Chapters Ten

KEYARA

Her head felt cloudy. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way he had touched her. How the pain in her face had dulled when he had.

And how he had looked when his eyes turned solid black.

She realized she should be terrified to leave with these men.

No one knew much about them, and after the way King Ash had acted today and the rumors she had always heard about his people, who knew what she was walking into? The rumors somehow didn’t seem so ridiculous now.

But she wasn’t scared at all. It felt right somehow.

The further away she got from him, the more she felt the ache in her injured cheek.

She suddenly realized they had made it all the way to the cabin while she was lost in thought, and her mother was speaking to her softly.

“I’m sorry, what?” she said lamely.

Anne pulled her into a hug. “It’s going to be all right, Keyara.”

Key wrapped her arms around Anne. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel like a child again, just for a moment. The memories in this cabin were good ones, and she felt a wave of love toward Anne.

“Thank you for always taking care of me, Ma.” she said into Anne’s shoulder, fighting back tears. “I know you didn’t have to do that.”

“Oh, hush with you, Keyara. You know I love you as much as I could love anyone. But it’s time for you to be more than a maid’s daughter now.”

Keyara stood up straight and nodded, wiping away her tears. Anne squeezed her hand and smiled.

Turning away from Key, she removed their small stack of dishes from the shelves in their tiny kitchen. At the same time, she spoke.

“The night they came for your mother,” she said, “when it was clear the castle was lost, there was very little time left. I couldn’t take anything with us.”

She grabbed a knife and began to pry back a slat in the wall behind the shelf. “Your mother’s only thought was saving you, but I knew a time would come when you may someday need to prove who you are.”

She reached into the space behind the wall, drawing out a small package.

“I took this from your mother’s room as I escaped,” she said, slowly unwrapping the package. “Your father kept it on the table by their bed.”

Inside was a very small portrait of a woman in a bronze frame. Her dark hair was piled on top of her head elaborately, and she wore a gold necklace with a red stone in the center. She had the same striking blue eyes as Key.

Keyara gasped. “Is that her?” she asked tentatively. She had never seen a depiction of her mother. Pershing had removed all the old portraits after he became king.

“That’s her.” Anne smiled. “Do you see how much you look like her?”

Key nodded and picked up the tiny portrait. Underneath was another small package. She looked up in question.

Anne unwrapped the second package. Inside was the necklace from the painting. Keyara picked it up carefully.

“Your mom took that off and gave it to me as I left, as a thank you for saving you, I suppose. As if she even had to ask.”

Anne’s eyes filled with tears at the memory of her friend. “She wore it often, and many will recognize it, I hope, even after all these years.”

Keyara studied the necklace. It was simple, but the ruby embedded into the pendant was worth more than they could ever hope to make in their lifetime working in the castle, she was certain.

“But these alone are not proof enough, Keyara, you understand that, don’t you?”

Keyara nodded. “Of course. Anyone could have stolen these when the castle was ransacked. The only hope I have is my resemblance to her…”

“The only hope you have is a strong army at your back,” Anne said sharply.

“A claim is nothing without that. Make an alliance with the king of Kodia. His kingdom borders ours, and this will benefit him as well, to expand his land. He is your greatest chance.”

She took the necklace and the portrait and carefully wrapped them back up, tying the package with string. She handed it to Key. “Keep those safe.”

The door opened and Jenna rushed in. Keyara slipped the package into her pocket.

“Sorry, Keyara,” said Jenna. “I knew Ma wanted a moment alone with you, and I thought I would make you something to eat on the way.”

She handed over a cloth wrapped around some bread and cheese, along with a generous amount of the blackberries they had picked that morning. Keyara laughed softly and looked up at Jenna, who smiled back at her.

~That all seemed so long ago now~, thought Keyara. She set the bundle on the table and threw her arms around Jenna.

“I’m going to miss you so much.” Keyara sniffed, fighting back more tears.

“I’ll miss you too, Key. Write to me, okay?”

Keyara nodded, giving Jenna one last squeeze. She took her hand. “Walk me back?” she asked softly.

Jenna wiped her eyes and nodded, picking up the food. Anne took her other hand, and together they walked back to the castle and toward her new life.

***

ASH

He tightened the straps on the saddle, securing the last of their meager belongings for the short ride to the border. They always traveled light. They should be there by morning. They wouldn’t need the horses from there.

“I sent Mateo ahead with news we were coming back early,” said Luca beside him. “We needed his horse anyway, for her.”

