Page 138 of The Blade in the Ashes
“Stay with me,” I told him. “We’re almost there.”
I just needed to get him through this foyer, out of the courtyard, and onto a horse.
Then, I’d figure out a way to prevent that wound from taking him away from me permanently.
Chapter Forty-One
Rankor
She was warm.
I had grown so accustomed to the chill in the air during our journey that it was strange to now have the warmth of a body pressed against mine.
A very small body that smelt far too much like vanilla.
She’d been about as thrilled by this arrangement as I had been. When she’d led the princesses to us, Myla screaming in excitement before throwing herself into Kent’s arms and Ezmie already complaining about getting dirty, Ayanna had scanned over the horses and immediately deduced where her place was. Then she planted her feet, crossed her arms, and opened her mouth to start protesting.
Kent had thrown the young girls onto their horses, hiding his grin as he did, and started moving the party towards the road before Ayanna could get out a single word.
For a moment, we stood staring at each other. She’d leveled those green eyes on mine and sneered while I’d crossed my arms firmly across my chest, silently daring her to say something.
Our standoff seemed to last for an eternity, but eventually she’d sighed, thrown herself onto the horse and waited silently for me to mount behindher. Her back had stiffened as I did, and I don’t think she’d relaxed an inch in the hours that followed as we rode towards Eagirton.
“You’re holding the reins too tightly,” she criticized suddenly, her voice haughty.
I jolted at the sound of her voice after so long spent in silence.
“I am not.”
“You actually are, though.”
“Would you like to take over?” I snapped.
She shifted, the motion rounding her hips against mine and—
Gods. It had been too long since I’d bedded anyone, and the last thing I needed was this self-righteous wisp of a woman grinding against me.
“Sit still,” I hissed into her ear, her dark hair brushing against my jawline.
“Perhaps youshouldallow me to take over. I would probably ride better than you,” she mused aloud.
She was a walking, talking headache.
Elaijah trotted up beside us, leaning over to look at the reins grasped within my fingertips.
“Your knucklesareturning white,” he observed, dryly.
Ayanna grinned at him before glancing wickedly over her shoulder at me, as if to say,See?
“Oh, piss off, the both of you!”
Elaijah laughed, looking towards Ayanna. “I apologize on behalf of my brother for his gruffness. I wish I could offer you an explanation, but it’s essentially a character flaw of his.”
Behind me, I could hear Kent’s sigh of exasperation as Ezmie began questioning him about whether we were almost there, how much longer this would take, if we were going to be staying at a tavern, and how it was unreasonable to demand a princess sleep on the ground.
Good.
If I had to endure the know-it-all in front of me, then it was only fair that he should have to suffer the spoiled princess behind me.
