Chapter 5: A surprise
When she opened her eyes, she found him staring at her. Had he been watching her while she was sleeping? It was so embarrassing.
"We're close to a village," he said, his voice low but steady. "We'll stay the night there. You need to change out of that dress."
Ren nodded, the thought of shedding the confining fabric was almost a relief to her heart. The dress was more than just uncomfortable; it was a barrier. If, as he suggested, danger was lurking in the shadows, she'd be trapped in her dress, ridiculously. Running would be impossible.
She turned her gaze to the carriage window. The blackness outside stretched endlessly, swallowing everything in its path. No lights, no movement. Just the oppressive silence of the night pressing in.
To her surprise, there were no guards, no other horses. She had expected at least one companion on the road, yet all she saw was the solitude of their journey.
She wanted to ask, but something held her back. The question felt too raw, too direct. Still, the gnawing sense of unease at the pit of her stomach pushed her toward it to ask.
"I believe you had some companions with you back then?" She was sure there had been around ten shifters with the prince when they left Jaigara, but none of them could be seen now.
"They don't ride horses. Have you ever seen a wolf on horseback?"
No, she hadn't. And she didn't want to see how they shed their skin and shifted into beasts. The thought alone was terrifying, and she couldn't even imagine it. Nervousness brewed in the pit of her stomach again. She was trying to stay calm and get along, but every time something new popped up to shock her.
She must be more bold, for the sake of this union.
But what, truly, was the purpose of this union? To forge a strength vast enough to repel the looming threat from beyond the Ice Lands. Nineteen years ago, King Benkin began his relentless campaign, toppling one enemy after another. He assembled a fearsome army, training them into instruments of destruction, and overthrew powerful kings. The lands were soaked in blood, and countless people were displaced, and forced into exile.