Ash nodded, scanning the courtyard, eager for his mate to return.

Luca leaned against his horse, who snorted softly in protest. “We’ll have to let the others know our negotiations are postponed,” he said.

“I’ll take care of it,” responded Ash, turning toward his beta. “The majority of our deals are already in place. These visits were more to keep up relations, for the most part.

“We just need to confirm with Lord Axell about details on our shipment of spices. He’s being stubborn about the price. I can send an emissary for that.”

“Will that emissary be me?” asked Luca suspiciously.

“I think I can spare you that,” Ash laughed. “I know you’re ready to get back to Jill.”

Luca grinned in relief. “Suddenly you understand, is that it?”

Ash smelled Key and clapped Luca on the shoulder, eager to go to her. “You could say that,” he said, turning away from his friend.

She entered the courtyard, flanked by her mother and sister. She held only a small bundle of food.

Ash held out his hand to take it from her. “Ready to go?” he asked gently.

Keyara swallowed and handed over the bundle, nodding nervously.

He wanted to wrap his arms around her in comfort. He could imagine his nose pressed against her neck, inhaling her sweet scent.

He turned to the horse to pack away her lunch before he did something else that would be unnerving for the girl. He had little control over himself in her presence.

Keyara glanced around at the mounted men, her eyes settling on the two empty saddles.

“My lord,” she said quietly. “I am afraid I’m not a very experienced rider.”

He frowned. How had he not considered that? A castle maid would have little to no reason to ever need to travel by horseback.

“I apologize,” she said, even more quietly. She must have mistaken his frown as annoyance.

“No, I’m sorry,” he stressed. “I should have inquired instead of making assumptions. Unfortunately, we have no other means of travel…” He trailed off in thought.

“You could ride with me?” he said hopefully.

Did he imagine it, or was there a slight spark in her eye at his suggestion?

She nodded. “All right,” she murmured. She gave her family one last hug, tears glittering in her blue eyes.

Ash turned away, mounting his horse, wishing to give her as much privacy as he could for her final goodbyes. He took the reins of the riderless horse and gave them to Luca, who tied the horse behind his for the journey.

He walked his horse slowly back to her and held out his hand. He assisted her up into the saddle, in front of him. She settled in her seat between his legs, her warm body pressed against him.

He could feel the powerful tingle of the mate bond where her body met his. He wrapped one hand lightly around her waist, holding her gently in place while he held the reins in the other.

The sweet scent of her filled his nose. He could feel himself stirring in desire and closed his eyes. ~Goddess, help me~, he thought, ~this ride will be torture~.

KEYARA

Key had felt her heart flutter when he suggested they share a horse for the journey. She was a terrible rider—she had not exaggerated that—so she had little choice.

But the thought of being so close to him was thrilling to her, and she wondered why she felt so strongly for this stranger.

As she settled into place on the horse, she marveled at how warm and soft his body felt, despite his impressive size and rippling muscles.

That feeling he said he would explain enveloped her, making her body relax and her mind feel at peace despite the events of the day.

“Are you ready?” he murmured in her ear. His voice seemed to echo in her mind, making the feeling twice as strong.

She cleared her throat and nodded, not trusting her voice.

King Ash nodded at Anne and Jenna, who looked on with tears in their eyes. Key lifted one hand in a small wave, giving them a weak smile.

He turned the horse, giving it a slight kick, and the group of Kodians left the castle behind, taking Key with them.

They rode in silence. It seemed to not be the time to try to find out whatever he had so urgently wanted to discuss with her earlier. And the truth was that she was enjoying the ride.

She had rarely had a chance to leave the castle in her life, and she marveled at the land around her. Once they had left the small trading village that was a slight distance from the castle behind, it was all new for her.

King Ash suddenly cleared his throat. She jumped, startled. She hadn’t realized how relaxed she was, pressed up against his broad frame.

“We will ride through the night until we cross the border into Kodia,” he told her.

“There is a small village there where we will drop off the horses. We board them there through the year until we make our annual diplomatic visits. We will rest there for the day before continuing the journey.”

They would ride all night? What about making camp? This seemed very odd to Keyara. She wondered how they would travel the rest of the way to his castle if the horses would be left behind but kept her questions brief.

“All night, sir? Isn’t that dangerous?” she asked.

He chuckled, as if that was the most ridiculous question he had ever heard. “No one will bother us,” he stated simply.

She furrowed her brow. She had always heard the roads could be quite dangerous. But she knew she had very little experience in the world.