Chapter 18 #2
“I suppose it is very secret spy-like. I’ll fill you in on our journey. I’m afraid we need to leave as soon as possible.” He turned to a man standing near the entrance. “Can you get them packed for the trip? Everything they might need. Swiftly, please.”
“We’re leaving?” Katherine chimed in. “But—”
“Rest assured,” Gideon cooed. “Your claimed will be joining us, as well. I would not dream of separating you.”
Her shoulders visibly relaxed.
Wow. She was really that worried about it? Once again, I was surprised by her affection for Benedict.
“Where are we going?” I asked. Please don’t say the middle of the woods. Please, god, I will do anything to avoid tromping through the forest again.
“We received a letter from the barracks. Your friends are there. War games will begin in three days’ time. And let’s just say, we better be there before they’re over.”
“War games?” Katherine asked. “I’ve heard of those. The Ministry uses them as training for real combat against earthlies.”
“Which is why we have to hurry.” Gideon rested his hands on the large wooden table in front of him, peering over an array of maps, letters, and handwritten notes. “The war games aren’t what the cadets there believe them to be.”
Katherine took a step forward. “What are you talking about?”
“While they think they’re only training for combat,” he explained, “they’ll actually be killing hundreds of innocents.”
“Horses?” I asked, my heart in my throat. “Are you kidding me? We don’t have, like, a van or something?”
I was whining to Katherine, but Gideon stepped out from behind one of the massive animals and approached, wearing a concerned frown. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Afraid of riding?”
“No,” I sputtered. “I just expected a more modern mode of transportation. Benedict is coming, he can jump us there!”
“I’m afraid your friend’s powers will need to be saved for our final destination,” he explained solemnly. “Jumping is a coveted gift, and we certainly won’t waste it if we don’t have to. Besides, these horses enjoy long journeys.”
With a gentle smile, he slid a large hand down the horse’s snout.
Snout? Was that the word for a horse’s nose?
I wasn’t up-to-date on my horse lingo. But I did know they were beautiful. And intimidating.
And huge.
“Well.” I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Okay, then. I’m an animal lover, after all. It can’t be too hard, right?”
Benedict helped Katherine onto a horse. As she settled, it whinnied and dipped its head. Katherine quickly pulled the reins while Benedict made a whoaa sound.
I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. “Sorry,” I muttered. “He must be sensitive to bitchiness.”
It was a joke. Really. Katherine and I had come a long way, and I was past outright calling her a bitch.
I was an evolving woman, after all.
Gideon watched me with an amused smile.
As I met his eye, I couldn’t help but wonder why we had been told not to talk to him. At least we hadn’t been told not to look at him.
Because I couldn’t help but look at him. That’s all I ever wanted to do when he was near. And some strange, twisted urge deep inside me made me want to keep talking to him, too.
Was that so horrible? That I was drawn to this exquisite, dark, mysterious man? That I wanted to keep looking into those near-black eyes? That—for once in my life—I actually felt something other than mild disgust for a man?
“You’re staring,” he said.
Oops.
“Sorry.” Wincing, I turned toward the horse, searching my mind for an excuse that would make this less awkward. “I thought you had an eyelash in your eye. You’re good, though.”
I pet the horse, mimicking Gideon’s movement from earlier. The animal nuzzled my hand and I sucked in a breath.
“Don’t worry, she’s friendly.” He slid his own hand down the creature’s alleged snout.
“I can tell,” I replied. “She has kind eyes.” It was true. The eyes never lied. I may have never been this close to a horse before, but I knew I didn’t need to fear this large, stunning creature. It—she—wouldn’t hurt me.
I’d spent enough time around animals to know when they would.
“I’m glad you think so,” Gideon said. “Because she’ll be yours for the trip.”
I leaned into the beautiful white animal, and whispered, “I’m going to be sitting on you for a while, and I do apologize for that, but I hope you don’t mind. I swear I’ll be nice.”
He chuckled behind me. “Need help getting on?”
“Uh—” I stepped backward and assessed the size of the creature. “You’re telling me it’s possible to get on without help?” How? The leather foot harness hanging down from the saddle was nearly at my shoulder!
“Not for you, no,” he said, laughing lightly, his eyes dancing.
Yeah, he definitely did not seem like the terrifying man they’d made him out to be when we arrived.
Only when he stepped up behind me did I realize just how tall he was.
“Here.” He placed his hands on my hips from behind, then angled in until his mouth was just an inch from my ear. “Don’t worry, little snake. I’ll be right next to you the whole time.” With that, he lifted me like I was nothing.
I swung my leg over the saddle and settled in, ignoring the tickle in my chest in response to his words.
They meant nothing, right?
He was just being kind.
He would have said the same thing to Katherine. Or Benedict. Or Carter—who for some reason was also traveling with us.
“The sun will set shortly,” Gideon said to our group, which also included a few men I hadn’t met. “Let’s get as much distance between us and this place as possible before then.”
Then we were off, riding into the night to find my friends.
A sinking feeling settled in my gut.
I’m coming for you, Elijah. It’s my turn to save the day.