A Blaze in the Dark (A New Dawn #1)

Chapter 28 - Nick

In return for your hospitality, I can offer your people a toy that can stay in a family for generations to come, a toy that sparks joy to all who play with it. Exactly what the Sundalers require on the Feast of the Dead.

With steady and firm steps Nick marched through the stable. The first rays of sunshine peeked through the windows, outshining the flickering candles in the lanterns at every corner of the aisle. Here and there, horses were quietly munching on their hay, but most were standing up motionlessly in their boxes, still embracing the slumber of the night.

As he turned the corner to Billy's aisle, a familiar white muzzle peeped through the fence and greeted with him with a merry neigh.

He couldn't suppress his broad smile even if he wanted to. Until a moon ago, his favourite stallion had been but a miserable pile of bones and fur, but so far the treatment of crunchy royal fruits and a story twice a day had worked miracles.

As he shoved the lock of the box to one side, Billy stretched out his tongue and licked him in the face. "Yeah, here I am, boy. It may be the Feast of the Dead today, but I'm not gonna skip my visits to you."

As soon as he went in, the horse dove for his satchel and nuzzled his muzzle against the flap, sniffing.

"I have to disappoint you. No apple for you today." He pushed the satchel sideways to fish out a small carrot from the cloth in which he kept Billy's food, away from his books. "You like this too, don't you?"

He broke the vegetable into two pieces so the old horse could gobble it up more easily, but as he held the pieces in his hand, Billy snorted and stared at the flap with droopy eyes and his ears all pinned up to the back.

"Fine. I knew fooling you was a long shot." He threw the carrot to the ground and opened his bag. The last of the fresh apples he had found in the kitchen was wrapped in a separate green plaid cloth. "There was only one left, and I wanted to eat it, but alright. Only because it's you, boy."

"That ho'sie knows what he wants, Young Maste' Nicolas." Behind him, Ol' Dicky stood, pitchfork and all, carrying a heartfelt grin that revealed his black, half-broken teeth. "Ya ea'lier than usual. Is all well?"

"Yeah." He grabbed his pocketknife from his side pocket and peeled the apple. "The big master and his best friend were raiding the kitchen while I was scavenging breakfast for Billy. I left-didn't wanna take the chance that they would guilt-trip me into staying for the ceremony and the ball. I'd rather spend today will the lads."

"Don't I unde'stand ya, kiddo. But I fink it's a dang shame ya joined the a'my. Ol' Bills over the'e got all but someone who takes em out fo' a ride."

"I'm aware." Nick brushed his knee against Billy's cheek to keep him from munching the apple skins that would otherwise upset his stomach. "But the army life isn't so bad. I have a good patrol."

"Do they know who you is now?"

"Apart from Bart, no. I wanna keep it that way."

So far his accomplishments in the Academy had been because of his own hard work, and not because he happened to live under the same roof as the royal family. Despite missing half of the academic year, his grades were good. Top ten percent of the first year Cadets, according to the General.

"The gua'ds know who you is."

"Yeah, but they've sworn a vow to never reveal anything of what goes on inside the castle. My biggest worry is the fury of the big master's wife whenever I arrive late at the dinner table, but it's not gonna be an issue tonight. I'll be staying at the fair all evening, and then come back here before I go to bed." He presented the first slice of apple to Billy, who eagerly munched it up. "Really, I'm good. Thanks, Dicky."