Barion climbed into the coach, rapped his knuckles on the front, and then settled onto the bench across from me with a heavy sigh. The horses nickered and began to pull us away from the manor. I leaned out of the small window of the coach and watched as Griffin shrank in size, until the manor was just a distant structure on the horizon.
“I don’t get what you see in that boy,” Barion muttered. He reached into the basket he’d brought with him and ripped off a chunk of crusty bread, as if we were already hours into our journey instead of just getting started. It was early in the morning, and we’d be riding in this bumpy coach all day. “There’s plenty of other lads in Daybreak that’d be honored to court a lady of your status. I doubt that
Griffin could even raise a broadsword over his head.”
“This may shock you, Barion,” I said, “but a man’s ability to wield a sword is not the most important thing to me.”
“I’ve never seen him shift, either,” Barion said. “He could be a sad, mangy dog in there.” I huffed. “What, like me?”
Barion rolled his eyes. “I’ve seen you shift, my lady, even if you’d prefer it otherwise. Your wolf is lovely. You should let her out more.”
“Griffin and I understand each other,” I said. “And our wolves do, too.”
Not that we’d ever shifted together—but Barion didn’t need to know that. That was private.
“Well, I suppose this competition has made those plans a little more complicated,” Barion said. “We’ll reach the inn by dusk, then continue on to Efra in the morning. We should arrive at the capital in time for the evening meal tomorrow. I’m curious to see how much superstitious fanfare there will be.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Ah, well, rumor has it the council has mentioned the importance of an old prophecy,” Barion said. “Something about the future queen needing to be of a certain pack.”
“Which one?” I sat up straighter. “He really believes in stuff like that?”
“I don’t think the king does at all,” Barion said. “But these councils, they can be old-fashioned.
It’s just gossip.”
“So who does the prophecy say will be chosen?” I asked.
Barion rolled his eyes. “You’re not getting out of this competition so easily,” he said. “I don’t know the details of it, anyway.”
I leaned back against the seat. Barion peered at me as if waiting for any more argument, but then, satisfied by my silence, he let his head loll back against the upholstered cushions of the coach and almost immediately began to snore. How he slept in this bumpy carriage, I had no idea. I was too anxious and excited to sleep, so I turned my attention to the window, watching the lush landscape of the Daybreak pack territory fade into open prairie and then skeletal trees. The warm, humid air I was used to grew colder as we traveled, and it wasn’t long before I snuggled into my new coat, grateful for its fur lining. I saw now why the tailor had insisted I leave it outside of the trunk.
Barion woke up a few hours later, and we spent the ride mostly in silence. Barion thumbed through novels, miraculously with no nausea, while I gazed out the window and sketched in my notebook. The sun was dipping below the horizon by the time the coach approached the Peach Inn.
“This is where we’re staying?” I asked as the driver slowed the coach to a halt in front of the building.
“Yep,” Barion said cheerfully. “I love this place. Finest sausage stew within fifty miles. Hell, probably the only decent meal at all within fifty miles.”
He hopped out of the coach and walked around to my side before I could get it open myself. He swung it open and offered his hand to help me down. I was sore all over from being jostled along the road, and somehow tired, even we’d only stopped a few times. Despite my exhaustion, the Peach Inn didn’t look exactly welcoming. It was a stone structure with a thatched roof, three stories tall, with a stable behind it and smoke pouring from the chimney. A faded sign swung over the door. But Barion was right—the inn wasn’t really part of a town. There was nothing surrounding it but forest.
As excited as I was to see new things, I was suddenly intimidated walking inside. This was a place for travelers—people stopping on their way to further destinations. People like Barion, who were used to this life.
“Come, my lady,” Barion said. He swung his bag back over his shoulder. “I’ll have the staff take the coach to the stable and bring your luggage up.”
I followed him through the heavy wooden door of the inn. The scene within nearly made me reel back in disdain. The Peach Inn was like Marco’s, if Marco’s were rowdier, dimmer, and reeked even more of stale beer and undercooked meat. The hearth roared with a fire, and a bard with a lute bounded between tables filled with burly men in thick cloaks, singing filthy songs in a scratchy tenor. All eyes suddenly turned to us, and a shiver ran up my spine.
