Her eyes light up at that. "Okay, I get it. Teach me."

I nod to Mario. "Pick one of your best men. I'm putting you and him on guard duty for the moment, until the threat to the Princess's life passes."

Mario nods sharply, sparing a glance for Arianna, who is studying the practice swords. "Yes, sir. We won't let any harm come to the Princess."

A low growl forms in my throat. "See that you don't."

He is dismissed, and I begin training Ari.

We move through basic stance positions, strikes and defenses. I show her the proper way to hold a sword. She learns fast.

"Widen your stance," I say.

She does.

"Spin your torso when you strike. No. Like this." I stand behind her and lay my hands on her hips. I twist them back, then forward.

She smiles, her cheeks red. "I think I got it. How do you—"

"Your Highness," someone yells. A kid, no older than ten and four years. He can barely speak when he approaches me, so out of breath is he. "I... I have a message... I—"

"Calm yourself, boy. The words won't come if sharing space with so much air."

He nods, takes a few deep, slow breaths, and speaks again. "Sir, you're needed at the southern lumber mill. One of Prince Ace's contraptions malfunctioned. A man was injured. The rest are refusing to work."

"Bloody hell. Can't Henrick handle this?"

The boy shakes his head. "Henrick is the one who got hurt, Sir."

"All right. Tell the stable to ready my horse. I'll be there shortly."

"Two horses," Ari says from beside me. "Have the stable master ready two horses please, uh, I didn't catch your name?"

The boy looks at Arianna and his cheeks burn red. He stutters now more than before. "Um. My name? It's, uh. John. My name is John, Your, er, Majesty Highness."

Ari holds her hand out to him. "Hi John, I'm Ari. Thanks so much for rushing to get this message here. You did a good job. After you speak to the stable master, hop over to the kitchen and tell Olga I said you should have some tea and cookies before you're sent back, okay?"

I raise an eyebrow at Ari, but I don't contradict her, at least not in front of everyone who is watching.

John looks to me, uncertain how to proceed with such odd orders. I just nod. "Do as the Princess says, boy. And be quick about it."

He nods, his face breaking into a smile, and runs to the stables.

I turn to Ari. "What was that about?"

She puts a hand on my arm. "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, Fen. Didn't anyone ever teach you that?"

She's already walking towards the stables, and I jog to catch up, grumbling under my breath about flies. Who needs flies anyways?

Chapter 8

SEALED IN BLOOD

"You've never seen me fight."

—Fenris Vane

I can hear Fen mumbling his complaints. I ignore them. Olga had little to say about her master, but her silence told me enough. Fen's servants respect him, but they don't care for him. I see it in the way they stare at him when he's not looking, at the way they avert their gaze under his glare. Most of them are Fae. Slaves. It makes me want to hate Fen and his brothers. But, somehow, I don't.

I don't hate him. I find him frustrating and exasperating, but also... fascinating. There is a kind heart in there somewhere. I saw it last night when he let me sleep in his room, though I could tell he didn't want me to. I saw it the night he saved me back in my world, and then stayed all night watching movies with me. I see it in the way he treats Baron, and in the way he cares about his brothers.

There's good in him. I just need to nudge it out. Help him show these people he actually does care about them and their welfare.

When we arrive at the stables behind the castle, two horses are already prepared for us. This might be a good time to admit to Fen that I've never ridden a horse before. But I'm afraid he'll make me stay behind, so I don't tell him. I just watch as he mounts and try to copy what he does. I've seen movies. I know the gist. It can't be that hard, right?

My horse is beautiful. She's black with a white marking on her forehead, and her eyes stare at me with such wisdom. I do manage to make it onto her without falling on my ass. I pat my horse's neck. "What's her name?" I ask the stable master.

She's a stout woman with pointy ears and long sand colored hair that pulls into a tail at the base of her neck. Her face is wide and leathery and she looks like she's been living with these horses for all of eternity. "She's Diamond, and she should serve you well, Your Highness. The Prince picked her out for you himself."

I look over at Fen, surprised. "You did?"

He grunts. "I knew you would need something on which to get around."

"Thank you. She's amazing."

The stable master nods with approval. "That she is. She'll treat you good if you do her right."

Baron follows us as we walk our horses for a bit. I think I'm getting the hang of it, but I'm nervous that if Diamond starts to trot or run I'll lose control.

"I'm surprised the horses aren't spooked by Baron," I say, pulling Diamond up to the side of Fen and his horse.

"They've become acclimated to him, and he to them. It's an uneasy alliance, but it works." He takes us down to a dirt road and turns to me. "Are you ready to run? We need to get there fast."