“Tomorrow, I’ll show you your other present,” he says.
There’s more?
“You don’t have to—”
“—yes, I do.”
I allow the silence to envelop us as I shift to lie on my side again. It’s not far enough away from him. His warmth still soaks through my nightdress. I try to slow my breathing in an attempt to clear my mind, but it’s impossible. Every inch of me is aware of Jasce lying naked next to me.
It’s only when his breathing evens that I finally relax. My body sinks into the mattress, and my eyelids grow heavy as I allow sleep to take me.
ChapterEighteen
Nerves tightenin my throat as I follow Jasce into the stable the following morning. Sunlight filters through the open door and illuminates the ten stalls, all full of the most beautiful horses I have ever seen. Their glossy, muscular bodies gleam in the light, and their long tails sweep the straw-covered floor. Each one is unique, from the stark white mare to the stallion with the spotted coat.
I reach out to stroke the nose of a nearby mare, and she nudges me playfully with her head. Delicate white lines crisscross her neck. The scars might be seen as imperfections by others, but to me, she’s perfect.
Jasce catches my gaze and follows it to the mare. “This is Scarlet. I picked her for you.”
“What happened to her?” I ask, my voice a breathless whisper.
Gently, he runs his fingertips against her neck. “She was wounded in battle. But our stable master nursed her back to health, and now she’s one of our finest horses.”
“I think she’s perfect.”
The horse neighs as if she agrees with me.
“You can ride her soon, but first...” he rotates me around to observe the other nine horses, “... these are all yours.”
“Mine?” I gasp as my throat thickens with emotion. Nobody has ever given me so much before. My sisters made gifts for my birthday. Grandfather usually forgot.
Jasce nods.
A genuine smile stretches across my mouth. “Thank you.”
“Of course.”
He moves to one of the stalls and opens the door. Inside, a mare with a deep black coat stands calmly, her eyes fixed on us.
“This is Midnight.” Jasce beckons me closer. “She’s stubborn, but she’s fiercely loyal. She’ll take you anywhere you want to go.”
I step forward and reach out to stroke the mare’s nose. She snorts, then nuzzles my hand. If she could speak, I imagine she would say,“Let’s go on an adventure together.”
Sunlight streaming through the open door plays across Jasce’s face as he talks. “I knew you'd feel a connection to her. She’s strong-willed, but she needs someone who can match her spirit. And I think that’s you.”
I'm not strong willed.
But Iwouldlike to ride Midnight soon. Maybe she would give me some of the strength I’m lacking.
Jasce leads me to the next stall, where a stallion stands proud and regal. His coat shines like polished marble in the sunlight. “This is Copper.”
“He’s magnificent.”
Jasce nods. “He’s one of our best stallions. He’s powerful and fast, but he’s also temperamental. He needs a rider with a firm hand.”
Excitement sends a thrill through me as I step closer to the stallion. The muscles in his neck ripple as he snorts and paws at the ground.
Jasce watches me as I reach out to stroke Copper’s nose. The stallion snorts again and shakes his head, but he doesn’t pull away.
