Artifice - Man x Man - Book Six

Chapter 1

Would there ever be a time when one of us wasn't in peril? It would seem that was the way we lived our lives, whenever things began to go smoothly the universe had a funny habit of throwing a curve into the road and sending us back on the path to disaster. Happiness felt unreasonable, a request that offended whatever god had accepted us into their fold. 

How dare we do more than survive?

 I'm unfeeling as we run to the stables, the expansive courtyard still decorated from my wedding. The streamers, reds, whites, and golds, billow in the breeze as if they're declaring war on the universe.  I'm practically in my underwear, just an undershirt, and some leggings, my bare feet complain from the gravel as we bound into the barn.

I raid the stable closet and manage to find a pair of older tall boots and a belt to hold my pants up. Not quite royalty but it will have to do. "Helen. If you are lying to me, with my dying breath, I will smite you." I tell her as I climb onto the back of a young black gelding, my heart nearly stops from the surprise as I hear the thunderous hooves of the white unicorn charging after us.

"Fergus, go home!" I snap at the lazy beast as he sniffs me for carrots. My horse dances nervously at the horned creature's presence but I notice, he's not checking me as he usually does. He stares directly at me as if he's looking into my soul. I bump him on the nose with my elbow, trying to avoid the large black eyes. 

I don't need any more guilt, I don't need any more questions. I've had my fill of strange happenings without a unicorn adding in. 

"What's his problem?" Helen asks, nervously clinging to her horse's reins. It leaps and hops from her stiff posture, and I grumble in frustration.

 Amateurs. She must be related to Verando.

"Relax your legs and for god's sake, sit up!" My voice is harsh and short but I can't be bothered by mannerisms. She obeys, glancing away from me like a scolded child. "What is it, Fergus?"

"There ain't no coming back." The accent is strong and distant, almost disembodied. I hear Tomas whistle, Fergus cranes his neck and whinnies a response. I don't have time for this, I can't afford to worry about this. 

"If they try and come after us, lead them away. Please." 

"Does he understand you?" Helen's voice is small. 

"He's a damn unicorn. Did you not hear him speak?"

"No." She watches us with wide eyes and when I look back to where the white creature stood only to find that he's gone. I swallow, the words playing on repeat in my head. 

Don't let it distract you. This girl isn't from the future, she's a liar and Verando is fine. 

I urge her to hurry up as we race towards the city, the sound of our horse's hooves on the cobblestones makes my adrenaline spike and I feel as though I'm racing my own heart. As long as it's beating, he's alive and there's a chance, that is if any of this is even true. 

"What body of water?" Maybe these tours weren't for not, but I feel surprisingly at home. I've traveled to this city so many times, where I should feel like a stranger, even the massive amounts of people and carriages that crowd the streets don't lead me astray. 

"La Seine." 

I curse. No. "That's not in Paris, that's just outside the city. Time?" 

"45 minutes!"

We're not going to make it.

 I make a sharp turn as we shove our way into traffic, the carriages cluster together and I take the lead as we weave through the busy streets. Our horses slip and slide from the slick cobblestones, fresh with the night's rain. Everywhere I look, I see banners and announcements for the royal wedding. Paintings and banners of mine and Fillipa's likeness cover the streets and people clap and cheer when they see me.