While some resisted his touch more than others, eventually the freed horses slowed their pace and looped back around, while the hounds yipped once or twice before doing the same. Sweat trailed down Tristan’s forehead, but he ignored the mental and physical strain as he reined in the disorder around him.
A hush fell over the group as, one by one, horses and hounds lined up alongside Tristan, creating a half circle of perfectly obedient animals.
Tristan gave Rex a final command; the phoenix lowered his head, and with one last flap of his wings, his fire went out.
It was as if a bubble of silence had popped, and the world burst to life around him once more. The apprentices and Riders cheered, rushing forward to congratulate him, while the stableboys moved to recapture the escaped animals.
The commander stayed put, and as Tristan dismounted, he heard Beryk say, “That’s mighty impressive, Commander—I couldn’t do that.”
Tristan was pleased, if exhausted, but he tried to smile and nod as he waded through the crush of bodies, distracted.
Finally the crowd parted, and his eyes fell on Nyk.
He gave Tristan that familiar, shy smile—clearly unsure if Tristan was going to thank him or strangle him for his so-called reckless plan.
Despite wanting to murder him in the moment, Tristan felt nothing but overwhelming gratitude. Yes, mastering the escaped animals had been challenging, but it was the silent, unknown battle that Tristan was proudest of. The battle only Nyk knew about.
For the first time in his memory, Tristan had faced a phoenix in full flame, and he hadn’t hesitated. He wanted to shout from the mountaintop, to roar his triumph and exhilaration for all to hear.
Instead Tristan pushed the others aside, determination propelling him forward.
He barreled into Nyk, throwing his arms around him as the noise receded and there was nothing but the two of them, pressed together.
“You did it,” Nyk gasped, apparently surprised by Tristan’s sudden, fierce embrace.
Remembering the crowd around them, Tristan drew back, avoiding Nyk’s curious expression, and forced an easy smile. “Thanks to you.”
When gentle King Hellund married ferocious Queen Genya, there was much celebration and fanfare in the empire—though the newly minted queen was not there to see it.
The instant the ink dried on their marriage contract, the young bride leapt onto the back of her phoenix, Exiline, leaving her groom behind. With fine silk and Fire Blossoms trailing in her wake, she hunted down the infamous group of bandits that had been terrorizing her beloved’s reign. It was on this campaign that she earned the nickname “the General,” and it wasn’t long until she returned home triumphant.
In a bold romantic gesture, she presented the severed head of the gang leader to her husband as a belated wedding gift, and he promptly fainted into his barley soup.
—A popular cookhouse tale
We were Shadow Twins, half sisters, but we couldn’t have been more different.
- CHAPTER 24 -
VERONYKA
VERONYKA DIDN’T KNOW WHAT to do with herself that night. She was dying to know what—if anything—had happened with Tristan and the commander, but she hadn’t seen either of them since the obstacle course.
She still couldn’t believe how well everything had played out—the planned and unplanned parts, like the accidental release of the hounds. She’d been so focused on the horses, ensuring only a handful escaped, that she’d completely forgotten about the dogs. One moment they were on the far side of the paddock, quite absorbed in chasing and snapping at one another, and the next they were barreling through the gate along with the horses and causing an additional distraction Veronyka wasn’t sure Tristan would be able to handle.
But he had. He’d taken it all in stride, pushing outward with his magic while trusting the animals he already had under his power. Even in the face of Rex’s crackling flames, Tristan had been the picture of confidence and control.
He’d been magnificent.
Veronyka kept thinking about the way he’d hugged her afterward, the gleam of triumph—and something else she couldn’t quite place—sparkling in his eye. Her heart had stopped at first, the thought of her bound breasts pressing against him making her dizzy. But he didn’t seem to notice, and then before she knew it, they were apart again. The other apprentices had pushed in, and Veronyka had stepped aside to attend to her duties.
Now she awaited the commander’s verdict. Whether he decided Tristan was ready to lead a patrol or not, Veronyka was quite certain he would deem their extra lessons no longer necessary.
The thought caused an unexpected pang of sadness. Their nightly time together had transformed from something to dread into something she spent her entire day looking forward to. From their first meeting, Tristan’s success and progress had been tangled up in her own, and though they had embraced their fate and willingly helped each other, they would no longer be required to train together. If he became a patrol leader, his daily schedule would change, and he probably wouldn’t have time to practice with her at all.
Needing some fresh air after the dinner that Tristan and the commander did not attend, Veronyka decided to take Wind for a walk out to the obstacle course. It was the one place Tristan might go looking for her, and besides, Wind had grown accustomed to the nighttime exercise and had been emanating impatient thoughts from the stables all evening. Veronyka reasoned that even if Tristan never turned up, she could try riding Wind on her own.
The horse snorted in irritation as Veronyka tried to mount up. She’d been watching closely as the other apprentices rode their horses and thought she could mimic the basics. However, after three attempts she dragged one of the crates over from the nearest obstacle and used it to climb into the saddle.
She tried to steer Wind to the right, but pulled too hard on the reins, causing the horse to toss his head. Veronyka loosened her grip, focusing on her right leg instead. It worked, but when she looked up, it was to see that he’d turned them around in a complete circle. Using her animal magic, she told him to stop, then remembered she wasn’t supposed to do that and told him to ignore her. And so he kept turning to the right, taking them around for a second loop.
“Are you lost?” said a voice from nearby, and Veronyka stiffened. Wind stopped his movement as Tristan appeared, putting a gentle hand on the horse’s head. He smirked up at her. “The course is over there.”
“Tell the horse that,” Veronyka muttered, face hot with embarrassment.
“Wind.” Tristan’s smile widened. “His name is Wind.”
Veronyka scowled, remembering when she’d told him off for the same thing.
Bite him, Veronyka thought to Wind, who angled his head, sizing up Tristan’s bare forearm. She hastily called him off and dismounted. Luckily, she didn’t fall.
“So, where have you been all night?” she asked. “I didn’t see you at the dining hall.”
“Eating with the commander,” he said, petting Wind absently.
“And?” Veronyka pressed. His reluctance to speak was making her even more impatient to get the information out of him.
“He wanted to—very grudgingly—congratulate me on my progress. I told him I had the extra lessons to thank for that,” he said, and Veronyka fought the grin that tugged at her mouth. “And he thought I was being insolent. So, really, a typical conversation for us.”