Villainous [Wattys 2021 Shortlist]

22: Seduction

Delilah clutched the reins eagerly and leaned forwards in the saddle, clicking her tongue and restraining a delighted cackle when her horse picked up speed. With a flurry of hoofbeats she overtook Dante and his stallion, but then the path narrowed ahead and she was forced to sit back and glare at the backs of the other three: Kai and two burly Imperial Guards who were poorly disguised as commoners.

"Don't get too excited," Dante called, and without looking behind she gave him a rude hand gesture.

Whoops. Kai had just turned around and spotted her, but to her surprise he didn't seem shocked. He rolled his eyes and turned back to the front.

The mare Kai had given her from the stables was a lovely, dappled grey animal, very tame and easy to control.

"I've missed riding," she said finally. She'd grown up in the saddle – riding was the first thing she'd been determined to learn, much to the dismay of her family, who had wanted her docile and useless. When that horse-riding had extended to learning how to handle the weapons of a soldier... That had been the real beginning.

"So have I," Dante said, surprising her with his genuine tone.

"Really? You have horses? I thought you rode bats – or mountain goats."

"Oh, go on, keep talking," he said savagely. "Just wait until we get back to Irkalla..."

"What are you going to do? You still don't rule me."

"I'll ban you from the caves. You can sleep outside in the rain."

"I'd much prefer that." She sniffed.

Kai twisted around. "Stop bickering, you two! You're like a married couple."

"We are not – I don't – we –" Delilah spluttered.

Kai laughed and cut her off before she could make a complete fool of herself. "So what made you want to visit the Jade Libraries?"

The trees they'd been riding through ended and Delilah gaped at the rolling hills spreading out before them. They were a patchwork of ridges: millions of ponds filled with green.

"The rice fields," Kai said, looking pleased with himself. Delilah scowled. He hadn't created them or farmed them, but the tone of his voice made it sound like he'd single-handedly built the valley.

She wished she was arrogant enough, and secure enough, to speak of Pelenu's wonders in such a way.

"Magnificent," Dante said, very polite, but Delilah guessed he was really thinking about how he'd use the place to his advantage if he ever took over.

They rode down a dirt path speckled with puddles, and Delilah saw farmers with leggings rolled up to their knees and large-brimmed, pointed hats shading their faces. No one bowed to Kai as they made their way past – despite his fine blue robes, he only looked like one of many wealthy young men.

Delilah felt confused by him, and this made her angry. She wanted to learn his weaknesses. What royal left his capital city to live among commoners? How would it help him learn to rule?

"Why does anyone want to visit the Jade Libraries?" Dante said as the heavens opened above them. Delilah flinched when a raindrop landed in her eye. "We aspire to be scholars."

"Really? You're built like soldiers, both of you."

Delilah bristled. "And how do you know that?" she snapped, forgetting to be polite.

"I couldn't not notice when I was saving your lives," he said, raising an eyebrow as he looked back at her.

Delilah sat straighter in her saddle. "And I have thanked you for it."