Chapter 6
True to Gabriel’s word, we only walked a few more minutes before the trees and plant life thinned and the light became brighter.
The eerie pulsing of the barrier wall was left far behind, and to my relief, I felt like I could finally take a full breath.
Wafts of fragrant food carried to us on a light breeze as we approached a clearing with people and tents around a dim fire.
Cora came to my side and grabbed my hand. Apprehension colored her face, and she leaned into me as we approached the campsite with Gabriel in the lead.
In the clearing stood a group of five, four men and one woman, all dressed in leathers with various weapons strapped to their bodies.
They were imposing, with strong builds that were clearly formed from years of training.
Beneath my intimidation, I was hesitantly impressed.
The woman and two of the men stood by the fire, animatedly chatting and laughing, while the other two stood on either side of the encampment, facing outward to scan the area and keep watch.
As we left the tree line, a man with short blond hair immediately tracked our movement and put his hand on a dagger. Recognition appeared in his eyes, his posture eased, and he greeted us with a smile, hands resting on his hips.
“Your reaction time is slowing, old man,” Gabriel joked. “I could’ve taken you out with a throw of my dagger fifty feet ago.”
The two men locked arms in a warm greeting.
“I could hear you stomping around the woods three miles back. I wasn’t worried,” the blond man teased with a beaming smile.
Cora and I lingered behind Gabriel. The rest of the seraphs moved to the blond man’s side and stared directly at us. Cora leaned further into me, my arm wrapped protectively around her. They looked at us like they were seeing a mythological creature. Awe and wariness.
“Rory. Cora. These fine folk are my most trusted soldiers.” Gabriel gestured to the five imposing figures gawking at us.
He stepped back to our side, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.
“This is my second in command, Dolus.” He pointed to the blond man.
Dolus raised his hand in greeting, his pale blue eyes assessing us.
“Everyone, this is Rory and Cora. They were attacked in the woods by a dryad. Thankfully, I heard the commotion before any permanent harm was done.” Gabriel paused, his eyes pulled to mine and back to his cadre.
“They accidentally crossed the threshing wall from the human side,” he said with a calm voice.
All eyes locked in on us, their faces a mixture of surprise and interest.
Cora gave the group a shy smile, and I timidly greeted them. “Hello.”
I was met with more silent scrutiny. My body went rigid. Cora slid behind me, still gripping my side.
Dolus broke the next few seconds of silence. “Our manners.” He turned his head sternly toward the others, eyes narrowed. “Forgive them for their lack of decorum. We have never encountered a human. This is a new experience for us.” He shifted toward Gabriel and gestured to me. “How did this happen?”
“I’m not sure.” I tried to hold my voice steady. “Cora and I were on a wagon, moving fast. I think it hit something and threw us off into the barrier…er…threshing wall. We woke up here.”
Gabriel moved his hand to my lower back and rested it there.
“These two have been through a harrowing couple of days and could use some food before I take them with us back to the castle. Dolus, get Rory and Cora something to eat, and the rest of you pack up camp and ready the horses to go.” The group broke their stare on Gabriel’s command, turning their backs to us and packing up their camp.
They all tried to meet one another’s eyes for a silent conversation, no doubt about us.
My stomach groaned again as the scent of savory food filled the air. Gabriel, keeping his hand on my lower back, led us to some seating at the center of the camp. Cora still clung to my side.
Gabriel seated Cora and me on a log, and Dolus handed us plates of some sort of meat and root vegetables. My stomach was eager for a meal, and it smelled incredible. I flicked my gaze at Cora, who was already hastily diving into her food.
Seven large horses grazed nearby, and I lit up at the sight of them.
Gabriel took a seat next to me, his thigh brushing against mine.
“I see you’ve noticed our horses. We will be riding them back to the castle.
I am unsure if humans use horses for transport, but this is the fastest way to move around the kingdom. It will be safe for both of you.”
“I used to ride a lot in my youth. You don’t need to worry about me. I know my way around a horse.”
