Rebel

Chapter 6

The conversation wasn't long, in fact, there hardly was a conversation hat had transpired at all. Devlyn would be riding the horse with Amaria as a second rider while Ananke would walk alongside them. Ananke felt better walking alongside them anyway, faster reaction times if someone or something were to pop out at them from the side of the road. The conversation had taken a turn as to what they were going to do once they arrived within the village, not sure on the timing it took to get there. If it took too long, the trio were certain they would need to find quick lodging for the evening. They were going to have to see what to do when they got to the village. 

The echo of horse shoes on stone was the only sound that surrounded the now silent trio. Ananke walked quietly beside the horse while Amaria rode side saddle in front of Devlyn. She had been rather quiet, trapped within the circle of Devlyn's arms as he steered the horse in the right direction. Her heart raced in her chest no matter how hard she tried to will it to calm down. Her hands rested upon her lap, fiddling with her dress to occupy herself. However, it wasn't helping as much as she would have liked. 

Slowly raising her eyes from her lap, Amaria looked up at Devlyn through her lashes. She took in the way he stared straight ahead, both relaxed yet tensed at the same time. His eyes shifted to glance down at her and like a child caught staring Amaria looked away quickly. Her eyes dropped back to her lap where her hands tightly clutched at the fabric of her dress, frustrated by the fact that she had been caught staring. 

"Everything alright?" 

Her gaze quickly darted back up only for her to nod her head. She reluctantly released the fabric of her dress from her hands to show everything was alright. Naturally, she reached up to tuck a lock of her wavy golden hair behind one ear as a nervous habit. 

"Yes, everything is okay." 

Devlyn chuckled at her, looking back in the direction they were riding. 

"Right, that's why you were staring at me so intently." 

Eyes widening and a heated blush darkening her cheeks a crimson color, Amaria hated that she had been caught. The thought alone embarrassed her right to the bone.

"Well, I. . ." 

"Yes?" 

A smug smile formed on Devlyn's lips leaving Amaria a tad bit frustrated. She clenched her fists tightly to keep from snapping at the man currently leading the horse. She didn't need to be thrown off the horse for having an attitude with him. 

"I was just curious, what did you find back at the farm?" 

She was answered with a short shrug of his broad shoulders. Not once had he looked at her after turning his attention back towards the road itself. 

"I don't know. Maybe something or maybe nothing." 

"So, you did find something? Someone was there last night." 

The realization that someone had been on the property watching her --or the house-- sank in rather quickly. The realization washed over her face, draining any color that had been there seconds before. She was realizing how much danger she could have been in --had been in-- with someone sneaking around the property. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach causing her to feel nauseous at the very thought.

"Hey, hey. . ." 

Devlyn's voice pulled her back from her raging thoughts. Her eyes had never moved from his, not even when his still stared straight ahead. So, when his gaze did drop to meet with her own she could see nothing but a calming reassurance within them. A calming reassurance that surprised her, not expecting such a look after the seriousness she had heard within his voice.