Page 90 of War Queen
Norah smiled down at him, her eyes blurry. “Thank you, Caspian,” she whispered, then, louder, “Rise, Lord Justice.”
Chapter twenty-three
Snowfellheavilyonthe northern castle isle, but nothing could frost her spirits. Her heart beat happily at the thought of returning to Kharav. It would be a cold journey, but it didn’t matter. She missed Mikael terribly.
As she swept her eyes around her, she stopped on Bhastian. He stood to the side of the rest of the Crest, in a slightly different stance.
She narrowed her eyes as she stepped in front of him. “There’s something different about you.”
The slight creases at the corners of his eyes gave away the hidden smile underneath his wrap. “Yes, Salara.”
“He’s been promoted to Captain of the Crest,” Caspian said, coming up beside her.
She popped her mouth open with a big grin. “Bhastian!” She laughed and swept him into an embrace. “Congratulations!”
He bent stiffly to receive it, but he didn’t embrace her back. He just gave an awkward bow of his head as she squeezed him. “Thank you, Salara.”
She pulled back. Bhastian would be the perfect captain. She wrinkled her nose as she cut him another grin and turned and mounted Sephir.
“Are you ready?” Soren asked her after she’d settled in the saddle.
“I’ve been ready.”
His eyes smiled. He was happy to be heading back too.
Catherine stood at the top of the stair. They’d said their emotional goodbyes inside. As regent again, her grandmother would look after Mercia in Norah’s absence, with the support of the newly formed council. Norah gave her a final wave before they urged their mounts out of the gates and across the bridge.
They traveled lightly, with the Crest and the siblings. Caspian also joined them. He’d see Norah back to Kharav, then return to Mercia to help manage things with her grandmother. It was the first time he was returning to Kharav since the council’s coup, and he seemed in good spirits. Serene came as well. Norah was surprised the maid had decided to return with her, but was thankful to have her company again, although she still painfully missed Vitalia.
When they reached the outskirts of the city, Norah urged Sephir into a gallop. She stretched forward, giving the mare her head to run. The icy wind brought tears to her eyes and froze them across her temples. She smiled. This was the feeling of freedom, the feeling of going home.
They rode until the sun dipped below the horizon, and just as Norah thought she might turn to ice, they stopped and made camp. Serene laid out bedrolls for them in their tent, and Soren laid out one for himself. When Mikael wasn’t with her, Soren slept inside, not trusting her safety with anyone else while they traveled, especially considering the situation with Alexander.
“It’s going to be a cold night,” Serene said. “I hope it doesn’t storm. I’ll get more furs for us.” She darted back out of the tent.
“I remember the last time we were caught in a storm while traveling,” Soren said as he pulled off his weapons strap and sank down onto his bedroll. A deep chuckle rumbled from him. “The look of horror on your face when you woke.”
She rolled her eyes, remembering as well—losing consciousness in the cold and waking in the ruins of Aviron not long after she’d first been captured by Mikael. “You were completely naked after being quite mean to me, let me remind you, and I was a proper lady. Of course I was mortified. How did you expect me to feel?”
His chuckle grew to a hearty laugh. “That was exactly how I expected you’d feel—or hoped, anyway.”
“You were absolutely terrible.”
He laughed again. She hadn’t heard him laugh in a long time, and it was nice. It prompted her own smile.
“And I don’t know what’s funnier,” he added, “remembering that look, or you thinking you were a proper lady.”
Norah pursed her lips. “Yeah, well, looking back, if I’d been smarter, I would have pretended to enjoy it. That would have scatted you away.”
“Well, you weren’t smarter.”
She scowled at him.
Serene returned with more furs. Soren shook one out over him and held up the corner. “Come on,” he said to Norah, nodding to the space beside him. “Get in here. Even the Crest are tented and sleeping back-to-back.”
It wasn’t an unwelcome invitation, and she sidled up against the heat of his body as he pulled the furs over them. The warmth was nice. Quite nice. She might actually be able to get some sleep.
“If you start snoring…” he warned.