I might have been a huge disappointment to my mother with how I turned out, but one thing I could say about my childhood with confidence was that I was excellent at horseback riding.
That’s not to say she was ever proud of my accomplishments.
My instructor often boasted about my skills to my mother, and all she would say was, “Well, I’m glad you’re not a total failure. ”
Gabriel raised his eyebrows. “That is wonderful to hear because we will spend most of the day riding. And you, Cora? Do you know how to ride?”
“I rode a horse with my mom when we ran away from my grandmother. His name was Buttons. Does that count?”
Gabriel furrowed his brow but didn't push for further details, to my relief. He smiled at her. “Of course it counts. Maybe we can have you take some lessons while you’re at the castle, since you will have some time before we figure out how to get you back home. Would you like that?”
Cora bit into a slice of thick bread and nodded with a smile on her face. I had always wanted to share my love of horses with Cora, but I was never able to afford lessons for her on my own, and I sold the horse we escaped on. “That would be lovely, Gabriel. Thank you,” I said on her behalf.
“My pleasure.” Gabriel softly smiled. His muscled thigh pressed against mine, and his proximity started to set in. He seemed gentle and kind, but my instincts drove me to gently slide away from him.
I didn’t typically let men touch me, especially ones I didn't know and ones that I had been taught would kill or enslave a human given the chance.
Since meeting him, his hands were often placed on my body, and I was always suspicious of any man, human or seraph, who felt entitled to touch others without explicit consent.
Still, I would have to be careful. I was in a foreign land with divine-touched entities who could kill us as easily as help us.
And help was what we needed. If the nobles in Tironaill were anything like human nobles, then egos were large, nothing was given without a cost, and propriety and ass-kissing would be expected.
I would need to play into his hands while keeping up a healthy guard to keep Cora and me safe.
My disdain for anything I experienced or witnessed here would be silent.
Here I was, biting my tongue once more, just the way they liked it.
Luckily, Gabriel didn’t appear to be offended at my need for space and gently tipped his head at me as he slowly rose to go talk to Dolus on the other side of camp.
After I cleaned my plate, I kept busy by taming my waves into a braid and helped Cora clean herself up, restyling her hair into a manageable ponytail. We were able to clean off most of the dirt that encrusted our faces and hands with the waterskins handed to us by Dolus.
Gabriel finished strapping equipment onto a beautiful dapple-grey mare.
I smiled at the familiar earthy smell of the horse and ran a hand down the side of the mare.
Gabriel’s head lifted to me, his eyes warm.
“You look like you feel a little better. Are you and Cora ready to leave? We will embark shortly to arrive at the castle before sunset.”
“Yes. I want to thank you again for all you are doing for us. I don’t know how I can repay your kindness.”
He took my hand in his. “You don’t need to keep thanking me, Rory. It is the right thing to do for a noblewoman and her youngling.”
I blinked. “Why do you assume I am of noble blood?”
“The way you carry yourself and speak. I can tell you have training and poise that are usually lacking in commoners. Am I wrong?”
Aristocrats were nothing if not consistent in their ability of sniffing out their own. “You aren’t. Though I left that life behind after Cora was born. Does that change your desire to help us?”
“No. I want you safe, regardless of your breeding. Besides, once a noble, always a noble. Shedding your title doesn’t change your lineage.”
I wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be comforting.
Gabriel released my hand and shouted over my head, “Soldiers! Let’s move out!”
“Let’s go, sweet girl,” I called to Cora as I grabbed my satchel.
The campsite was cleared quickly. The group of soldiers made every effort to erase signs that there was an entire camp with tents, fire, and bodies moving about for a few days.
I overheard the woman, Devoruh, talking to Jorus while we ate, and from what I could piece together, the group was on a reconnaissance mission to locate some militia who were thought to be plotting to break free criminals that were being imprisoned at the castle.
They were more cautious about what they talked about around me once they realized I was watching them.
