The Water Howlers - Book II ✔

Chapter 9 - Ki

Ki stared at their training master, her mind turning his words over inside her brain. The king wanted to see them. They had to go to the palace. What did the king want from them? She might have to see Rylan again.

Her own emotions had surprised her when she felt hurt over the fact that the prince hadn't come to visit, especially after the palace had been notified about what had happened up North. Despite all she'd been through, he hadn't bothered to drag his royal ass up to check on her or the others. But she supposed that only helped her feel less and less about the prince who had once kissed her in the royal library.

"What does he want?" Thatch asked, but Ki doubted that the message had contained any other words than the summoning, and Sarko's shrug confirmed it.

"The message did not say. His majesty likes to keep his business private from prying eyes. The fewer who knows the better."

Ki caught Thatch's stare and she knew exactly what he was thinking, and it sickened her to the core to even think that those rumours could be true.

"You should all go and eat something and then pack your things. It seems we'll be riding through the night."

"Pack our things? How long will we be gone?" Ori asked.

"I do not know, but I have a feeling you won't be back here for a while," Sarko replied and then left them all to wonder what was going on.

"I wonder if we'll be staying at the palace for a while?" Ori pondered out loud as they headed back to the mess tent to eat. Ki sincerely hoped that wouldn't be the case. Being confined within the walls of that place, no matter the size of it, would guarantee her seeing Prince Rylan more than she'd care for.

"I'd prefer a tent and the hard, cold ground to that place any day," Thatch said and Ki almost agreed with him, although she did recall the softness of the mattresses from their last visit.

"Okay, we get it, you don't like the royals," Emmie sighed.

"No one in their right mind would like those people."

Ki felt the sting of Thatch's words, as if they were targeted at her from her time spent with Rylan. But he wasn't his father, at least, she prayed that he wasn't.

They ate a quick, hearty dinner of potatoes and roasted meat and then hurried to their quarters to pack their bags with extra clothes. With each item she packed, Ki felt the knots in her stomach tighten. But she couldn't let her feelings control her. She was a Four Howler of this kingdom and she had to uphold her duties. Love was not a thing she could afford to be distracted by. Hoisting her bag onto her shoulder, Ki glanced around the room where she had lived for the past several months and noticed for the first time how bare it was; the bed and its white linens provided the most color. The walls were bare and the only other item in the room was a dresser and the stand where the washbasin stood.

She found Emmie waiting outside, bag slung over her shoulder and fiddling with one of her dark curls.

"I'm definitely getting a sense that we're not returning any time soon," she said as Ki walked up to her.

"Perhaps we could do with a change of scenery," Ki said as they headed towards the stables.

"Yes, maybe you're right," Emmie responded.

Thatch and Ori were already in the midst of saddling their own horses when the girls arrived.

"Quick packing?" Ki asked, nearing her mare, which she greeted with a smile and a muzzle rub.

"Put some clothes in a bag," Thatch shrugged. "It's not that time-consuming."

Ki saddled her horse in silence. Running a hand down the leather she recalled the first time her uncle Kattar had put her on a horse. She'd been nine and utterly afraid of the great big beast her uncle was persuading her to get on top of. She kept resisting until he'd had enough and just picked her up and placed her on top of the horse. The horse had been a calm old mare, who didn't as much as flinch as young Ki straddled her. She'd sat there, frozen with terror, her senses acutely aware of the red blooded creature underneath her. In fear of falling over sideways, Ki had gripped a fistful of the horse's brown mane. The ears flickered once and Ki's trembling hand slowly released the surprisingly soft hair. Her hands then rested on the back of the horse and she felt its warmth.