Chapter Thirteen

Asterin departed her chambers just as dawn slipped its rosy fingers through her curtains, trailing streaks of pink along her walls. The encounter with the Chaos had left her drained, and for the first time in weeks, she had managed a full night of sleep. Perhaps it had more to do with Rose’s news, but either way, she strode out of the palace and toward the stables with a spring in her step.

The forthcoming journey to Prydell wouldn’t be easy—with winter around the corner, they would have no choice but to travel mostly over land, which, compared to sailing through the Nord Sea, would likely triple the length of their trip. Temperatures in the north were dropping, and ice formed rapidly into what could become unnavigable floes.

Dressed in a thick, high-collared coat of midnight wool embroidered with silver thread and her cloak snug on her shoulders, Asterin let herself into Lux’s stable and saddled her own steed while the stable hands readied the other horses. Her Iphovien stallion nuzzled her palm and huffed softly.

“Planning to leave without us?” called out a voice, and she turned to see Eadric heading into the stables with Casper, Nicole, and Gino in tow. They all wore fearsome black, their signature double-sided cloaks turned inside out to match. Somehow, Gino had slicked his hair taller than usual, Casper was flipping a switchblade in each hand with dazzling grace as he walked, and Nicole . . . well, Nicole hovered between them, a phantom breeze, silent and lethal as always.

Asterin snorted. “As if. You would have tracked me down and flayed me alive.”

The captain gave her a firm nod, his onyx eyes glinting like syrup in the fiery light of the sunrise. “Damn right, I would.”

They set off down the wide garden path leading to the Wall on horseback. A wave of nostalgia washed over Asterin—another journey not months after the last, and only she and Eadric remained from their former six. The realization made her stomach clench with sudden foreboding, but she shoved it down. Nothing short of the end of the world would keep her from Eradoris.

Her mother awaited her in front of the gate with an entourage of her own guards, all hand-picked by Eadric and hopefully more trustworthy than Priscilla’s and Garringsford’s rotten batch.

Asterin swung out of the saddle. “Sorry for waking you up so early.”

Elyssa embraced her tightly. “I didn’t sleep much, anyway.” She glanced past Asterin’s shoulder. “Are you sure three Elites is enough? Surely more would be safer.”

Asterin shook her head. “We would just draw more attention on the roads.”

“And is it really wise to camp near the road instead of an inn?”

“An inn would be a waste of time,” Asterin told her gently. “Plus, last time we were attacked at an inn. We’ll rotate shifts, keep alert. Stop worrying, we’ll be just fine.”

“But—”

“Mother,” Asterin cut off, voice firm.

Elyssa’s chin dropped. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not my place.” She raised her gaze. “I just . . . I can’t bear to lose you again.”

Asterin gave her another hug, realizing with a start that she actually stood a few inches taller than her mother. Somehow, she hadn’t noticed until now. “You won’t,” she murmured, kissing her cheek. “However, I will be gone for three weeks. And in case something comes up . . .” She knelt down and reached up to grasp her mother’s hands, much to Elyssa’s confusion. “In my absence, please act in my stead. I trust you to make any decisions in the best interests of the kingdom, and as such, I declare you as Queen Regent of Axaria.”

“Asterin—” breathed Elyssa, her eyes wide.

Asterin smiled wryly. “This is non-negotiable.” She had left her kingdom in the wrong hands once before, and she refused to make the same mistake again. “I know I can trust you.” At the doubt still lingering in her mother’s expression, she sighed. “Please. For . . . for Quinlan.”

At that, her mother’s jaw set. She nodded firmly. “For Quinlan.” They embraced once more, and then Asterin mounted Lux and kicked him into a gallop, not allowing herself a backward glance until they made it well past the Wall and down the mountain. Only then did she look up, but already the figures standing beneath the gate had diminished to indistinguishable specks.

They took the southwest road. Though it was slightly crowded from Axaris-bound merchants freshly docked from Eyvindr and Prydell, the morning was still young enough for them to make decent time.

As if sensing her urgency, Lux pressed on, ever swiftly, forcing the others to keep up. Fields of rust-and-gold wheat shimmered past, rustling alongside treetops darkening with the ripening of autumn. Every now and then they flew by steel ponds as still as glass, tinged silver from the sky’s reflection above. Daylight bled into the thick cotton-clumped clouds before finally piercing through, thrusting spears of cold white light upon them. Like an awakening, the air tasted sharper, sweeter. Asterin let out a slow, hot exhale, wetting lips chapped from the wind, and leaned lower in the saddle. She savored the heat coursing through her veins despite the air’s chill, and spurred Lux even faster, her stallion responding with a burst of speed that left the others in the dust.

Even when the clouds blackened and swelled with rain, Asterin still resisted finding a place to set up camp. Only when the drizzle became a violent deluge, sheets of water slamming into their faces, did she finally surrender. At her signal, the five of them cut into the pine forest at their right, slowing to a walk and blinking the rain out of their eyes.

Casper helped her dry off the horses and all of their clothes with his fire affinity while Eadric draped tarps over dripping boughs. They ate a simple dinner of dried venison and cheese on bread. They fell asleep to the constant drum of the pelting rain and hit the road again before the sun came up.

Asterin pulled up next to Eadric and called out over the thunder of hooves. “At this rate, we’ll reach Orielle just after tomorrow’s sunrise!”

Eadric dipped his chin once. He threw two fingers into the air and whistled. His eyes flicked to her as the Elites pushed their steeds faster. “We’ll get you to Eradore, Asterin. No matter what it takes, it will be done.”

Asterin swallowed the sudden lump in her throat and nodded in thanks. Beside her, Argo let out a snort and drove past Lux to take the lead.

“Come on, then, Your Majesty!” Casper yelled above the wind from Argo’s saddle. “You’re falling behind!”

Asterin grinned and shouted back at him. “I’m just giving you a head start!” A moment later, Lux trumpeted a terrifying whinny and shot forward, overtaking Argo in a few easy strides. She let out a laugh at Casper’s disbelieving gape.

Wait for me, Quinlan, she thought to herself as her kingdom flew by. We’re coming. No matter what it takes.