A Dawn of Onyx (The Sacred Stones, #1)(40)

I beamed at the king, giving him my best this means a lot to me face.

“I promise not to be a bother at all,” I assured him. “I’m very easygoing.”





ELEVEN


“No way in the Stones,” I put my foot down hard for emphasis.

Kane rolled his eyes. “Suit yourself,” and strolled toward the stables.

His men were mounting their horses around us. It was a rare, sunny day that hinted at the coming of summer. A welcome warm breeze wafted through the pine trees of the woods, filling the horse stables with a now familiar sweet and refreshing scent. Though I trained with Dagan each morning, the nature of the lessons left little room to appreciate my surroundings. I hadn’t had any real time to enjoy the outdoors in weeks and I longed for the feel of grass between my toes and sun on my face.

Not to mention I had somehow succeeded in charming Kane into taking me into the woods with him, which was the only way I was going to find the burrowroot residue. This was my chance—I couldn’t squander it over a single, unpleasant horseback ride.

I made a face at the Stones above to grant me strength, and followed behind Kane.

“Fine!” I called after him. “Fine. But I’ll have you know I have ridden many a horse in my day. I don’t know why you’re treating me like a child.”

He said nothing but stood patiently, waiting for me to mount the creature. I did so with ease, nearly kicking the king in the face on my way up. I thought I heard him chuckle before he hopped on, but all thoughts fell out of my brain as soon as he was seated behind me.

His warm, impressive form now enclosed me from behind, like a broad hand around a tiny pebble. A heady mix of fir, leather, and mint filled my nose as his strong muscled arms wrapped around me to grasp the reins. I leaned back into his unintentional embrace. Really, there was nowhere else for me to go.

“Comfortable, bird?” he murmured beside my ear. I closed my eyes without thinking.

“No,” but the drowsy huskiness of my own voice had my eyes flashing open in alarm. Kane laughed, a sensual sound that conjured bedsheets and soft hums, and brought our horse alongside the other men.

Stones, he was always so self-assured.

I hated it.

Griffin appraised us with a frown. “You two look cozy.”

“I told him I could ride alone.” I don’t know why I felt the need to justify my position to these men—they all knew my hatred for the king. Had seen my outburst in the throne room. But I didn’t want them to think of me as weak.

It was a thought I hadn’t ever had before and was now having all the time.

“And I told her if she could protect herself, she’d be welcome to have at it. Let’s go.”

I wondered if he knew about my morning lessons with Dagan. But before I could ask, Kane and I took off at a fast clip and the men followed behind us in formation through the Shadowhold gates.

I braced myself for the horrific creatures and deadly twists and turns of the Shadow Woods—but the gnarled trees weren’t as frightening in the bright light of day. I wondered why the forest had appeared so terrifying to me before, and hoped it had nothing to do with the legends surrounding the staggeringly lethal man flush against my back. Every time my anger bubbled up at him, I reminded myself of the plan—be agreeable, find the burrowroot, make it through today, then ignore Kane for the rest of eternity. I kept an eye out for the burrowroot’s shimmery residue while trying to memorize everything around me.

I’d still have to make it out here again the night of the eclipse, which meant eventually, I’d have to tell someone my plan—even if the woods weren’t as terrifying as I expected, I couldn’t risk my family’s safety by breaking my deal with Kane and sneaking out. But that was a problem for two months from now. Maybe someone would have killed him by then. A girl could dream…

Lofty pines and willows, knotted elm trees forming hidden nooks and crannies, and baby blue wildflowers, were all rooted in the verdant grass and tufts of moss scattered along the forest floor. Little creatures scurried about as we rode through the woodland, and pockets of sunshine dappled through the dense tree leaves.

It was nothing like the forest of my home in Amber, which was golden and rusty scarlet all year round. Our leaves fell like rain each morning and crunched under my feet each night. I had never seen this much green before—it nearly hurt my eyes.

Kane had been quiet on our ride despite the intimate position. I had been awaiting lecherous jokes and revolting touches, but he had been almost… uncomfortably reserved. I wanted to break the tense silence, but couldn’t think of a single pleasant thing to say. It was odd being pressed so close to someone I felt such loathing for.

Especially because his arms wrapped tightly around my middle were like iron bands of heat, and I desperately needed to take my mind off of them.

“Do you often take leisurely afternoon jaunts into the forest?” I finally asked.

“I’m a little busy for such distractions.”

I rolled my eyes. “Busy with what exactly? Bedding women and killing people for sport?”

His voice was like a deep, satisfied purr. “Don’t tempt me, bird.”

I swallowed against my heart which had lodged itself in my throat. I didn’t want to know which of the two was tempting to him.

Agreeable, right.