Page 22 of Shadow Queen
“And here I was hoping it was because you were starting to like me,” she mumbled sarcastically.
“Idon’tlike you.”
She pursed her lips.Yes.Precisely.And she took another drink of wine as he went outside to spend the night on guard with Bhastian.
Chapter seven
Thestormwasalong one, and the commander finally yielded to Norah’s demands that he and Bhastian take refuge inside the house. They set their post just inside the door while she took the back room to sleep.
She woke occasionally through the night to the sound of the fireplace in her room being tended. She knew it was the commander. Part of her stiffened under the quilts in annoyance that he would come into her room so freely. Closed doors meant nothing to him. The other part of her secretly appreciated she didn’t have to tend the fire herself.
When the morning came, they continued on their way. The commander set a slower pace, seeming to have found some compassion, but he sent Bhastian ahead to inform the king of their arrival. The air was easier between them now, the quiet not so intimidating.
“What did you name her?” the commander asked, breaking the silence.
Norah frowned. “What?”
His eyes twitched in annoyance at having to repeat himself. “The mare. What did you name her?”
Strange.“Oh, um… she has a name. Savantahla.”
The skin between his eyebrows wrinkled. “Savantahla’s not her name. It’s what she is.”
She hadn’t thought of it like that. Norah tilted her head and brushed her fingers through the mare’s mane. “All right, I think I’ll call her… um, Cloud… no… Spirit.”
The commander rolled his eyes.
“What? You don’t like it?”
“It’s a terrible name.”
Was he serious? “What would you name her then?” Not that she cared what he thought.
He looked straight ahead as he rode, absolutely no help. She should have known. He didn’t have anything less terrible. A terrible person, he’d only have terrible names to offer.
“Sephir,” he said finally.
And she paused the mutterings in her mind. She silently rolled the name along her tongue.Se-FEER. “What does it mean?”
“It’s just a name,” he replied, annoyed.
She hated that it wasn’t a terrible name. Norah bit the inside of her cheek in annoyance. It was actually a nice name. She might call the mare Sephir.
It wasn’t long before Ashan loomed in the distance. Norah grew more anxious as they neared the capital city. How would Mikael react with her return? It had hurt him when he thought she wanted to leave, and surely it had hurt him when she actually did. Would he be angry? Would he mistrust her now?
“Your cover,” Soren called to her as they got closer. “Put it on. Conceal your hair.”
They’d hidden her disappearance, she realized. She’d expected the entire kingdom to be looking for her, but of course, the king had put his faith in his commander. She tempered her irritation. The king had trusted him, and again he delivered. He’d tracked her like a hound, even though she’d been on a horse of the Wild.
The guards let the commander through without a word, and they rode to the stables. After leaving their horses, he didn’t take her through the front of the castle. Instead, he led her into a small stone building. She followed him out the back and into a small side street, then through a maze of alleys. They entered another small structure, and inside found a stairway leading downward.
He led the way through narrow halls and back up a small staircase with a door at the top. The door opened into a sitting room. She made mental notes, trying to remember as much as possible. The doors to the sitting room led to another hall, and then she knew where she was. They were making their way to Mikael’s study. Her heart beat heavily in her chest. She couldn’t escape the feeling of being captured once again.
They entered the room, and her breath came unevenly at the sight of Mikael. His armor was piled on a side chair, as if he’d taken up residence in the study. His hair hung loose around his shoulders. He rose slowly from the desk when he saw her.
The commander stepped forward with a bow of his head. “Has Bhastian made it to you?” he asked.
“Yes.” Mikael’s eyes were locked on Norah. “Leave us.”
