Page 117 of Scourged
His face fell, just a touch, the sly smirk slipping at her question. He chuckled nervously. “Can you blame me?”
She studied him, a reluctant smile tugging across her lips. “No. I think I pretty much handed you that one.” She turned back to Kodie, adjusting his bridle.
A stableboy rounded the corner.
“Sir,” he called, “your horse is ready.” The boy dipped his head to Mariah. “Your Majesty,” he squeaked, before scampering away.
Mariah stood beside Kodie’s head, staring up at Andrian. He held her gaze for a moment before stepping back, letting her lead her horse out of the stall, Kodie’s hooves clipping a steady rhythm across the floor.
“Time to leave, Armature,” she called over her shoulder. “Don’t make me wait on you.”
As it turned out,it wasn’t Andrian who kept their party waiting, but the young captain who had agreed to lead them to the abandoned apartment. Mariah, Andrian, and Sebastian all stood, mounted and waiting on their horses in the massive palace courtyard, when the captain rounded the corner, flushed and out of breath.
“My sincerest apologies, my queen,” he’d huffed, wiping a hand across his brow. “We had trouble locating the original report. I couldn’t be sure of the exact location without it.”
“You don’t remember it?”
The man flushed deeper. “I-I didn’t respond to the call, Your Majesty. I’ve never actually been there.”
Mariah’s lips tightened, but she held back her snarky retort. It would do them little good. “Very well.” She gestured toward the fourth saddled horse, waiting patiently by the stables. “Mount up. You’re leading us.”
The man scurried away, swinging himself into the saddle.
Mariah turned to Sebastian. “Seb, you’ll ride with him. Make sure he’s not full of shit.”
Sebastian’s lips tightened, hazel eyes darting between Mariah and Andrian, before nodding. “Don’t get too far behind,” he said softly. His words were clipped, but he said them.
Mariah loosened her breath, thankful that he’d taken a step back.
She had a feeling she had her best friend to thank for that and would besureto pull as much from Ciana about it the second they returned to the palace.
The captain trotted past, still flushed and sweating, and with a soft click, Sebastian urged his mount after him. Mariah squeezed her thighs and Kodie stepped into a steady walk, trailing after the captain and Sebastian.
“You coming, Armature?”
Behind her, she heard hoof steps.
“Always, princess.”
Chapter 44
“Have you ever been to the market district?”
Mariah glanced at Andrian, riding beside her on a black stallion. Sebastian and Ryland were ahead, the latter chatting animatedly to Sebastian, whose posture was polite yet tense in his saddle.
She shook her head. “Only when I came through with my dad the day before the Choosing. But we stayed the night in the mountain district, and the only other time I’ve been back down was on the day of the parade.”
“Which only leads through the city’s main roads,” Andrian growled. His hair had grown long and fell errantly into his eyes. He pushed it back with a frustrated movement. “We really should’ve gotten you out of the palace more.”
“It’s fine,” she murmured. He was dressed in a short sleeve black tee, and when he’d brushed his hair from his eyes, biceps shifting beneath the cotton …
She swallowed.
“I’m assuming you’ve been down here before,” she said, her eyes wandering around the bustling streets. While the road was clear for their horses, it was also lined with vendors, eachdesperate to display their wares. The sounds and shouting of bartering rang through the street.
“I’ve lived in Verith most of my life.” His voice was crisp and pointed. “Of course I’ve been down here.”
“Just making conversation, asshole,” she muttered under her breath, too quiet—she thought—for him to hear.