“Barion!” one of the men at the bar boomed. “Fancy seeing you out in these parts. On your way to the capital, I suppose?”
Barion grinned and clasped the stranger’s hand in greeting. “Whatever the work demands.”
The stranger’s bloodshot eyes fell to me, and he grinned wolfishly. “With precious cargo, I see.”
Barion stepped slightly between the stranger and me. Part of me wanted to shove him aside and meet this stranger eye to eye. But this was Barion’s turf, not mine.
“Mind your tongue,” Barion said.
“Will she be joining us for a few drinks?” the stranger asked. “Errol’s just opened a bottle of wine from the Duskmoon vineyards.”
“Absolutely not,” Barion said before I could even get a word in edgewise. “Keep your paws to yourself, brute.”
For a moment I thought teeth and claws were about to be bared, but Barion and the stranger instead both exploded into boisterous laughter. They clasped hands again and then Barion turned to me and picked up my trunk with ease.
“I’ll show you to your room, my lady,” he said. “These fools won’t trouble you at all.”He nodded to the haggard-looking barkeep behind the counter, who sighed and abandoned her post to lead us up the stairs. Barion gave her more than a few coins, which brightened her mood. She unlocked the furthest door in the upstairs hall with a heavy brass key and motioned me inside.Barion followed me in and set my trunk by the foot of the bed. There was already a hot bath steaming in the room, which I desperately needed after a long day on the dusty road.“To your liking, my lady?” Barion asked.“Of course,” I said. “We can have our dinner downstairs, if you’d like.”“Oh, certainly not,” Barion said. “Those brutes are nothing but trouble. I’ll have dinner sent up to your room, and I’ll be right next door should you need anything.”I nodded. “If that’s best.”“We’ll leave just after dawn tomorrow,” Barion said, “to ensure we make it to the capital in time for the welcome dinner.” He glanced aroun
“Mmf,” Barion grunted as he eased into wakefulness in the afternoon. “Ah, we must be close.There’s that cold weather the Nightfall wolves love so much.”“It’s too cold,” I huffed. “This coat isn’t enough.”“I told you to put on the thicker socks this morning,” Barion said.I sucked my teeth. I was dressed to travel and also to make an entrance at Efra, somewhere between comfort and formality. The simple dark gown and heavy cotton skirt had been uncomfortable earlier in the day but now I was grateful for its warmth. I’d tucked the pendant Griffin had given me into my trunk this morning. I didn’t want anyone in Nightfall to ask about it. Instead, I’d worn my simple silver jewelry, a necklace and rings, just in case anyone doubted my status.“Here,” Barion said as he rummaged through his canvas bag. “I brought a pair for you.”I bit back a smile. “You think of everything, don’t you?”“It’s what your father pays me for,” Barion said with a wink. He handed me a pair of wool socks, and I q
“Lovely,” she said. “Don’t worry, Barion, if the wolves of Nightfall excel at anything, it’s ensuring our guests are well-fed.” She smiled at him, and then gestured at a handful of servants lingering near the front door. They hurried forward to the coach. “My staff will show you to your quarters, Barion. As for you, Lady Reyna, I’ll escort you to your quarters myself. The staff will bring your things.”“Thank you,” I said with another small curtsy.I followed Lady Glennis into the manor. The front hall was immense, with vaulted ceilings and polished stone floors; the low heels of her boots echoed through the space. The stained-glass windows were covered, but the room was well-lit with torches and a huge, roaring hearth, making it feel warm and cozy despite its size. She led me up the immense staircase in the center of the hall, then down a narrower path, to what I assumed must be the guest quarters.“I hope the journey was kind to you?” Lady Glennis asked.“Oh, it was lovely,” I said.
