Valencia watched Encantador’s uncertain reaction curiously but in silence, waiting patiently for him to make his decision. Of course, now that the idea niggled annoying at the back of her mind, there was nothing Encantador could say or do to stop her visiting the Harbor, but she felt better with a reason to go and her brother’s blessing.

At last he smiled, and she returned it keenly for Valencia knew he had settled on his answer. She nodded along as he gave her his instructions, only for her eyes to widen in mild surprise at the mention of a stallion called Midas. She smirked slightly, remembering the golden stallion’s talk of the Quarry when they had bumped into each other on the Crossing.

It would be fun to see how her acquaintance was handling her home.

She grinned at Encantador’s joke, and tossed her tangled, pale caramel forelock out of her eyes again.

“Oh, I don’t know, Midas didn’t seem that bad when I met him,” she said with a smile. “I think I can handle him.”

Another small laugh escaped her lips before she continued a little more seriously. “Don’t worry, I plan to keep up my visits from now on—whether you like it or not!” she joked with a grin.

With that she was eager to be moving again. Standing still had never been her favourite hobby, and already she was planning her next expedition. She began to turn round, so that her side faced Encantador and El Aran, though she turned her head to look at them as she offered a smile and asked brightly, “Anything else?”

tell me your secrets and ask me your questions