Gabriel took my satchel and placed it atop the dapple-grey mare. “Rory, you will ride with me atop Eli.” He patted the neck of his huge, chocolate-brown stallion. “And Cora will ride with Devoruh.”
I froze. Cora grabbed my hand in silent protest.
Gabriel knitted his brow. “Is everything alright?”
“I… I thought Cora and I would ride together since I am a skilled equestrian.”
Devoruh took a step towards us, her face stoic. “Our extra horse is being used to carry our supplies. The youngling will have to ride with me.” I noted the edge of annoyance in her voice.
Cora leaned into me. While I appreciated all they had done for us and the protection they granted, I was not comfortable allowing my daughter to ride on a horse with a stranger, especially a seraph.
The thought of sitting in a saddle with Gabriel’s body pressed against mine for hours made me anxious.
Gabriel tracked the apprehension in my face. Cora buried her head into my side, gripping my hand tightly. He turned his head toward his group of soldiers.
“Devoruh, unload the mare and redistribute the supplies to everyone’s horses.”
Devoruh turned her head to Gabriel, and her jaw slackened. “Commander, we waste time entertaining this human’s unreasonableness. If we want to reach the castle by dark, we need to go now.” Her brows met in a scowl.
Gabriel stepped to Devoruh and looked down at her.
He pointed a finger at her face, and his lips peeled back in a sneer.
“This human is named Rory, and she and her daughter just went through a traumatic event and wish not to be separated. Their needs are never a waste of time. I deem it in the best interest of the youngling to have her ride with her mother. Do not make me repeat my order, Devoruh, or I will see to it that your insolence is met with a trip to the atoner.”
Devoruh’s eyes widened briefly, but she said nothing as she hurried to unload the mare.
“I am sorry to be a bother, Gabriel. Truly, I don’t want any of them in trouble,” I said in more self-preservation than anything else. Devoruh chanced giving me a look that could cut steel. I’m already pissing off seraphs. Great.
Gabriel turned to Cora and me, the stony look he had reserved for Devoruh softening for us.
Gabriel knelt to Cora’s level. “Neither of you is a bother,” he crooned, looking between Cora and me.
“And no need to explain yourself. I understand.” His switch from intimidating and stern to gentle and soft was a bit jolting.
After a few minutes of redistributing the supplies to everyone else’s horses, the group climbed into their saddles and waited for orders from Gabriel, who hadn't left Cora’s side, still kneeling to stay with her.
He held out his hand to Cora in a noble gesture. “May I assist you and your mother onto your horse?”
Cora gently placed her hand into his, giggling at his formality, and took a step toward him.
“Yes, please,” she responded as she dipped into a small curtsy.
I didn’t think she would remember to do something like that, but some of her nobility training still held firm.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but we needed it either way.
She grabbed my hand as Gabriel stood and pulled us both toward the dappled mare.
“Does she have a name?” Cora asked Gabriel.
He gave me a leg up onto the horse and placed the reins into my hand as the mare shifted her weight underneath me.
The smell of supple leather from the saddle and the heat radiating off the horse under my legs was a welcome memory coming back to life.
She let out a snort as I reached down and patted her neck.
I didn’t trust people easily, but a horse had never let me down. Horses were familiar and responsive.
“She doesn’t,” he said as he picked up Cora under her arms and placed her in front of me in the saddle. She looked like a doll in his arms. “Would you do the honor of naming her?”
“I can?” Her posture became less withdrawn, and the brightness in her face returned.
“Absolutely! Naming a horse is special and needs careful consideration. The horse will be loyal to the one who names it and creates a deep bond between equine and rider. While we venture to the castle, get to know the horse, her personality, and think about a special name for her. By the time we get there, you will know.”
Cora beamed.
“Soldiers. My ladies.” He inclined his head toward me. “Let’s go home.”
Each uneasy step I took in Tironaill brought me further away from my home, and maybe that’s exactly where I needed to be. This path was created for a reason, and I needed to stop fighting it long enough to figure out why I was on it and what it could potentially do for me.