The Great Hunt (Eurona Duology, #1)(63)

“Are you all right then, Tiern Seabolt?” she asked.

“Right as rain, Your Highness.” His brown eyes weren’t as bright as usual. Vixie jogged up, practically beaming. She appeared older to Aerity in that moment, with her windblown hair and her eyes taking in Tiern’s weary appearance.

“The medic brought one spare horse. They’d like Harrison to use it,” she said breathlessly.

Harrison nodded. “Thanks.” As he passed Aerity, they finally made eye contact, and she felt the heavy weight of inquisitive concern in his eyes. She looked away, feeling guilty at the thought that he might have sensed her interest in Paxton.

Vixie pulled her hair over her shoulder. “You can share my horse if you’d like, Tiern. They’ve brought food rations you can eat on the way.”

Tiern looked at Aerity, as if asking permission, and she nodded. The two of them headed for Vixie’s horse, and Aerity could hear the faded voice of Tiern complimenting the mare as they went. She gritted her teeth as she turned and saw the stubborn stance of Paxton Seabolt ahead, walking back on his own. Wyneth gave her a nod in that direction. The soldiers moved to their steeds, feeding them before setting off again.

Aerity rushed forward at a jog, hearing a guard close behind her.

“Mr. Seabolt,” the princess called. His whole body tightened, but he did not turn or stop. Aerity wanted to scream. What had happened last night? Why wouldn’t he take a moment to stop and rest, to eat?

Aerity went to her horse and opened the saddle pouch, pulling out a hunk of bread stuffed with cheese and salted ham. She jogged until she got to Paxton’s side, her guard close behind.

“You must be tired, Paxton,” she said.

“I’m fine.”

She looked him over, and he seemed to tense as she absorbed the dried mud covering much of him, even his hands. Tiern and Harrison were not nearly as dirty. Seas, he was tense. She wanted to touch him and soothe him.

“Stop a moment, please,” she begged. When he wouldn’t, she took hold of his firm forearm.

“Your majesty,” warned her guard from behind them, but she ignored him.

Paxton came to a stop and stared down at her. She swallowed hard, scared by the swirl of emotion in his dark brown eyes.

“Please,” she whispered. “Ride with me.”

“Thank you, but no.” He attempted to move, but she kept her hand hooked around his arm.

“At least take this.”

He peered down at her offering of food for a few beats before finally taking it. When she let go of his arm, he set back on his walk alone. What had happened to him?

“Come along, Princess,” the guard said. She turned to the older man and sighed, joining him where he held her horse’s reins.

When the return journey began, Princess Aerity could not bring herself to pass Paxton, like the others did. One of the soldiers offered him his horse, but Paxton politely refused. Aerity had never felt more irritated. Wyneth shook her head at Aerity, as if he were a lost cause.

Tiern and Vixie trotted beside him for a moment.

“You could ride with my cousin or sister, you know,” Vixie told him. “It would be completely acceptable.”

“I’d prefer to walk.”

“Pax,” began Tiern, but Paxton cut him off.

“A bit of time alone would do me wonders at the moment, Brother.”

Tiern merely sighed and shrugged at Vixie, motioning for her to go on as he sat behind her. They trotted ahead, and moments later they were laughing together.

Aerity and Wyneth kept a slow pace behind Paxton with two guards behind them.

This was ridiculous. She looked at her cousin. “Go on, then. I’ll be along soon.”

Wyneth shot a look at Paxton’s back, and then gave her horse a gentle kick forward. Aerity slid down from Doll and kept her reins in her hand, sidling up next to Paxton. He kept up his pace without looking her way but there was a buzz of energy between them.

The princess worked up her nerve and whispered, “Ride with me.”

His response was swift. “I won’t.”

Aerity felt as if she’d been kicked in the gut, but the pain was followed by an exasperated anger that fired her tongue. “Of all the insolent, childish, stubborn things, Paxton Seabolt! You’re obviously weary. I don’t know what happened last night, but there is no good reason for you to refuse help except your own foolish pride!”

She watched the joint of his strong jaw clamp and release.

“I accepted your food, thank you, and now I’m feeling much better to walk.”

Unfortunately for him, his stubbornness was matched by her own. “If you shall walk, then I shall walk.”

The guard gave a low rumble of disapproval behind her.

Paxton lifted his eyes to the sky and spoke in a low whisper for her ears only. “Is it so hard to believe I’d prefer to be alone? I’m certain every eligible man in the kingdom would fall over his boot strings for a chance to ride behind your royal arse, but I am not one of them.”

Aerity sucked in a breath of shock. She saw him take in the rise of her chest from the corner of his eye before looking ahead again.

Well, that settled it, the swine. Now Aerity would walk at his side for the simple pleasure of not giving him what he wanted. If he thought he could frighten her away with his words and intimidate her, he was wrong. She’d never wanted to bombard anyone with a series of smacks so badly, but she refused to show him how coarsely he affected her.