The Forest

Fifteen.

Court had been quiet since the four from the village had led us out of the tavern.

We had gotten into our cart while they had gotten in theirs. Two draft horses pulled their cart, the standard draft horses you would find in the village.

They were all tall draft horses typically with coats of a measly chestnut or a bay color. On occasion you might come across a white or black one. Some of them were crossed with the normal-sized horses of the village to make a more suitable horse.

Celeste had been the odd one out amongst the village, in a way a symbol of Court's status. I hadn't really seen any spotted horses in the village.

I have seen a few here, but none of them had the same frequent spotting Celeste has.

I remained seated next to Court with my arm linked through his as he followed the four from the village. We were going to see his mother after being told she hadn't been doing her best over the time the people had come to the village.

So, in a typical fashion of Court, we followed them.

The further into the cities we went the less pretty they seemed. There is clearly a wealth difference where you go and the people of the village, I once belonged to were considered on the bottom of the wealth pole.

Most of them didn't have money and had to sell belongings to get money. A part of me felt guilty as I looked around the area recognizing a few items of clothing from the village.

Faces I didn't recognize but the stitching I did.

They matched neither the people of the city nor Lucia's sewing style. Most of them were messier compared to everyone else.

Court's hand tightened on mine as he gave me a smile. A look of reassurance.

But the feeling didn't leave. I live with Court; I live with the wolf shifters away from all of this. All on account of being Court's lover.

If the sacrifice had never happened this would be my fate. Living here. Or maybe it'd be worse. Paths changed so much with me becoming Court's lover. My path changed as well as his. But I couldn't dwell on the past.

"She has a room here."

The guard turned to us as he pulled the cart in front of an inn. Multiple horses were let out next to the inn grazing on a mixture of feed and hay.

Court undid our horses and put them out with them before motioning me over to him. I climbed out of the cart after Court stashed our valuables on him once more.

Despite knowing these people to a degree Court didn't trust them and I didn't blame him. There could also be people who weren't from the village here who wouldn't hesitate to snatch up some coins that someone isn't guarding.

"Do you know what room she's in?" Court asked.

"Last room on the right." The man answered.

"Come." Court held his hand out to me, and I grasped it before following him quietly.

Court looked around the inn as the four of them took seats down in the half-done tavern that is downstairs. Most of it was just serving drinks which made sense on why they were at the tavern we were at.

With one last glance we walked down to the end of the hall to the door where his mom is.

Just as he got to the door he paused right in the doorway.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

Court remained dead quiet as he sniffed the air before all the emotion on his face dropped. He went from hopeful yet uneasy to a complete uneasy.