“What do you mean, I can’t go out on my own?”
Alethea had never looked so imperious in her life. She stood there in the stables, one hand on her stallion’s reins, the other clenched into a fist and pressed firmly against her hip, her eyes blazing with fury, and all that heat directed at the new captain of her family’s guard. Oenone had seen fit to send him here when the initial loss of magic had occurred, fearing for her daughter’s safety, and for reasons known only to the gods, the man had not returned to the estate. Instead, he had apparently decided to linger here, and continue ruining everything.
She’d had so many plans.
“I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” she added, cocking her head challengingly. Her tormenter smirked. “Aye, is that what you told yourself when you went gallivanting into an invasion by Menekhtites, and nearly got yourself killed? Not to mention...” “Don’t you dare!” Alethea roared, “Don’t you even dare speak of Gibbs. He was my friend...” She trailed off, looking simultaneously wounded and enraged. The stallion’s stare went back and forth between them warily. He might not have been as bright as a familiar, but he was astute enough to sense the tension here, and his muscles were gathering in anticipation. Alethea unlcenched her fist to stroke his coiled neck.
“I won’t, then” the man said, a hint of apology creeping into his gruff voice, “but I won’t let you run off alone, either. That Caldernia woman’ll go with you.”
“Who?” Thea spat, eyes narrowed. None of her guards, or any of the castle guards, went by that name. Leto glanced at her, with an expression akin to a faerie’s shrug.
“Cal...somethin’. An alien with a fancy horse. Joined up just before the final battle with the creature. You haven’t met her yet?” Alethea frowned at him, shook her head. She hadn’t been terribly sociable, for the past several weeks...but it was hard to be social when your family’s guard orders you to stay indoors, because ”dangers.” “Well, you’ll like her. Mount up and wait for her outside. She’ll be here any minute.”
Alethea very much doubted she would like anyone the stubborn guard told her she would like, but she was intrigued by the promise of an unusual horse. And anyway, there would be no arguing. She gave him one last withering glance, before leading her own horse out of the stables and into the bright autumn air. Midnight – that’s what she had finally named the Black – gulped several breaths and snorted with anticipation.
“You better not give me any trouble. I get enough of it from that...that...” since she did not excel at insults, the lady made an illustrative noise in her throat, and hopped up into the saddle roughly. Midnight shifted his weight, unperturbed. Beside them, Leto was standing at attention, her thick tail extended behind her in the breeze. Her coat was beginning to thicken for winter, and she looked even larger than usual. Her fairy smiled at her, admiring.
With any luck, Cal would not meddle too much with the adventure she had planned.
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