Page 36 of Tower of Ash and Darkness
“Careful, Princess. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you like to be chased.”
My pulse quickens, heat unfurling beneath my skin. The quiet promise of pursuit—thrills me more than I'd ever admit. Even back at the tavern, the very thought of him recognizing me had sent anticipation surging through my veins. Now that he does, now that the mask is stripped away, it only makes me ache more deeply to be truly seen. To be hunted by him. To becaught.
Yet, I lift my chin, smiling in quiet defiance.
“Is that what you believe I want?” I take another step back, reclaiming some space for myself. “Or merely what you wish I did?”
Then, a warm breath against my shoulder catches me off guard. I turn—there, standing in the misty rain, is the stallion. It takes me a moment to steady myself as I let out a soft laugh.
“You know, it’s not polite to sneak up on someone,” I tease, reaching toward him.
The stallion tilts his head, his dark eyes watching me with a quietunderstanding, as if he, too, finds my surprise amusing. I take a step closer, brushing my fingers through his mane. A soft puff of air escapes his nostrils, as though he’s laughing along with me.
Behind me, Casper watches, his gaze never leaving me. His boots thud softly on the wet earth as he steps closer, his voice cutting through the silence.
“Do you know who you caress, Princess?”
I glance back at him, shaking my head. I stoop to the ground, fingers brushing over an apple that has fallen from one of the nearby trees. The stallion’s ears flick toward me as I rise, the fruit now in my hand. I offer it gently to him, watching as he leans in, his strong jaw working through the crisp flesh with ease.
“He’s a descendant of a great royal bloodline of stallions,” Casper continues, his voice reverent. “The last true heir to his lineage. A king among beasts.”
Casper’s fingers brush the stallion’s face, a softness to his touch that feels at odds with the tension still humming between us. There’s something deeper in the way he handles the creature—something more than mere admiration.
“What’s his name?” I ask, my voice quieter now, the curiosity stronger than before.
Casper steps back, allowing me to take the lead with the majestic animal. His smile is subtle, watching me carefully, studying my every movement.
“Some know him asSihalant…”he says, his voice dropping, the name rolling off his tongue like an ancient incantation.
The sound lingers in the air, a ripple of recognition stirring within me, though I can’t place it.
“Others call him…” He pauses, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Chosen Beast,” I whisper, the words slipping from my lips almost without thought.
The ancient language falls into place with surprising ease, as if the name has always been there, waiting to be remembered.
Surprise flashes across Casper’s face. It’s gone in an instant, butit’s enough to make me soften my gaze, noticing him with a new kind of curiosity. He nods with approval.
“Seems you know more than you let on,” he says, quieter now. “In another land, they call him Zander.”
I glance at the stallion again, then back to him, a new recognition stirring in me.
“Zander,” I repeat, tasting the name on my tongue.
Casper steps closer, the air heavy with unspoken questions. His gaze holds mine intently. A faint smile touches my lips, the name stirring memories of something lost, something waiting to be uncovered.
My attention shifts, and I look over him once more. This time, my eyes catch the dagger at his hip. How had I missed it earlier? Its blade gleams softly in the dim light, the dark leather hilt worn smooth from years of use. Intricate symbols etched along its surface whisper secrets of age and hidden purpose.
“What is that?” I ask, my fingers already reaching toward it.
Casper straightens as I touch the dagger, and I feel his eyes on me as I trace the symbols etched into the metal, their shapes both familiar and foreign, like fragments of a language long forgotten.
“Ashient mienth hatonian ashia,” I murmur, the words feeling strange but right on my tongue.
I glance up at him, my brow furrowing with a mix of curiosity and confusion.
“Well, whoever wrote this clearly lacked an education,” I tease lightly. “It doesn’t make sense.”
