ra

The fever seems to be giving me a small break—or maybe it has finally decided to leave me for good. Even so, Cassian’s order was clear: no going out until he says otherwise, and truthfully, mytest discoveries, along with my drained benergy/b, havepletely killed any desire I had to fight him.

I stare at the mountain of letters on my desk. I haven’t stopped writing whenever I wasn’t feverish or exhausted. I have bthe /bfaint hope that I’ll be allowed to send the

into my room, much more cheerful now the reassure my family and receive a few words back from them. rissa bbursts /b

garment in her hands.

the fever has stayed away ifor /itwo consecutive days. She’s holding ba /bleather.

“Up you go, dear, you need to get ready. You’re going out.”

I blink, confused, not quite believing it.

“Out? Where to?” I rise from my seat beside the desk. “To stroll in the gardens?”

She smiles from ear to ear while shaking her head.

“No, dear, you’re going outside. Truly outside.”

My back straightenspletely, and I feel a small pull in my stomach. Nerves and excitement. It’s broad daylight, and that already makes me feel this will be a different kind of outing. I hope I get to see something other than ba /broom full of

vampires indulging in carnal pleasures.

rissa shakes out a pair of ck leather pants in front of my eyes, and before I’ve recovered from the initial surprise, she startles me again.

“Put these on.”

“Pants?” I ask, incredulous.

“That’s what the lord ordered.”

I don’t even think aboutining. I’m more than thrilled with this change of attire. I’ve never worn pants–my mother was very traditional in that sense and made little Abigail and me wear dresses and those instruments of torture called corsets. I was already thrilled not to have to wear them here, but now, in the presence of pants, I’m ecstatic. I undress without hesitation,pletely shameless. I slide the material up my legs and pull theces to tie it at my waist.

“I love them. They’re perfect.”

rissa nods in agreement. She brushes my hair from my face and ties it in a low ponytail.

“Do you know where we’re going?”

“Not exactly, though most likely into the city.”

I fall silent again while rissa finishes with me. I ask about Naida, who apparently is helping bpick /bfabrics bfor /bbnew /bbdresses/bb. /b

b1/3 /b

Chapter b33 /b

bWhen /bbrissa /btells me she’s done, she barely has time to say goodbye. After being sick or locked bup for /bbso /bblong/bb, /bbthe /bidea of bgoing /bout there—even if it’s with him–excites me too much.”

I head down to the entrance hall, which is empty. I pace back and forth, impatient, until I see him descending the bgrand /bstaircase. He maintains a regal demeanor, barely acknowledging me. We haven’t seen each other in days, bbut /bbour /bbst /bexchange of words still burns inside me. He walks past me, and my chance to look at him doesn’tst long, bas /bbhe /bbthrows /bba /bheavy piece of fabric at my face.

“Put that on.”

I’m about to tell him to go to hell. I hold back and examine what he just threw at me, discovering it’s a cloak. I slide bit /bover my body and tie it around my neck. When I finish, I see him watching me with suspicion. If he’s waiting for a thank youb, /bhe’s going to be waiting a long time.

A guard opens the door. I lift my gaze and spot two horses with sleek, shiny coats. I smile.

“We’re riding?” I dare to ask.

“What else would I have two saddled horses at the door for, ra?” he replies mockingly. “You think I’m in the mood for one of those typical Diluted snacks?”

I stay silent–probably for the best. He walks ahead toward what I assume is his horse. It has a ck coat and bright ck eyes. I step closer and, holding out my palm under its muzzle, let it bump and sniff me.

“Careful, he bites. Like his master.”

Is that a joke? If it is, it’spletely out of ce, and I hope the wary look I shoot him makes it clear I find it anything but funny. Noting from a vampire who can shatter minds and reduce people to dust.

I approach the other horse, which is the opposite of his–pure white. I do the same, letting it sniff me, and I can’t help butugh when it tickles my palm with its muzzle. I don’t realize we’ve fallen into a long silence until I raise my face and find him looking at me with those piercing blue eyes. He notices too and breaks the connection immediately.

“Mount up,” he iorders/i.

I step closer, grabbing the saddle as best I can and try to get on. I’m too small for this big, burly horse. My leg barely reaches the stirrup to push myself up. Blushing, partly from the effort and partly from being watched, I manage to climb onto the horse, but then I slip along its side.

I already see myself face–nting into the ground and creating a humiliating scene. But it doesn’t happen. I feel his hands on my waist, holding me firmly and cing me in the saddle. He hands me the reins.

“If you’re always this kind, even the animals willugh at you.”

He circles his horse and mounts it with precise, graceful movements. I can’t help but watch him longer than I should. I wonder if I should thank him for preventing me from cracking my head open–but then I remember his behavior bthese /bpast days and tell myself it’s the least he could do after being such a brute. He gives a small nudge to bthe /bbhorse’s /bbnks/b, and it takes off. I mimic him, and when the white mare starts to gallop, I cling tightly to its body, afraid bof /bblosing /bbmy /bbnce.

Chapter b33 /b

bBoth /banimals seem to know exactly where they’re going. They gallop nonstop, and before I know bit/b, the bcastle /bbis /ba distant – dot behind us. I stay hunched over for a while until I gather the courage to straighten up and let bthe /bbwind /bbhit /bbmy /bface. bThe /bhood of the cloak rises, covering part of my face, and from the way Cassian looks at me, I’m almost sure he bhad /bsomething

to do with it.

The mare rides up beside Cassian’s horse–almost shoulder to shoulder… or rather head to shoulder, given bour /bbheight /b

difference.

“Can I know where we’re going?” I ask over the noise of the wind.

“I have a meeting.”

“Then why no guards or carriage?”

“Why so many questions?” He looks down at me. “My carriage and guards draw itoo /imuch attentioni./i” He pulls his own hood up over his head. “Do you know how to be a ghost, ra?”

I’m about to reply that I’ve spent my whole life being one. Instead, I fix my eyes ahead and we continue down the path surrounded by thick vegetation. I look at the trees overhead, catching the sunlight in their crowns, and I scan them like something could jump out at any moment to attack us. I suppose the fact that Cassian wants to avoid attention unsettles ollime. /li/ol

After a while–probably over an hour–the cityes into view. My backside, if it had a mouth, would sigh in relief. I’m binot /i/bused to riding, and I ache all over.