fuzzy.
“If you don’t know by now, I don’t think you would want to know.”
Tal put down her roasted quail. “What do you mean by that?”
“Why don’t you ask your noble knight?”
“I’m hoping to avoid all conversation with him regarding the masquerade.”
“Oh, right. I almost forgot.” He bit into a strip of quail to hide his smirk.
“Lying is not a good look for you.”
He winked at her and opened his mouth to say something but hesitated.
Tal’s thoughts raced as she returned to her meal. Who was the mystery man, and why had he taken an interest in her? Why would Faron keep his identity a secret? A thought occurred to her, and she scrutinized her companion. “It was you.”
Faron barked out a laugh, throwing his head back. By his reaction, Tal couldn’t tell if she was right or not. He wiped tears from his eyes. “How much champagne did you have that night that you couldn’t tell if it was me?”
Embarrassment warmed her cheeks. She didn’t feel the need to remind him that the second time she’d met him had been several weeks before the ball. “Well, who else could it be? And why else won’t you tell me?”
“My dear huntress, I am not one for dancing. And I am not telling you who it is because I enjoy seeing you flustered.” He ended on a near whisper, leaning close to her.
Tal could imagine the feel of his breath on her cheek and grabbed the food out of his hand.
“I’m not flustered,” she grumbled before shoving it in her mouth.
He was right, though. Her mysterious dance partner had blue eyes, not the mixture of green and tan that she noted in her companion’s gaze today.
He held out another piece of meat with mischief in his eyes.
She snatched the quail out of his hand and ate it none-too-gracefully, earning a light chuckle from him.
“His name is James.” Faron watched her reaction.
Tal slowed her chewing. “James?”
“As in King James.” He drew out the name.
Tal swallowed a large chunk of meat. “The king?”
Faron nodded.
The king? Tal repeated to herself. Why would the king take an interest in me?
Her mind reeled. She remembered the conversation on the balcony, how she had pulled him into the gardens and lain beside him in the grass.
She remembered his hands on her waist while he pulled her across the dance floor, how Daire had insisted she accept his request. Her thoughts darkened.
Daire criticized her behavior, called her a barbarian, and yet the king had sought her out.
Her emotions warred between anger, confusion, and wariness.
Daire could be dealt with later, but her earlier suspicion of King James resurfaced.
“Do you wish I hadn’t told you?” Faron teased. He took her inner turmoil for embarrassment.
“No. I just—Why?”
“Who wouldn’t want to have your attention?”
Tal didn’t reciprocate his lighthearted tone. “I’m serious, Faron. After the way I behaved, why would he take an interest in me?”
He held his jaw between his thumb and forefinger, and his eyebrow twitched. “I suppose he likes to cause a stir. You’d already turned a few heads. Dancing with the beautiful woman who ate and drank without restraint sent quite the message to the small-minded elite.”
“You mean the woman who retched said food and drink all over the dance floor.” She grimaced.
“His opinion of you only improved, I assure you.” When Tal widened her eyes at him, Faron said, “Don’t worry. I’ve told him you’re off limits.”
Tal choked on the berry in her mouth, sending Faron into fits of laughter.
When they’d finished eating, Tal cleaned up the leftovers and smothered the fire while Faron went back inside the house. He emerged with a hard leather case, the same color as his red suit, slung across his back. Faron gestured to the case and instructed Tal to open it.
“What is it?” She studied it with suspicion.
“Open it and find out,” he goaded.