Forest of Dreams

Chapter twenty-one

I spent the following few days sleeping, eating, sitting in the courtyard, reading and chatting with some of the other guests. The weather had warmed up in the recent days and if I ignored the circumstances that had put me here, it was quite a pleasant existence. But there was something I was missing. It was nice to converse with the others in the guesthouse, as Pattie seemed to attract young, artistic types, but I needed someone to really talk to. My body had healed but I felt burdened with the aftermath of that night. I needed to share what had happened with someone and there was only one person who would understand.

After lunch I went to find him, back to the address that I'd staked out before but this time going all the way to the door. It was an unassuming wooden door down a narrow side-street. There was no number or name, no decoration, just a plain and solid-looking door. I stood there for a while, working up the courage to knock on it. I'd come all the way here but now I was unsure. I didn't know what I wanted from him but at the same time I was scared he'd reject me when he found out who I really was.

I was pacing outside, working up the courage to do it, when the door creaked open. I was met with cold darks eyes and a sneer.

The sight of him sent a shock of terror through every part of my body. It was Thon, the one who'd attacked me. Had it not been for some kind of divine intervention I'd be dead by his hand.

'He doesn't want to see you,' he said frostily, his contempt for me clear in his voice.

I stuttered helplessly in front of him, unable to form the words in my mouth. He slammed the door in my face and I heard footsteps on the other side as he retreated. I remained there, dumbstruck, for a moment before dragging my feet into action. I'd taken for granted that Ayol would always be there if I decided I wanted him. Knowing that the option of seeing him was gone made me want him more than ever.

When I was at the end of the alleyway I heard the door creak open again. Powered by a shot of adrenalin brought on by the thought of seeing Thon again I slipped into the busy street outside, hoping to lose myself in the crowd.

'Odella,' I heard a voice behind me say. It wasn't Thon, there was no scorn in it. I turned to find Garrett grinning at me, that familiar broad white smile.

'You came to see him?' he asked, sounding disbelieving.

'I did. But Thon told me he doesn't want to see me.'

'That's not true. He'll be glad you came. But he isn't there now and I don't know when he'll be back. I'm going to see to the horses. Why don't you come with me?'

'You have horses?' I asked, tempted by the offer.

'Yes,' he grinned, 'why does that surprise you?'

'I don't know. You never mentioned them.' Maybe it was because I'd met them on foot that I found it hard to envisage them riding.

'Come with me. I know you'd like to see them.'

We went to an area of the city that housed the stables, a whole street full of them. I hadn't been anywhere near it before - you could smell it from at least half a mile away. The familiar scent of manure and hay and sweat and leather filled my nose as we approached, allowing me to acclimatise to it before I hit the overwhelming odour of the main street. There must have been thousands of horses here.

About two thirds of the way down the street Garrett led me into a stable yard. It was neatly maintained and rectangular in shape, two sides were lined with individual stables with the rest made up of work and store rooms. Two stable-boys crossed the yard, loaded up with tack, nodding to Garrett as they passed us. We went to see Garrett's horse first, a huge black stallion with a glossy coat and a fiery temperament.