The Crimson Legacies

Ride the Storm

Sabina

The stupid guards, it's almost too easy to escape from their overprotective, ever-watchful eye. I stifle a laugh as I walk into the Royal Stables. My nose twitches at the foul stench of the stalls, but the miserable creatures that call themselves the Royal Guard smell even worse. Mother blames it on the vampire blood within me, but I think it's more than that. Intuition tells me they are simple-minded creatures, which are easy to control. Case in point–the wild and feral Werewolves which were turned into the watchful protectors of the Fae. Miserable creatures, at best.

The stallions in the stables pace in their stalls. These magnificent beasts once lead our ancestors into battle–now they're lucky to be taken out to run free.

"Why don't you take Sven out for a ride today, Princess?" A familiar voice says. Garrett, the stable hand, peers sleepily over the high wall of the last stall, strands of hay clinging to his hair.

"Were you sleeping in the stalls again?" I tease.

He opens the stall door and steps out, flashing a lopsided grin. As if on cue, Sven begins to stomp around in his tiny enclosure, his excitement echoing in the quiet morning.

"You better go see him before those parasites come to see what all the ruckus is about."

I roll my eyes. That's the last thing I need is for those filthy, smelly creatures thinking I need to be guarded around the clock.

"Whoa. Hey, Sven." I reach my hand out to him. Sven trots over to me and rubs his large nose on my hand.

"That's a good boy," I whisper, stroking his face. "You know what day it is, don't you, boy."

"Of course, he does. You've trained him well." Garrett stands next to me and pulls straw off his shirt.

I turn to face him.

"You lazy fool!" I laugh as I pull at the prickly straw from his hair. "You can't go to town covered in straw."

"Why not?" He jerks his head away from my hands. "It would make the ultimate disguise."

"And why does the stable boy require a disguise?"

"It's not for me–"

He reaches behind his back, and his eyes gleam of mischief. Straw flies through the air and rains down upon me.

"No, stop! What are you doing?" I swat away the loose straw.

A giant belly laugh bellows in the stables.

"Today, you can be a sister to the royal stable hand."

His laughter dies down.

I bite my lip and internally chaste myself for mentioning a sister. His own sister ran away several months ago with her werewolf boyfriend. They were in love and wanted to get married, but the King and Queen denied the marriage request. Garrett's parents were devastated at the elopement and immediately set off to track them and to bring her home. Garrett hasn't heard from them since.

He's fixated at a piece of straw on the ground, his eyes dark as onyx, emotionless. The Fae are known to bury their emotions deep inside, and he's a full-blooded Fae. I don't expect him to open up to me, and if he did, I wouldn't know what to say. Emotions and I don't mix well. Mom says it's the vampire blood, empathy is a lost cause.

After a moment of silence, Garrett's head jerks up, and our eyes meet.

"Actually, that's brilliant!"

"It is?" Garrett squints his eyes and stares at me as if I'm forgetting something I should remember. "Yes, after the trouble last time–"

"Oh, right. How could I forget about that?" I roll my eyes. "I do need a new disguise."