City of Solis (Beta Read)

Chapter 5

I sat myself against the wagon wheel. Trailing my fingers over the tuels of my dress. It started to grow on me the longer I stared. Maybe it was the light pink color, or the way it shimmered in the sunlight, or it could have just been because I was wearing it for Resa. I swallowed, leaning my head back. Though the wheel against my was painful I watched gray clouds start to roll across the deep blue sky. There would be a storm soon. I didn’t mind sitting beneath the clouds as the rain poured, but the skin bumps along my arms were starting to numb, and my lips started to quiver. I could have taken the carriage and be miles away from the assassin by now. I even had settled on a name for the gentle steed, and I could make it just fine on my own. 

I’d like to think I could make it just fine. 

My stomach rumbled ferociously and I clamped my arms around my waist to cease the loud cry for food. The wheel beneath my head bumped slightly as Shimmer, whinnied. Her hooves shifted over the stone, a movement I recognized as restlessness, or uneasiness. I saw nothing, and heard nothing except for the sound of rattling leaves and the snorts Shimmer made in warning. I searched the woods for some sort of animal that might’ve spooked her. But the entanglement of trees and branches were empty, and darkening with the sky. A raindrop landed against my nose, I pushed myself onto my feet peering into the trees. Squinting to peer between every daunting oak. The hairs on the back of my neck standing the closer I stepped to the treeline, the vague feeling of something peering back at me. 

“I told you to stay with the horse,” I twisted my head to Cas who had somehow managed to sneak up behind me on top of Pretty Boy.

“I did,” I responded abrasively, taking the golden muzzle of my steed with care as Cassielle climbed down.

“Here,” Cas tossed a pool of emerald colored cotton at my feet, I scooped up the gently warmed cloth and immediately wrapped it over my shoulders. I would have muttered a ‘thank you’ but she had already continued past me working to disconnect Shimmer from the wagon. I ran a hand over the new leather girdle over Pretty Boy’s muzzle. That would explain the time she had taken. I stood into the stirrup and climbed into the worn saddle taking the reins with numb hands. 

I rode behind her, the rain becoming near brutal. I wanted to complain about it, and beg for a stop so I could close my eyes. But I imagined stopping again may lead to other unplanned events, besides there was no were to stop. Only a worn path and miles of trees. There wasn’t a spot on me where rain hadn’t invaded. My fingertips turned pruny as well as my feet. All those years in the mansion envisioning my travels never involved so much discomfort. And even though I frowned and my chest felt tight at times I still felt a strange serene shift inside. I never had to attend another council meeting. Or fight for time to spend with Pretty Boy. I never needed to attend another party. My mother and father were probably looking through the light, shaking their heads and holding their breath.

“Who were they?” I asked riding up beside Cas, desperate for something to preoccupy my mind and time. 

 “I don’t remember.” She shrugged. It was silly of me to assume the conversation might last longer than a few sentences. I used to wish others would cut to the point when answering questions, or telling stories. And here was a Sister who could perform the task with ease.

“I assume you killed them,” The thought of it irked me since she returned. And even though I had no proof they most likely would have followed us if it was money they were after. 

“Assume what you want,” she spoke with indifference. 

“Do you lack communication skills or are you just unpleasant?” 

“Oh, I am so sorry Your Highness, what would you like to talk about?” She asked laced with the same bitter sarcasm. 

“Don’t call me that.” I didn’t wish to befriend her, and thanking her would never happen, but I didn’t know how long she’d be dragging me across the country. And doing it in silence at this point might make the trip more pleasurable. Maybe that's what she expected: quiet obedience in response to her saving my life instead of taking it.