Unicorn Keep (22 page)
Authors: Angelia Almos
Duty done
, some of her guilt lifted. Not all of it, but enough that she knew she had done what she could to prepare them should Mage Brennah decide to visit. She walked to the waterfront. The ocean drew her. But the young man standing on a rock drew her more.
Herrick
turned and smiled, offering her his hand. She took it and hopped from the pathway to the large rock the waves crashed against. The ocean stretched out forever and seemed mad with the storm. They had timed their visit perfectly to coincide with a small break in the storm, but more heavy rain approached.
Suddenly
the clouds let loose, drenching them. Herrick laughed and they both jumped back to the path. Her feet stepped lightly as she tugged the hood of her cloak up over her head. She smiled and glanced up into the rain for a moment to feel the drops splash on her face.
“Jiline?”
She turned her smile to Herrick.
“Find somewhere to wait out the storm or head back to the forest?”
She took his hand, her heart light and unburdened. “Or we could stand in the rain?”
He rolled his eyes and pulled her toward
the small marketplace where others were seeking shelter. She laughed for the first time in a long while.
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About the Author
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Angelia Almos formed a lifelong passion for horses at the age of five when she talked her parents into riding lessons. Horses often play a prominent role in many of her books. She writes young adult fantasy, space opera, and horsey nonfiction. She lives in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with her husband, two daughters, two cats, two dogs, and one pony.
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SNEAK
PEEK: HORSE CHARMER
A gifted princess. A special horse. A quest for the truth.
At sixteen years old, Cassia would rather spend her days in the royal stables than in the royal court. But as the eldest child of King Robet and Queen Sarahann she obediently performs her duties as the Princess of Karah.
Her safe world changes forever when her father is murdered in the neighboring
kingdom of Vespera. Cassia grapples with his loss as her mother prepares her for her new role as queen. Her first task - she must travel to Vespera to marry a prince she barely knows to fulfill the treaty her father signed just before his death.
Nothing is as simple as it seems with political intrigues and unusual powers shadowing Cassia on her search to find out who killed her father and why.
CHAPTER ONE
Her hand shading her eyes, Princess Cassia watched the bird glide over the outer walls of Castle Karah. A small shiver went down her spine when she saw it was a Royalty, a special messenger eagle used only to convey urgent messages. He swooped over her and across the stable yard to land on his perch.
The Royalty squawked and ruffled his feathers. He snapped and bit the young page who tried to take the message from him. Cassia shook her head at the boy as he backed away from the Royalty clutching his hand. The eagle would only release the letter to someone of high rank. She wondered briefly what the eagle could be carrying, but got distracted when her horse jumped underneath her. She focused on the young stallion as he bobbed his head.
"Good boy," Cassia said in a soft voice, soothing him until he settled down.
Her brothers raced their horses around her, spinning and weaving the buckets and poles positioned throughout the corral. She'd set up the obstacle course for them early that morning. They'd all just been released from their lessons a short time ago and had raced down to the stable yard. Her brothers tackled the course with gusto. Of course, they would be doing better if they actually did the pattern she'd set up.
She sighed in exasperation. At sixteen, she was the eldest child and heir to the throne of Karah, a job she was not looking forward to. If she'd had a choice in the matter she would spend the rest of her life in the stable with the horses. It was the one place she felt at ease. Even the grouchy stable master admitted she had an uncanny gift with the horses.
Tully, her youngest brother at eight years old, raced under her stallion's nose.
"Tully, heels!" Cassia yelled out automatically.
She was supposed to be helping them with their equitation today. She turned to look at Faolan and nearly rolled her eyes. At ten years old, he still hadn't outgrown his clumsy and awkward phase.
"Faolan, your elbows, tuck them in!"
Gordain was the second eldest at twelve years old. The oldest boy took his job as leader seriously. He constantly tried to prove himself and often pushed his horse farther than he could control.
"Gordain, he's a horse, not a goat," Cassia said. "Don't punish him for something he can't do."
Her stallion shifted to look toward the outside gate and she followed his gaze. She smiled in delight as she heard it; the unmistakable sound of hoof beats racing toward Castle Karah.
Two guards ran to the gate and barely pulled it open in time. A large herd of horses, around forty, raced in. A single horse and rider followed the herd, the Horse Wrangler Luki, one of the few people she considered a real friend.
