CHAPTER 235: MAY YOUR EVENING BE RESTFUL

"Right," Serena said solemnly and then nodded.

She hoped wherever they were headed would reveal itself soon enough so this sour little expedition could draw to a close. She had nearly forgotten the florid descriptions she had spun about Crimsonclaw, the old spires, the pale crimson stones, the blood-kissed ivy that curled like veins up its gothic walls. Did it matter at all now?

Oh, yes it did.

That Amara woman noticed everything. Serena had no doubt she remembered exactly what had been said by whom, and what had not. Meticulous to a fault, the Dawnbreak noblewoman was much like Charlotte. reserved, perfectly poised, and terribly amused by what she did not say. Serena quickly concluded that she might become a thorn in her side.

Serena exhaled sharply through her nose and nudged the horse forward with a firmer grip on the reins.

They rode on, the four of them in steady rhythm beneath the canopy of dusk-dappled trees. The woodland trail curved and dipped gently, widening now and then into clearings where ancient stone relics stood moss-worn and sun-kissed. Broken statues peered from between brambles, their faces eroded into thoughtful silence. Crumbling waystones dotted the path, some engraved with runes so faded only time could read them.

Elen said nothing. Her face was unreadable, half-hidden beneath the shade of her riding cowl. Amara, ever watchful, let her gaze roam the surroundings with a pleased murmur here and there.

Charlotte, Serena noted with private discomfort, remained pointedly quiet. She rode with perfect posture, letting the reins rest light in her fingers as her horse obeyed each subtle shift in her hips. She was, after all, supposed to be the Crimsonclaw native. She should have been the one offering commentary, ushering their attention toward the lore and landscape Serena had described so long ago.

But here she would offer nothing. No correction, or embellishment. Just a smile here, a faint nod there. Because how would she, a Crimsonclaw native talk about the Ironshade relics.

The trail wound onward, and still no one spoke. Serena cast a glance sideways, hoping Charlotte might at least offer some factual scrap about the land, an offhanded mention of the waystones, the forest’s name, or even the half-buried well they passed, its mouth blooming with green vines and tiny blue flowers.

That was the trouble, Serena thought, none of them truly belonged here. The Dawnbreak women rode through Ironshade lands like guests at a funeral procession, with Amara humming softly under her breath now and then, making mild compliments about the scenery, always with a curious lilt, as if searching for cracks in the stone or inconsistencies in their hosts.

"I must admit," Amara said finally, breaking the silence. "The trees here are rather beautiful. A different breed from the forests near Dawnbreak."

"The roots here run deeper," Charlotte offered, voice low. "Ironshade trees are older."

Serena stiffened slightly, heart lurching at the risk of overstepping. But Amara only tilted her head, considering Charlotte with faint amusement.

"I suppose it suits the territory," she replied.

They passed through another shallow clearing where a half-collapsed stone arch jutted from the undergrowth, vines coiled through its base. Elen glanced at it, her eyes flicking quickly to Serena, then away. Still nothing was said between them.

By the time they reached the end of the marked trail, the sky had begun to grey, with soft hints of peach light glimmering on the horizon. The air held that liminal stillness before twilight truly fell. Birds chirped in brief, brittle melodies before quieting, and the air turned crisper with the first brush of evening chill.

Serena exhaled and adjusted her grip on the reins again. Her back ached faintly, and the muscles in her thighs tensed with each shift in the saddle.

"I suppose this concludes our tour," she said at last, managing a smile.

Charlotte slowed her horse, then looked toward Amara and Elen. "If you would permit me, I can escort you both directly to Blackthorn Keep. It’s less taxing than returning to the castle at this hour. The guards there will handle your transfer to the main halls."

Amara looked slightly intrigued by the offer. "That would be most kind."

"I imagine you must be fatigued," Charlotte continued smoothly. "A shorter ride would be preferable."

Elen looked uncertain, her gaze flickering briefly to Serena before settling somewhere beyond the treetops.

"We would not wish to impose," she said quietly.

"You wouldn’t be," Charlotte replied, already turning her mount in a graceful half-circle. "It is on our way."

There was a pause. Then, finally, Amara gave a slow nod. "Very well. We accept your generosity, Lady Charlotte."

Serena stayed quiet. She caught the glance Charlotte cast her, brief, unreadable. It was not an apology, but perhaps it was a warning. Serena could not tell.

The four of them fell into a new formation as they set off again, Charlotte now leading them toward the keep, her form regal atop her horse. Serena took the rear, watching as Elen rode stiffly ahead, her shoulders tense. Amara’s posture remained as fluid and at-ease as ever, her voice rising occasionally with a light remark about the fading day, but never directed at Serena.

No one asked Serena anything. No one asked for more detail about Crimsonclaw’s territories, or their customs. It was as though she were no longer part of the conversation. Merely an ornament in their ride, painted in place to serve a role she no longer wanted to play.

The guilt gnawed at her again. Elen had barely looked at her.

At length, Blackthorn Keep emerged between two high ridges. An escort of two guards already stood at the main path, having likely been signaled in advance. As they dismounted, Charlotte was first to hand her reins to one of the waiting guards.

"Lady Amara. Lady Elen," she said with impeccable politeness. "May your evening be restful."

"And yours, Lady Charlotte," Amara replied, her smile as deliberate as ever. She cast one final glance toward Serena, those dark eyes dancing with unreadable thoughts. "It was a pleasant afternoon."

Serena bowed slightly, her mouth dry. "Indeed."

Elen didn’t say a word. As the Dawnbreak women were led toward the keep’s side entrance, Serena lingered by her horse, one hand still on the saddle.

Charlotte stepped beside her. "Are you all right?"

Serena looked away, eyes scanning the fading road.

"No," she said quietly. "But I will be."