Page 49 of Warrior Princess
Chilled by his words, I nodded. “Thank you, Severus. I’ll remember that.”
Severus’s warning lingered with me long after I exited his cottage. As we walked away, the mystery of Abigail and the secrets of my family felt deeper than ever.
22
We decided to spend the night in the Valorian refugee community and rest before continuing our journey to the border. Before the morning sun had crested the horizon, we’d already mounted our horses and were back on the trail.
Within minutes of leaving the refuge, the landscape subtly changed. The soft meadows of the refugee village gave way to rougher, more rugged terrain as we approached the border. The air grew crisp, the breeze carrying whispers of the coming change of seasons.
We’d been back on the road a half hour before I said, “He knew more.”
Ronan looked over at me with a raised brow. “What do you mean?”
“He knew who I was,” I said. “He all but warned me to stop asking questions.”
“Why didn’t you say anything last night?” Mykal urged. “We could have pushed him!”
I shook my head. “No. Severus plans to take that secret to the grave. I could see it in his eyes. He wouldn’t have told us a thing.”
Ronan nodded in understanding, his gaze fixed on the winding path ahead. “Sometimes the past is better left alone. Maybe he's protecting you in his own way.”
Mykal, riding a few paces ahead, turned slightly in his saddle to address us. “He might be right, you know. Digging too deep into old secrets can unearth things better left buried.”
“That’s exactly what he said,” I admitted. “But his warning only makes me want to dig even deeper.”
Ronan nodded. “Either way, we need to find out the truth. I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s the center of everything.”
I pondered his words, feeling the weight of the unknown stretching before us like the expanse of road under our horses' hooves. The early morning light cast skinny shadows across our path and tinted the sky with hues of orange and pink.
As we neared the border, the familiar tension that always seemed to accompany such crossings crept up on me. The border was more than just a line on a map; it was a threshold between what was known and the myriad possibilities that lay beyond. “We should be cautious.” I pulled my cloak tighter as a chill wind swept across the landscape. “Secrets don’t stay buried forever.”
Ronan reached over and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “We'll handle it together, no matter what we find.” The sense of solidarity was comforting.
The border finally came into view, a stark line demarcated by ancient stone markers, worn by time but still standing resolute. It was the first time in weeks I’d been back in Valoria. Not since Ronan and I were forced to flee.
“They’re not here yet,” Mykal said as we paused at the border crossing.
“They’ll be here. I’m sure of it.” I dismounted my horse and tied the reins to a nearby tree. Then I sat down to wait. Mykal and Ronan followed suit, while the rest of the Keldaran soldiers spread out to guard the perimeter, per Mykal’s orders.
Ronan could tell I was nervous and worried that Marcellus and my father would not arrive. “We made good time. They still technically have a full day to arrive,” he reassured me. “Be patient.”
Mykal shrugged one shoulder. “I can always send another message while we’re here. If you want to.”
I shook my head. “No, not yet. Let’s give them a little more time to arrive. It’s roughly a two-day journey with rest, especially if my father is not well.”
For hours, we sat at the border and passed the time with small talk that quickly grew stilted. The sun began to sink. The golden hour bathed the landscape in warm, serene light, making the rugged terrain of the borderlands between Keldara and Valoria appear almost welcoming.
The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of juniper and wild thyme from the nearby woods, a reminder of the natural divide between the complexities of human affairs and the simplicity of nature. The quiet rustle of leaves and the occasional call of a distant bird were the only sounds that filled the silence.
Ronan continued to scan the horizon from his spot beside me. His presence was a reassuring constant, and his hand occasionally brushed against mine in silent support. Mykal, on the other hand, couldn’t sit still. He paced closeby, his eyes occasionally darting to the path that led from Valoria, a clear sign of restlessness despite his suggestions of patience.
As the sky turned from gold to a deepening blue, the first stars began to appear, dotting the heavens with specks of light. The coolness of the evening set in, and I pulled my cloak tighter around me. Ronan noticed and moved closer to share his warmth.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he murmured, gesturing towards the sky now ablaze with the twilight of sunset blending into the onset of night.
“Yes, it is.” My thoughts drifted to the forthcoming meeting. The beauty of the moment was tinged with the weight of what was to come—reunions and revelations that could change everything.
“Whatever happens, we’re in this together,” Ronan said, his voice firm yet gentle. His words were a balm that eased the knot of anxiety that had tightened within me throughout our journey.
