14. Chapter Fourteen #2
“What’s what?” I asked, looking down at myself, my voice uncertain.
I wore a plain, white cotton dress—well, it was once white.
Years of wear had left it faded and dotted with minor stains, but it was clean and the best I had.
Clutched tightly to my chest was my makeshift potato-sack satchel, bulging with my hastily packed belongings.
Fen stared at me for a long moment, her dark eyes narrowing before a wry smirk tugged at her lips. “Is that a potato sack?” she asked, incredulity dripping from her tone. “Gods, you really are from Winshire.”
I froze, cheeks blazing. Felix tilted his head, squinting at the burlap sack like it might insult him next. “Oh, darling… a potato sack? Truly?” His voice softened, more fond than cruel. “Well. It’s not ideal, but we’re short on time and long on problems, so—it’ll do.”
I chanced a glance at Drake. That damned sly grin of his was back, tugging at the corner of his lips, and it made my heart flutter in the most frustrating way.
“Let’s go,” Felix continued, nodding toward the white mare waiting for me.
I approached the shimmering creature with awe, running my hand down her silky neck before gripping the horn of the saddle.
With some effort, I slipped one foot into the stirrup and gave a mighty hop.
My hands scrambled for purchase, but my leg didn’t quite make it over.
I dropped back to the ground, readjusted, and tried again. And again. And again.
Each attempt was a little more desperate than the last. My curvaceous body heaved with exertion as I hopped, the mare stomping and whinnying in apparent disapproval.
At last, I gave one final, ungraceful kick and managed to haul myself into the saddle, my round bum landing with an audible thud.
I straightened myself, smoothing my dress as though nothing at all had been amiss, and turned to face the trio with what I hoped was a look of quiet dignity.
Fen, however, was burying her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with laughter.
Felix let out a small, pained sigh. “Well. Points for persistence. We’ll work on grace later.
” he said, doing his best to sound encouraging but not quite hiding his disbelief.
Drake, on the other hand, stood silent, his lips pressed into a thin line—but the rest of his face betrayed his amusement.
I could see the effort it took him not to laugh.
“Evandra, love,” Felix said carefully, golden brows arched. “Have you truly never ridden a horse before?”
“Nope,” I replied plainly, sitting a little straighter in the saddle.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Fen quipped, her laugh cutting through the early morning air.
Without another word, the trio flicked their reins and set off down the cobblestone street. I mimicked their motions, awkwardly guiding my mare to follow. The rhythmic clip-clop of hooves echoed around us as we passed through the familiar streets of Winshire.
The journey ahead was daunting—terrifying, even—but as we left the edges of the town behind, a strange sensation began to bloom in my chest. It wasn’t the panic I had expected, nor the sadness of leaving my home.
No, it was something different entirely.
My heart beat fast, adrenaline coursing through me.
My lungs felt full like I could finally breathe.
I realized, with a thrill of excitement that shot up my spine, that this unfamiliar feeling was freedom.
Our horses approached the gate at the edge of town, its weathered wood standing as the last marker of the life I was leaving behind. I gently pulled back on the reins with my good arm, signaling my mare to slow. The party sensed my hesitation and came to a halt.
Eldrake turned to look at me; concern etched into his striking features.
The breeze caught his dark hair, sweeping it away from his face.
In the pale moonlight, he looked almost otherworldly atop his magnificent black steed, like something out of a fable.
His woolen cloak had fallen away, revealing the powerful musculature of his thighs as he clutched the animal, his form exuding strength and command.
I felt a pang of vulnerability—how small and out of place I must seem next to him—and yet, there was a pull.
A feeling that I’d follow him into hell itself if he asked.
“This is the furthest I’ve ever come before,” I admitted, my voice quiet as I looked out over the field that stretched beyond Winshire’s limits.
It shimmered faintly in the early dawn, its golden hues still kissed by the dew of the night.
It felt like standing on the edge of a precipice, staring into the unknown.
“We must ride now, Evandra. They’ll realize we’re gone soon.
