The Broken Kingdoms of Osvolta (Kingdoms of Osvolta #1)

55. Race to Farrenhold

Chapter fifty-five

Race to Farrenhold

S olveig rode as if the wind carried hulking black monsters of the deep world. By day she rested, allowing the mare time to recuperate from the punishing pace they kept. Once night fell, they raced through the trees, a pair of wraiths in the blackness.

The journey lengthened as she circled far around the back of Luxenal Mine, right up to the base of the mountains to avoid being spotted by a patrol. Birds flitted and cawed over head as she picked at a piece of grilled fish she’d caught and cooked earlier that morning. Her supplies were running low, especially for the horse. She would need to reach North Watch by the next morning if she didn’t want to risk damaging the poor thing.

It had been two days already since she had fled Marrelin City as though her life depended on it. She hoped and prayed that the prince and his commander had made the wise choice and were safely sailing back to Elithiend.

On the third day, she spotted flickering blue lights through the dense foliage, the lights of the Elysian Bridge. A few more steps and she would be back on Farrenhold soil. Safe. For a little while at least. Solveig jumped down from her mare to walk across the dense, echoing wooden panels. She didn’t dare look down to where the chasm below was visible through the slats. A long drop and sudden stop. Two guards waited on the other side. One with his arrow already notched, the other with a hand resting on the pommel of his sword as she came to a stop before them.

“State your name and business,” one ordered.

She held out a hand, a slight smirk decorating her lips as she said, “Solveig Aila of House Maleen, Princess of Torrelin.”

Their faces blanched, and Solveig dropped her hand.

“I have to check with my commander,” the guard with the arrow stammered. “They did not inform us to expect a visiting royal.”

“By all means,” she said, stroking the mare’s mane softly.

As time wore on, Solveig took a seat on the ground beside her horse. Under the close watch of the remaining guard as she twirled, flipped, and aimed her dagger repeatedly. Every time she aimed it in his direction, he flinched slightly, almost imperceptibly, but Solveig noticed. Soon she saw dust rising in the distance as another horse raced toward them, with Jasper Etana riding atop.

“Solveig?” he shouted as he jumped down, racing over to her, “everything okay?” his eyes roamed her quickly, searching for injuries no doubt.

“I’m fine, physically at least.”

“You look a fright.” He took in the mess of her hair, dirt-stained clothes, and muddy skin. “What happened?”

Her eyes shifted to the guard stood a few feet away. “Not here.”

“What I said before still stands,” Jasper declared, rubbing at the stubble on his jaw, “as long as your boots stay in Farrenhold, you’re under our protection.”

“Good, I may need to ask you for that protection sooner rather than later.”

Jasper quirked a brow at her, before turning toward her exhausted horse as he inclined his head toward the one he had ridden in on.

“Hop up, Princess. You need a bath, then we can talk.”

Solveig found herself back in the room she had spent days healing in a month prior. They had already filled the tub with steaming lavender scented water. She wasted no time stripping out of her travel worn clothing, to wash away three days’ worth of dirt and sweat from her pores. Warm water seeped into her bones, stinging as it lapped over some of the deeper cuts still marring her legs. Wounds that she hadn’t taken the time to tend to since the prince had cared for them from his bed.

The memory of how his touch had burned and soothed simultaneously as they rubbed the ache from her muscles infiltrated her mind. She had allowed them to become closer than they should have. Her heart had pained slightly at the thought of leaving without saying goodbye, but she knew it was better this way.

They needed a clean break.

The winds weren’t kind to the Valdrych and its crew as they sailed up and around the northern coastline of Osvolta. It was the second day of their sailing, and they were only now reaching the Elysian Bridge. Emmerich had been pushing hard, trying desperately to muster enough wind to fill their sails, but it battered against them instead. The seas were rough with an offshore tempest. They had sailed from Elithiend in the Valdrych because it was smaller and faster than the prince’s other ships. In that moment, he would have given anything for one of his larger ones. They could better withstand the increasing swells that were already turning many of the deckhands green around the edges.

All they needed was to arrive in Trivellian soon after the princess. He couldn’t allow her to have too much time to search and plot without him. She may have saved his life, but if she knew something, anything, about his poisoning, then she should have told him. He would not allow her to play the martyr. Not for him.

“You’re headed for Trivellian?” Jasper inquired as he and Solveig walked the courtyard of North Watch after dinner. They had spent most of the day shored up in their rooms, trapped by a tempest making landfall.

“There are some things I need to investigate, and I’m concerned about the safety of doing so in Torrelin. There are eyes everywhere.”

“What things?”

“Documents I may have stolen from the records in Luxenal Mine.”

“About Malik?”

“About all of it. My family, our temple leader, what they’ve been doing these past few years.”

“And you think Farrenhold is any different?” Jasper said, shaking his head. “Solveig, my father may not be as strict as yours, but he still answers to the Temple Leader. If it isn’t safe there, it’s not safe here either.”

“I know, but I have to try.” She tipped her head back to look at the cloud drenched sky.

“You’ve exhausted the mare. It can’t go any further.” Jasper said after a moment, “You’ll take one of our stallions. They have better endurance on the drier terrain and can have you in the city in three days. You’ll have to stop at Evrosei for supplies since you wish to travel light, but three days should still do it. Does Adira know you’re coming?”

“No.”

Jasper grimaced. “I’ll try to get word out ahead of you tonight to give them some warning of your impending arrival.”

“Think they’ll be happy to see me?” Solveig jested, bumping his shoulder.

“Happy? No. Intrigued?” He chuckled. “Maybe.”