“You’re taking a ride with me,” she said. “As your princess, I order you. Come along.”
Vixie turned and swept from the guest hall. The guard brought a hand up to scratch his lip, and she could have sworn he was covering a smile. Well, he could laugh all he wanted. This was nonsense.
Tiern followed, just as she knew he would. He shrugged the hooded coat over his shoulders, fastening it at his neck with a grumpy expression, then flung the quiver across his back. At the castle’s exit he mumbled, “Just a short ride, Vix. I mean, Princess Vixie.”
She was about to tell him to call her “Vix,” when the doors opened and they were hit with a blast of cold air. She pulled her hat down tighter and Tiern lifted his hood. Then they set off down the stone steps with two guards following.
The trees were nearly barren, clinging with lackluster energy to their last yellowed leaves. With a gust of wind, the large oak they were passing seemed to sigh and open its fingers, releasing a handful of leaves at them.
Vixie quickly tired of the silence between them. When they reached the shelter of the stables, she began readying Aerity’s horse for Tiern. The guards checked all the stalls, then went back to the entrance to stand watch.
“You’ll ride Doll,” she told him.
“Are you certain? I don’t mind using one of the guest horses.”
“It makes no difference.”
She felt his eyes on her as she worked. He shifted from one foot to the other before asking, “May I help?”
“I’m almost finished.” She smiled at him and patted Doll’s back. “There.”
He moved closer, reaching up to mount, and his arm grazed Vixie’s. She reached out and took hold of his forearm, whispering, “Wait.”
Tiern froze where he was, staring at the horse’s side. Vixie peeked at the guards, who could see only their faces over the tops of the stalls and were too far away to hear a whispered conversation.
The nearness of Tiern and the semiprivate feel of the stall made Vixie brazen, as if this might be her only opportunity. So many things went through her mind that she could say or ask. But what she finally blurted out made her face go hot.
“Have you ever been kissed?”
His head swung back to check for the guards before turning to Vixie. She had to be as red as a beet.
“Wh— I’m not sure this is a proper discussion. Shouldn’t you be readying your horse?”
Stubbornness burgeoned, overriding her initial embarrassment. “Yes or no?”
He lowered his arm from Doll and turned to face her. “Aye. I have. Twice. Now, let’s ride.” He tried to turn back, but she grabbed his arm again. A bout of jealousy burned her stomach, but her curiosity was stronger.
“Did you . . . enjoy it very much?”
Tiern let out a huff of low laughter. “Well, when you’re a young lad and a lass is willing to kiss you, what’s not to enjoy? Now, come on. Let’s go, Princess.”
This time he didn’t let her stop him. He mounted Doll and peered down where she still stood, staring up at him.
“Aren’t you curious whether or notI’vebeen kissed?” she asked.
“Nay.” He took the reins and would not look at her. “Not one bit.”
A flare of anger heated her thoroughly, and she had to fight the urge to stamp her foot in a childish manner. Insteadshe marched out of his stall with her head up and entered the next stall, where Ruspin nudged her with his cool nose. She gave the horse a good scratch before saddling and mounting. She led Ruspin out of the stable, with Tiern just behind her.
One of the guards held up a hand.
“You can ride unguarded since the hunter is armed, but your father’s orders are to stay in sight of the castle and guards at all times. No entering the woods.”
Vixie nodded her understanding, thrilled that they wouldn’t be closely followed.
“We won’t be long,” Tiern told the guards. Vixie gave him a sideways glare before ushering Ruspin forward with a tap of her heels. She soaked in the clunk of hooves on cobblestones—one of her favorite sounds.
When they were out of earshot of the guards, she stated, “I haven’t been, you know.”