” Felix’s voice from the front of the group broke the quiet, urgency lacing his words.
Eldrake’s attention remained on me, offering a steady, assuring presence.
He gave me a slight nod, the kind that told me I was stronger than I believed.
I nodded in return, inhaling deeply as I loosened my reins and urged my mare forward.
The horse responded with a gentle trot, and soon, we were riding beyond the town I had always known into a world I had only ever dreamed of.
For a while, we rode in silence. The rhythmic clip-clop of hooves mingled with the rustling breeze as my companions allowed me the space to adjust. The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scents of earth and freedom. My mind, however, was far from calm.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Papa. I pictured him waking to find my note, the panic spreading through him as he searched the inn for me.
I imagined him shouting my name, desperate to stop me, only to realize it was too late.
A pang of guilt tightened in my chest, but I forced it away. I couldn’t turn back now.
After some time, I realized Eldrake was watching me.
His gaze was soft yet intense as if he were trying to read the emotions etched across my face.
I must have looked as conflicted as I felt.
Summoning the strength to reassure him, I offered a small, tired smile, silently telling him I’d be alright.
He seemed to understand, his lips curving into a faint, approving grin before turning his attention back to the road ahead.
The sun began its slow ascent, casting its golden light over the endless wheat fields that flanked us. The shimmering hues danced like fire in the breeze, painting a picture of serenity. Each hoofbeat from my horse sent a jolt of pain through my injured shoulder, anchoring me to the present.
I looked ahead, letting my eyes settle on my new companions.
They were silent as we rode, their faces etched with concentration or perhaps preoccupation.
I found myself drawn to the large sword slung across Eldrake’s back.
Its sheer size made it look almost comically out of reach for someone like me, but in his capable grasp, it seemed perfectly at home.
The leather of the handle was worn and smooth from use, a testament to years of battles fought and won.
How many lives had been taken by the shining tip of that blade?
How many knights had fallen before him? The thought sent a shiver up my spine.
I entertained myself for a while by imagining Eldrake in the stories my father used to read to me when I was a child. In my mind, he was the mysterious, handsome protagonist, cutting through endless foes with ease, slaying monstrous beasts without so much as a flicker of fear.
His silver eyes gleamed with determination as he fought not for glory but to save me, his fair maiden. The thought brought a smile to my lips, though the irony wasn’t lost on me. In this life, it was allegedly my powers that were meant to save him.
As the hours stretched on, the morning dew began to lift, rising like faint ghosts from the golden wheat fields that bordered the dirt path.
The cicadas’ buzzing formed a steady hum, joined now and then by the soft, sorrowful calls of mourning doves somewhere in the distance.
The sun rose higher, casting warm light across the expansive flatlands.
I couldn’t help but smile as I took it all in.
It was so beautiful. I kicked myself for waiting this long to leave and see it.
The flatlands stretched endlessly in all directions, the horizon merging into a haze where earth met sky.
The forests of Winshire were far behind us now, replaced by this open, sprawling sea of wheat and wild grass.
I’d heard whispers from travelers at the inn that it took a whole day to cross the flatlands by horse.
After a while, I grew bored of my own thoughts, but the questions burning at the back of my throat refused to fade.
I wanted to bombard my companions with them.
Who am I, really? Who was my mother? Who sent them to find me, and what exactly is this rebellion?
And what about him? Who was Eldrake, truly?
The three riders ahead of me remained silent, their postures rigid with focus. I didn’t dare disturb them. Instead, I closed my eyes, imagining Castle City and what its streets hold for me.
However, instead of conjuring rooftops or market stalls…
something else answered. I strained my mind, trying to make sense of the picture in my head, but the harder I focused, the more I felt like I was sinking.
A flicker came first— a shimmer. I felt it before I saw it, as if I were drifting backward into water, the image on the surface just beyond reach.
I didn’t resist. I let the current take me, and suddenly, I was no longer on horseback.
The vision was vivid and overwhelming.