The soldiers let me pass, allowing me to follow directly behind Kyra, who leads the small group out of the stables and through the courtyard. We walk quietly to the gate of the castle wall where Argon hails the men at the gate, who speedily open the iron doors. As strong as the king is, he seems to place a good deal of emphasis on security. He is a coward of little faith.
Kyra directs her handsome palomino through the gates and I follow behind, just to her right and a pace behind her. I quickly discover a distaste for riding in a side-saddle, struggling to maintain my balance as we ride to the right, perpendicular to the main road leading into the town. Headed in the general direction of the forest, we walk in silence broken only by the clattering of horse hooves on the cobblestone walkway. The sounds of the town reach us faintly, and I have the sudden urge to dismount and run along the rooftops of the town, a vivid image of the town at midnight blurred beneath my light feet.
I shake the image from my head, scolding myself for letting my mind wander. I stay just behind Kyra until we reach the edge of the town, which opens into a wide expanse of nothing but tall, greenish-yellow grass which sways in the breeze. To the right, the meadow seems to stretch onward, broken only by rolling hills. However, to the left looms the forest, several miles away, its dark blotch in the otherwise bright meadow unmistakable. I feel my heart pattering with excitement at the mere sight of it. Kyra turns her horse toward it, falling in step beside Argon, whose reserved expression makes me wonder if he'd rather not be riding beside the chatty princess. An air of flirtatiousness comes over Kyra, and I pity Argon.
Without realizing it, my roan has fallen into perfect step beside Chase's bay, whose rider watches Kyra and Argon carefully. The other two soldiers have taken posts on either side of Chase and me, but far enough away to provide a semblance of privacy, so that I feel comfortable to talk without being overheard.
No sooner have I begun to form my question for Chase, than an incredible feeling comes over me. Like a breath of air after holding my breath, I can feel the power of the earth pulsing beneath me. I feel it in the air, smell it in the grass, sense it in the movements of the horse beneath me.
I look back toward the castle wonderingly. There must be some sort of barrier around the castle, to keep the Elementals from using their powers within the walls. Again, I am struck by the cowardice of the king.
"Are you all right?" Chase asks beside me. I sit facing him, who looks at me curiously. He seems especially focused on my eyes.
I nod, my question suddenly returning to me. "Who is Finnegan, really?"
Chase's expression turns from curious to slightly disappointed, as if this were a subject he'd rather not address. "Finnegan is the king's second son, and not his favorite. Because of this, Finnegan spends much of his time out of the castle, choosing instead to roam the city. The king prefers it this way, but Leandry is tightly bonded to his younger brother. When Finnegan does spend time at the castle, his time is mainly spent with Leandry. The two of them have similar ideals, I am sure, and they work together well. That is what I've heard, at least. I have not been here long enough to know for sure." I listen to Chase's words, skeptical for his lack of surety, but curious at this new knowledge of Finnegan.
A squeal of laughter sounds ahead of us, and immediately, Chase reaches for the hilt of his sword. However, the noise is only an exaggerated laugh from Kyra, who appears to have found something Argon said quite amusing. Argon and Kyra are now a considerable distance ahead of us, the two other soldiers having taken positions between their pair and Chase and myself.
After a short silence, Chase asks, "What happened to you? The last I saw of you was that you were being sold at that trade." I quickly recount my story as best I can, leaving out only the detail that I cannot access my Aqua capabilities, for which I am rather ashamed. "So, you're a Di-Hybrid?"