Luki pulled his horse up as the guards shut the gate behind him. Tanned and with sun-bleached blonde hair, he sat on his tall Palomino stallion naturally. Luki spotted her and waved. Cassia slid off her horse.
A stable hand climbed into the large corral and she handed the reins to him with a quick thanks. Luki rode his horse up to the corral and Cassia stood on the bottom rail of the fence next to him.
"Princess Cassia," Luki said with a salute.
"Luki." Cassia bowed her head in the customary greeting, but also to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. His horse snorted at her. "Dall." Dall sneezed on her in response. She laughed and looked back up to Luki, her momentary shyness forgotten. "Large bunch."
The milling horses neighed and trotted about the yard. Several stable hands were trying to keep the herd contained on this side of the yard, but weren't having a lot of luck.
"Took a while to gather them." Luki fidgeted with his reins. She watched his fingers, surprised by the restless gesture. "I found a special one for you."
She smiled and fought the urge to lunge forward and hug him. There were too many people around to witness it. Luki smoothed Dall's mane as he leaned down closer to her face. She glanced over the herd.
"A present?" Cassia tried to sound nonchalant, at both the prospect of the gift and him being so close to her.
"She's for you." He shrugged while somehow maintaining his position.
"Where is she?"
He pointed at a petite dark bay mare in the center of the milling herd. She was delicate in build and fluid in movement as she pivoted to look at them as if she knew they were talking about her.
"She's beautiful," Cassia said in awe.
She looked the mare over closely and the mare stared right back at her.
"I found her --"
The door from Castle Karah leading into the yard banged open interrupting what Luki was about to say. An escort of Royal Guards stepped out into the yard. Cassia's mother, Queen Sarahann, followed directly behind them. Tall and elegant, she embodied everyone's vision of what a queen should be. Her dark brown hair was swept up into intricate braids complimenting the pattern on her gown.
The Royal Guards led Sarahann across the yard to the platform where the Royalty perched. Sarahann waved Cassia to her not even having to look to know where her daughter would be. Cassia sighed in response and climbed over the fence. Luki saluted her with a laugh and a wink. He spun Dall and headed to the main barn to meet up with the stable master.
"Gordain," Cassia called in her sternest voice. "You're in charge until I return. No fooling around."
"Do you think the message is from father?" Gordain walked his chestnut gelding up to the fence. His dark brown eyes watched their mother as his eyebrows came together into his worried mask.
"We'll find out soon."
She walked through the milling horses to the platform, touching the wild horses instinctively along the way. They parted and made a pathway unafraid of her presence. Royal Guard Captain Maconhay turned with a brief smile and offered his hand. Cassia took it and he easily pulled her up onto the platform.
Once Cassia had joined her, Sarahann took the note from the Royalty. The Royalty snapped at her, but didn't bite as she untied the scroll and unrolled it impatiently. Her face drained of color as she read. Stumbling, she leaned heavily against the perch and startled the Royalty into flight.
Royal Guard Arlen moved in to support her. "Your Highness?"
Sarahann shook her head, pulling free from his grasp.
Cassia tried to read the message that had upset her mother. Sarahann never showed her emotions in public. "What's happened?"
"Dear Queen Sarahann of Karah," she said, reading the paper. "I unfortunately have the task of informing you of distressing events that have just occurred. Your husband, King Robet of Karah, was killed late last night. I am currently inquiring into the circumstances of his death. My deepest regret and sympathies go to you. Signed, King Erich of Vespera."
The sounds of the yard faded into the background, until all Cassia could hear was her mother's voice. She stepped back into Maconahay, shaking her head in denial. He took her arm and pulled her up against him.
"Princess?" Maconahay inquired in a concerned voice.
"No!" Cassia yelled. "That's false. What he says is a lie."
Sarahann opened her arms to embrace her. "Cassia."
"No!"
She twisted out of Maconahay's grip and leapt off the platform into the milling horses. The horses parted and made a path for her escape. Maconahay tried to follow, but the horses closed in, preventing him from reaching her. Cassia dashed through the herd toward the stable.
"Cassia!" Luki ran along the edge of the herd heading for her.
She darted aside to avoid him. The horses, she needed to be alone with the horses. She couldn't handle seeing anyone right now. She sobbed and her vision blurred as she headed for the barn. Luki grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.
"Cassia! What's wrong?"
She struggled against his grip, kicking his legs before the fight went out of her and she crumpled into him with a huge sob. The herd of horses closed around them into a protective cocoon.
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