Chapter 7 Solace
Solace
Kaia runs her fingers through my fur, my entire body relaxing despite the tension of our situation.
"Everything is up to chance at this point," Kaia says, her voice thoughtful as she continues her rhythmic petting.
"I am waiting for the guard who drove the carriage to visit some of the shops.
He is one of the Betas who never really gets to leave the castle, and I overheard him mentioning how excited he was to have the opportunity to explore the tavern and the few establishments out here at the edge. "
That is hardly enough time to do everything we need to do, I send through our newly discovered mindlink, concern threading through my mental voice.
Even if he takes an hour, what do you think he will do when he notices we are gone?
And we still do not know exactly where the Shadowlands begin or what we will encounter once we cross that threshold.
"I just need to grab my bags, unhook one of my horses, and take off," Kaia says with the kind of confidence that both inspires and terrifies me. "It will take five minutes at most. Ten if the straps are difficult."
Your father will kill that guard, I point out, unable to keep the worry from my thoughts. When he discovers that you disappeared on that Beta's watch, he will assume the guard was negligent or complicit. Either way, that man's life is forfeit.
Kaia's hand pauses in my fur, and I feel her stiffen slightly.
Then she resumes her stroking, something calculating in her expression that tells me she has already considered this possibility.
"No, he will not actually. That guard is going to go look for that dragon's head himself.
I heard him talking about that too with one of the other servants last night when I was sneaking through the kitchens.
He wants to bring the riches back home to his family.
He has a wife and three children, and he is tired of watching Alphas get all the glory and opportunity while Betas like him serve in the background. "
I process this information, turning it over in my mind.
For as wild as Valoria’s princess can be, she is also very observant.
So he will follow us into the Shadowlands on his own quest, and when your father discovers you are gone, the guard will be gone as well.
Everyone will assume you slipped away while he was pursuing his own ambitions, not that he failed in his duty to watch over you.
"Exactly." The satisfaction in Kaia's voice makes me smile.
"And if he succeeds, if he somehow manages to slay a dragon and bring back its head, then he will have earned his reward fairly.
If he fails, well, at least he died chasing his own dream rather than being executed for a failure that was not truly his fault. "
You have planned every last detail, have you not?
I send the thought with a mixture of admiration and exasperation.
My clever, brilliant, impossibly reckless princess has put serious thought into this.
She has considered not just our escape but the ripple effects it will have on those around us, the ways her absence will be interpreted, and the cover stories that will naturally emerge to explain what happened.
Unfortunately, that is only the beginning of the journey.
Kaia sighs, the gust of air ruffling the fur on my head.
"Except my father forcing you to stay like this.
I did not plan for that. I did not anticipate that he would be suspicious enough to bind you in wolf form.
And I am going to fix it, Sol. I swear to you, I will find a way to break his command. "
I laugh, though it comes out as a huffing sound through my wolf's nose. I do not hate this form, you know. It has its advantages. Enhanced senses, greater speed, and natural weapons if we encounter threats. And I really like your hands in my fur. It feels wonderful, actually.
Kaia's fingers scratch lightly at the base of my skull, and I have to suppress a groan of pleasure.
If I were still human, I would be blushing at how much I am enjoying this.
There is something deeply satisfying about being petted, about the simple physical affection that requires no words or complex emotions.
Just touch and warmth and the knowledge that I am cared for.
The only thing I will miss is being able to taste you, I add before I can stop myself, and I feel Kaia's surprise ripple through our connection.
She blushes beautifully, color flooding her cheeks as she ducks her head.
The reaction is endearing, especially considering some of the things we did together just last night.
But there is something about me stating it so bluntly through the mindlink that flusters her in a way physical intimacy does not.
After a moment, she sighs again and lifts her head to look toward the tavern. "We need to leave. If we stay any longer, the Beta might turn us in instead of following us for his own adventure. The longer we wait, the more likely someone will notice we are still here."
That promise you made me still stands, I remind her firmly, pushing myself up from her lap and stretching my wolf body, my muscles rippling beneath my fur.
You listen to me, no questions asked. I am your protector first, your lover second.
Once we cross into the Shadowlands, my word is law when it comes to your safety. Understood?
Kaia nods, her expression sobering as the reality of what we are about to do settles over both of us. "Understood. I trust you with my life, Sol. I always have."
She stands, brushing grass from her pants, and walks over to the carriage. Her horse stands in the traces, still hitched to the vehicle, waiting patiently for instructions. The other horse has already been unhitched by one of the staff and is grazing nearby, its reins trailing on the ground.
Kaia reaches for the straps holding her horse to the carriage, trying to figure out which buckles need to be undone and in what order.
The harness is complex, designed to distribute weight evenly and give the driver maximum control, which means it is not meant to be removed quickly, and certainly not by someone with no experience unhitching horses from carriages.
She fumbles with the leather, her fingers working at buckles that refuse to cooperate. I can feel her frustration building through our link as she pulls at a strap, tugs at another, and lets out a low growl of pure exasperation.
I walk up beside her, assess the harness situation, and simply snap the leather strap with my teeth. Kaia turns to look at me, her face breaking into a delighted grin. "That works too," she says, reaching out to scratch between my ears in thanks.
She climbs into the carriage to retrieve her bags, before moving back to her horse, and I realize with growing concern that there is no saddle available. The saddles left with the supply wagon, already heading back toward the castle. All that remains is the basic halter and reins.
Are you going to be able to ride like that? I ask, unable to keep the doubt from my mental voice. Riding bareback requires significant skill, especially over rough terrain. One wrong move and Kaia could be thrown before our journey has truly begun.
Kaia nods confidently. "I have practiced for years without a saddle.
It feels better riding them free, you know?
No leather between us, just the warmth of their body and the rhythm of their movement.
My mother taught me. She said that true riders do not need saddles, that the connection between horse and rider is strongest when nothing separates them. "
She looks up at the chestnut with genuine affection, reaching out to stroke his neck. "Hey handsome, mind giving me a lift?"
The horse neighs in response, and I watch in fascination as he slowly curves his front foot backward and lifts it, creating a kind of step for Kaia to use.
This is clearly something she has taught him over time, and it speaks to the relationship between them.
This is not just a royal mount assigned to a princess but a partner, a companion.
Kaia steps onto the horse's bent leg and swings herself up onto his back with practiced grace. She settles into position, her hands tangling in his mane for balance. Then she leans forward to pat his neck affectionately. "Thank you. Let us go find some dragons, hmm?"
The horse gives a longer neigh, tossing his head as if in agreement. Kaia looks over at me, her eyes sparkling with the same mischief from last night. "Ready?"
Absolutely, I respond, and I mean it with every fiber of my being.
"This will be the last year for this nonsense, Sol. When I get home, I will rule my own kingdom, just the way my mother wanted it to be. No greed. No riches. Just the Valorian people and our happiness."