Breakfast, Rue revealed, was sausage, eggs, crusty bread, and hot coffee. I was almost relieved— part of me had been expecting a raw leg of deer or something. Maybe that was what the king had but wasn’t going to subject his guests to it quite yet. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and found a plush pair of slippers waiting. As soon as I’d slipped my feet inside, Rue hurried over with a fine robe and pulled it over my shoulders.“Good, good,” she said. “Eat first then we’ll help you prepare for the day. First impressions are the most important, you know.”I sat down at the table, and Rue briskly fixed my coffee with fresh milk and a touch of honey.“Thanks,” I murmured. “Just the way I like it.” After the first sip, my brain started to slowly rouse into wakefulness. “How did you know?”Rue just winked at me. “In two hours, Lady Glennis has requested your presence in the Solarium. You’ll be introduced to the other suitors of the Choice before all five of you are introduced to the
I tried not to scowl at my reflection and mostly succeeded. I hated the thought of the king looking at me and imagining my wolf—she was a private part of my soul, and I loathed to share her with the world at all.“That’s fine,” I said.To her credit, Amity seemed to understand I wasn’t interested in chatting. Hopefully, she’d just chalk it up to nerves. True to her word, she only put a small amount of makeup on me—a tint to my lips and a blush on my cheeks, making me look a little more doe-eyed and innocent than I wanted to. Then, from the drawer of the vanity, she pulled out a fine silver box.“You’ll be wearing this today,” she said. “Lady Glennis had them made for all the contestants of the Choice.” She opened the box and revealed a delicate tiara.It was silver, with delicate white stone cut in the shape of a semicircle, flanked by nine small diamonds. “This stone… Is it…?”“Moonstone, yes,” Amity confirmed.“It’s lovely,” I murmured. I’d seen jewelry made with moonstone at the ma
She liked having the wolves at her side, liked feeling protected, and knowing other wolves were close by. The itch to shift was at the base of my skull, but it was a small, familiar sensation, and one I easily ignored.We made our way to the solarium, which seemed to act like a central courtyard. It was like a gorgeous, domed greenhouse, with the sunlight falling in through the thick glass panels and snow gathered at the rivets where the panels connected, but the space inside was much warmer than the air outside. Still cool enough that my Daybreak-acclimated self needed my long sleeves, but certainly comfortable.The space was full of plants that seemed to be adequately taken care of. None of the ferns looked particularly happy and some of the flowers were drooping, but it was overall lush and a clear display of wealth and status. Not everyone had the capacity to keep such aesthetic greenery alive in these temperatures. I couldn’t help but wonder if these were plants my grandfather, C
We had a cup each and some vaguely awkward chitchat, carried mostly by Fina doing her best to get us all to open up. But the other contestants were either uninterested, or simply anxious, waiting for the official start of the competition.Luckily for Fina, we didn’t have to wait long. The door to the solarium opened. Lady Glennis strode in, her heels cracking on the fine stone floor. Her simple green gown was cinched at the waist, functional, but still elegant. She had a notebook open in her arm and a severe look on her face.My heart dropped. What could an expression like that mean? If the king was already in a bad mood, I certainly didn’t want to be the one to meet him. What happened to make the Lady Glennis look so openly upset?“Good morning, ladies,” Glennis said curtly. “I trust you’ve enjoyed making your introductions.” She peered at us, brows raised slightly. We all nodded and murmured our affirmatives.“Good,” she said. “Unfortunately, there’s been a change of schedules. The
My eyes widened as I peered at the map, drinking in the unfamiliar lines and words. It wasn’t Frasia—it was a region I’d never seen before. It looked mountainous, riddled with winding rivers and small lakes, with a jagged coastline. A few towns were illustrated and labeled, but I couldn’t read the language. Where was this? What kind of people lived here? Were they shifters? Mountainous —maybe dragon shifters? The thought thrilled me. I traced the path of the rivers, imagining I was there charting them myself. I saw it clear as day in my mind, myself in functional pants and heavy boots, standing on the bank of a freezing cold river as I gazed up at the crest of an unfamiliar mountain range. I imagined myself sketching the shapes of the mountains, adding detail to my maps.“What do you think you’re doing?” a rough, unfamiliar voice said behind me.It surprised me so much I nearly jumped out of my skin. I straightened up and whipped around, and found I was staring directly into a broad,